Dearth of information on extent of genetic variability in cassava limits the genetic improvement of cassava genotypes in Sierra Leone. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity and relationships within 102 cassava genotypes using agro-morphological and single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Morphological classification based on qualitative traits categorized the germplasm into five different groups, whereas the quantitative trait set had four groups. The SNP markers classified the germplasm into three main cluster groups. A total of seven principal components (PCs) in the qualitative and four PCs in the quantitative trait sets accounted for 79.03% and 72.30% of the total genetic variation, respectively. Significant and positive correlations were observed between average yield per plant and harvest index (r = 0.76***), number of storage roots per plant and harvest index (r = 0.33*), height at first branching and harvest index (0.26*), number of storage roots per plant and average yield per plant (r = 0.58*), height at first branching and average yield per plant (r = 0.24*), length of leaf lobe and petiole length (r = 0.38*), number of leaf lobe and petiole length (r = 0.31*), width of leaf lobe and length of leaf lobe (r = 0.36*), number of leaf lobe and length of leaf lobe (r = 0.43*), starch content and dry matter content (r = 0.99***), number of leaf lobe and root dry matter (r = 0.30*), number of leaf lobe and starch content (r = 0.28*), and height at first branching and plant height (r = 0.45**). Findings are useful for conservation, management, short term recommendation for release and genetic improvement of the crop.
Despite the significance of cassava as food, feed and industrial root crop, little is known regarding the gene action determining root dry matter content (RDMC), fresh root yield, and tolerance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava green mite (CGM), and cassava mealy bug (CMB). Thus, a study was conducted to determine the general and specific combining abilities for disease, pest, RDMC, root yield and related traits by crossing 10 parents in a 6 × 4 line by tester design. The F 1 progenies and their parents were assessed in-field in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Findings implied sufficient genetic variability for all traits studied. Family TMEB419×IBA030305 had the highest RDMC of 35.47%, whilst family TMEB7×IBA0000203 had the least RDMC (23.87%). Genotypes IBA020588, IBA916132 and TMEB419 were the best parents for improvement of harvest index (HI) and RDMC due to its high positive and significant GCA effects. Genotype IBA000203 contributed the highest to increased plant height, whereas TMEB1, TMEB47 and ZAR010116 had significant negative GCA effects. ZAR010116 was the best tester for HI. Families TMEB778×ZAR010116 (34.23) and IBA020588×ZAR010116 (32.78) were the best performing families for mean RDMC, with parent ZAR010116, exhibiting the highest GCA effect for RDMC. Families TMEB419×ZAR000156, IBA916132×ZAR000156 and IBA020588×IBA000156 had low mean CMD scores of 1.1, 1.2 and 1.2, respectively. The preponderance of non-additive gene actions indicated that selection of superior plants should be postponed to later generation.
Cassava breeders are curious about appropriate breeding strategies utilized to generate elite genotypes with desired complimentary traits or genes from parents used in crossing. Use of appropriate mating design is influenced by a good understanding of the flower biology of the putative parent plants, type of pollination, crossing technique, pollen dissemination, the presence of male-sterility system, the purpose of the project (that is either breeding or genetic studies), and the size of population needed. The objective of this book chapter is to assess the current knowledge on mating designs, their applications and limitations in cassava improvement. This book chapter discusses the floral biology, genetic improvement, breeding procedures and mating designs in cassava. The information utilized in this study were obtained from various sources including documentary search of the journals, books and websites of relevant stakeholder organizations. Empirical findings of selected mating designs in cassava and their impacts were discussed. Findings serve as a good guide for selection of appropriate mating arrangement to obtain useful information on parents and progenies. Findings are relevant to scientists, researchers, scholars, lecturers and other relevant stakeholders.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) and yams (Dioscorea spp.) are important root and tuber crops grown for food, feed and various industrial applications. However, their genetic gain potentials are limited by breeding and genetic bottlenecks for improvement of many desired traits. This book chapter covers the applications and potential benefits of genetic modification in breeding selected outcrossing root and tuber crops. It assesses how improvement of selected root and tuber crops through genetic modification overcomes both the high heterozygosity and serious trait separation that occurs in conventional breeding, and contributes to timely achievement of improved target traits. It also assesses the ways genetic modification improves genetic gain in the root and tuber breeding programs, conclusions and perspectives. Conscious use of complementary techniques such as genetic modification in the root and tuber breeding programs can increase the selection gain by reducing the long breeding cycle and cost, as well as reliable exploitation of the heritable variation in the desired direction.
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