Abstract
Sweetpotato is a resilient food crop with great potential to contribute to reduced hunger in the world. Sweetpotato shows significant potential to contribute to reducing the Global Hunger Index, which reflects deficiencies in calories and micronutrients based on the components of hunger, undernourishment, under-five mortality rate, stunting and wasting. Its genetic diversity has been harnessed through breeding to increase vitamin A, iron, and zinc content, virus resistance and climate resilience for the world's food needs. Africa and India are the most food-insecure regions. The main objectives of this research were to: provide information and a knowledge base on sweetpotato breeding in Africa for biofortification of vitamin A, iron, and zinc, drought tolerance and virus resistance; recommend procedures for generating new breeding populations and varieties; and develop new tools, technologies and methods for sweetpotato improvement. The research was implemented between 2009 and 2020 in 14 collaborating African countries using introduced and local genotypes. The redesigned accelerated breeding scheme resulted in increased genetic gains for vitamin A, iron, zinc contents and virus resistance, and the release by sub-Saharan African countries of 158 varieties; 98 of them orange-fleshed; 55 varieties bred by an accelerated breeding scheme; 27 drought-tolerant and two with enhanced iron and zinc content. Our experience has demonstrated that through the use of more optimized, standardized and collaborative breeding procedures by breeding programs across Africa, it is possible to speed official sweetpotato variety release and contribute to reducing the severe micronutrient deficiencies on the continent.
Highlights
Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is a resilient food crop with great potential to contribute to reducing hunger in the world
This paper focuses on progress in breeding for the needs of Africa in African countries
Clone 20.8 had high mean Alternaria bataticola blight score (4.0) which might have impacted the response of the clone to sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD), aggravating its reaction to the disease, resulting in a higher SPVD mean score
Summary
Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is a resilient food crop with great potential to contribute to reducing hunger in the world. Undernutrition is a consequence of inadequate intake of nutritious food, poor utilization of nutrients due to infections or other illnesses, or a combination of these factors. This stems from a range of causes, including household food insecurity; inadequate maternal health or childcare practices; or insufficient access to health services, safe water, and sanitation. Increasing emphasis is being focused on “hidden” hunger, the micronutrient deficiencies and resultant health consequences that are less visible than hunger caused by insufficient caloric intake. Zn deficiency can cause decreased immunity and increases the risk of stunting, common childhood infections and mortality (Roohani et al, 2013). Sweetpotato can be exploited through biofortification and other targeted breeding to increase its vitamin A, iron, and zinc content, virus resistance and its climate resilience for the world’s food needs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
