Project Activity

Bioinnovation in Cassava Cultivation towards Breeding New Varieties

Join us to learn more about Bioinnovation in Cassava Cultivation towards Breeding New Varieties this Wednesday (7 August 2024) with Dr. Tobias Wojciechowski

The recently completed Thailand-Germany CASSAVASTORE project aimed to boost cassava starch products by enhancing our understanding of storage root development and breeding new cassava varieties. The project's objectives included:
 
Phenotyping the variation in storage root initiation and development in 600 cassava accessions
 
Understanding the physiology of storage root initiation to gain insights into root biology
 
Identifying genes involved in storage root initiation and development to support breeding for early tuberization and increased yield
 
Making the results publicly available to benefit breeding programs for other crops with similar storage roots, such as sweet potatoes
 
The project significantly impacted the cassava industry by providing valuable data and insights that will enhance cassava breeding programs, leading to higher yields, better-quality starch, and more resilient cassava varieties, ultimately boosting the economic viability and sustainability of cassava production
 
Tobias is a senior scientist/crop physiologist from the Institute for Bio- and Geosciences Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Germany, specializing in crop root development and resource acquisition. His research focuses on the architectural and anatomical traits of roots that impact water and nutrient uptake, aiming to enhance biomass production in both temperate and tropical crops. With extensive fieldwork experience across Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America, Tobias and his team lead the technological development and validation of various phenotyping platforms
 
If you are interested in joining this talk, please register here: https://forms.office.com/e/UtJbBihAdH