Mv. Masona et al., Transferring a cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genetic engineering capability to the African environment: Progress and prospects, EUPHYTICA, 120(1), 2001, pp. 43-48
The procedures required to produce genetically transformed cassava were dev
eloped and are now in place in three laboratories in the USA and Europe. Fu
ture implementation and sustainability of transgenic technologies for the a
gronomic improvement of cassava will depend, however, on transferring these
capabilities to locations where cassava has an important socioeconomic nic
he. If successful, such countries can apply the technology towards their pa
rticular needs. Training scientists from the developing countries in the tr
ansgenic biotechnologies is of primary importance in this effort. There are
, however, many other factors including the availability of laboratory supp
lies, equipment, suitably experienced support staff, sufficient funding lev
els and biosafety considerations, which must be addressed and put in place
before a transgenic program can be fully implemented in a given country. A
transgenic capability is being transferred from the International Laborator
y for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB), USA, to the University o
f Zimbabwe. Three southern African cassava varieties were induced to form e
mbryogenic suspension cultures at ILTAB and have been transferred to Zimbab
we. These tissues are presently being used as the basis of genetic transfor
mation programs in both laboratories. Problems encountered in the transfer
process as well as possible solutions aimed at adapting the available proto
cols will be presented.