Cassava is a staple for one in ten people on earth, grown mostly by small farmers tending a few acres. One of the challenges is insect-vectored virus Cassava Brown-Streak Virus that destroys the root.
Scientists from Africa and the Danforth Center in St. Louis MO, USA have collaborated to create a cassava line that is genetically engineered to suppress the virus.
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The approach is similar to what was done to save the papaya in Hawaii, essentially using a portion of the virus sequence to shut down viral infection.
GAEC secures funding from IAEA to develop disease-tolerant Cassava thechronicle.com.gh - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thechronicle.com.gh Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Daily Monitor
Tuesday May 25 2021
A farmer in his cassava garden in Lakwana Sub-county, Omoro District recently. Cassava farmers in Nwoya District have been affected by Brown Streak Virus. PHOTO/ CAROLINE AYUGI
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According to farmers, the disease ravaged their cassava gardens between 2017 and 2019.
Ms Christine Apiyo, a farmer in Akili Village in Koch Goma Sub-county, told Daily Monitor that she lost five acres of cassava plantation to the disease in 2018.
Just like many other farmers in Nwoya, Ms Apiyo embraced cassava growing when the district passed an ordinance eight years ago.
Initially, during harvest period, Ms Apiyo says she would collect about Shs1.8m from an acre of cassava.
Guide for hybrid crops to plant this season
Saturday April 03 2021
Farmers have cleared their gardens and sowing the seeds is ongoing in several parts of the country. Agronomists recommend hybrid varieties which will beget high yields.
Summary
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Early this week, the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) predicted heavy first rainy season which has already started.
Seeds of Gold talked with several agronomy experts breeding various crop varieties and below they share the crops farmers should plant this season.
Beans
The head of the bean programme at the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge Dr Stanley Nkalubo explains that farmers are advised to grow hybrid bean varieties which are high yielding.