Stories from the lab, stories from the field: advancing tropical crop biotechnology

The use of crop biotechnology is steadily increasing in the agrosystems of industrialized countries. Recent advances in genome editing are anticipated to further accentuate this trend. Given its potential for low input agriculture, there is a need to bring the benefits of crop biotechnology to developing and emerging countries. The challenge goes beyond the mere generation of transgenic crops because development and deployment of genetically engineered crops require local capacities and support from the authorities.

In the recent years, we have used biotechnological approaches to improve cassava, the most important root crop in the tropics. Cassava production and processing suffer from several constraints, including viral diseases, drought and post-harvest deterioration. A better understanding of crop responses to biotic and abiotic stresses combined with genetic engineering approaches can be particularly instrumental to generate plants with improved traits. We have used Omics approaches to characterize cassava response to stresses and to subsequently implement biotechnological approaches for trait improvement. Smallholders and industries in cassava growing regions need traits such as resistance against cassava mosaic and brown streak diseases, prolonged shelf-life, drought tolerance, modified starch and improved nutritional content. Importantly those technologies should be implemented in local germplasm to secure impact for the local value chains. We actively collaborate with local institutions for technology transfer and assessment of cassava technologies in the field.