We asked why the CGIAR has apparently been so silent on Cassava Brown Streak Disease. Glenn pointed out that maybe we’re just ignorant.
There is probably more going on, we just don’t know about it. One key question is whether genebanks have been thoroughly screened for CBSD resistence.
Well, have they?
Glenn makes another good point.
In theory, CG reform should be able to tackle a problem like this more efficiently. The roots and tuber program should be promoting more interaction between IITA and CIAT, interaction that would bring together the researchers mostly closely working on CBSD with others that might have solutions … maybe someone who know more about this can comment.
Well, can they?
But caught up in the frenzy, Glenn cannot help but post a little something on CBSD himself, thus finally breaking that CGIAR silence. Our next question? Why doesn’t FARM-Africa mention the disease in their post, also today, on their cassava work in Western Kenya? The disease is just across the border in Tanzania, after all, according to Glenn’s maps.
I don’t really think there’s a strange silence. People working on the disease are certainly talking about it. There are several major projects on breeding for resistance, e.g.,”Biotechnology applications to combat cbsd” coordinated by IITA; “Cassava genomics: bridging the gap between sequence and breeding application” funded by Gates; and an ongoing major effort in Uganda to look for resistance in landraces and bred varieties. Also, there is a new project proposal from East Africa to search for resistance in Manihot wild species. This is under review so details aren’t yet available, but hopefully it will be funded. Is enough being done? Of course not. Publicity on sites like this can help highlight the need for greater urgency and more resources. Thanks for posting.