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Breeding for locally adapted cassava in Uganda
R.S.
Kawuki, R.O.M. Mwanga, Y. Baguma, A. Pariyo, G.N. Semakula,T. Alicai, C.A.
Omongo, R. Edema, P. Okori, E. Nuwamanya, T. Amuge, S. Kashub, M. Fregene,
A. Bua
Since the pioneer introduction of cassava in Uganda in the early 1850s,
limited efforts have been undertaken to improve the current local
varieties that have evolved, which have been by far more popular than
subsequent introductions. Although most of these local varieties are
highly susceptible to pests and diseases, they are more adapted to local
environments and have excellent root qualities that have made them more
popular than most recent elite introductions. The National Cassava
Programme of Uganda, in partnership with national, regional and
international collaborators, has initiated four broad intervention
strategies that aim to improve the local cassava: 1) continued evaluation
and characterization of local varieties to source for useful agronomic
traits and understand their structure; 2) inbreeding to generate partial
inbred lines of outstanding local varieties 3) generating F1 populations
from crossing local varieties with elite introductions from Africa, Latin
America and Asia; 4) genetic transformation focusing on introducing genes
deficient
in local varieties. The presentation chronicles the progress made in these
four intervention strategies: systematic diversity assessment, inbreeding,
generating F1 populations
using local varieties as parents, and genetic transformation.
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