Transferring a cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genetic engineering capability to the African environment: Progress and prospects

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.