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Cassava – Drought phenotyping

Phenotyping cassava for drought tolerance to identify QTLs (G7010.01.04)

Cassava has a long breeding and maturity cycle, factors providing a strong rationale for using molecular markers and enhanced phenotyping methods to optimise breeding .

This project uses a mapping population representing diversity in cassava drought tolerance that was developed in a previous GCP project implemented by EMBRAPA (G3005.03-Identifying the physiological and genetic traits that make cassava one of the most drought-tolerant crops). This population is being phenotyped for drought tolerance in Brazil and Colombia, and QTLs will be identified. This information will be valuable in future marker-assisted cassava breeding.

Objectives:

  1. Phenotype a mapping population of cassava in managed drought and well-watered conditions
  2. Identify QTLs for drought tolerance in this population
  3. Select cassava genotypes conferring drought tolerance
Target countries
Brazil, Colombia
Lead institute: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA)
Partners: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) (CIAT)
Cornell University, USA