Scientists Record Breakthrough, Successfully Map African Cassava Genome

RESEARCHERS have successfully mapped the genome of African cassava, using the TME 204 variety resistant to Cassava Mosaic Disease-2 (CMD2).

This breakthrough is a significant milestone and it will help advance the breeding of new cassava varieties at speed with greater accuracy.

“The genome has a very high quality and accuracy, and the haplotypes of the heterozygous genome have been resolved with high confidence.

It is now definitively the gold standard genome for African cassava.  Our work has revealed several new and interesting features of the cassava genome that will be of importance for breeders and cassava scientists,” said the principal scientist of the research team, Professor Wilhelm Gruissem of the Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zurich).

The work, which has been published opens access in the Oxford Academics journal GIGA Science Press titled: “The haplotype-resolved chromosome pairs of a heterozygous diploid African cassava cultivar reveal novel pan-genome and allele-specific transcriptome features.”

Other researchers include Weihong Qi, Yi-Wen Lim, Andrea Patrignani, Pascal Schläpfer, Anna Bratus-Neuenschwander, Simon Grüter, Christelle Chanez, Nathalie Rodde, Elisa Prat, Sonia Vautrin, Margaux-Alison Fustier, Diogo Pratas, and Ralph Schlapbach.

A genome is the complete set of genes or genetic material present in an organism. It includes all hereditary instructions for creating and maintaining life, reproduction inclusive.

Scientists use genome sequencing to find genes much easier and faster and understand how the genes work together for an organism’s growth and development.

Conventionally, cassava breeders rely on phenotypic features of mature plants, as is typical for clonally propagated crops.

By Nurudeen Alimi

Scientists record breakthrough, successfully map African cassava genome