Abstract
This paper reviews and analyzes key features from cassava breeding at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) over 50 years and draws lessons for public breeding efforts broadly. The breeding team, jointly with national program partners and the private processing sector, defined breeding objectives and guiding business plans. These have evolved through the decades and currently focus on four global product profiles. The recurrent selection method also evolved and included innovations such as estimation of phenotypic breeding values, increasing the number of locations in the first stage of agronomic evaluations, gradual reduction of the duration of breeding cycles (including rapid cycling for high-heritability traits), the development of protocols for the induction of flowering, and the introduction of genome-wide predictions. The impact of cassava breeding depends significantly on the type of target markets. When roots are used for large processing facilities for starch, animal feeding or ethanol production (such as in SE Asia), the adoption of improved varieties is nearly universal and productivity at the regional scale increases significantly. When markets and relevant infrastructure are weak or considerable proportion of the production goes for local artisanal processing and on-farm consumption, the impact has been lower. The potential of novel breeding tools needs to be properly assessed for the most effective allocation of resources. Finally, a brief summary of challenges and opportunities for the future of cassava breeding is presented. The paper describes multiple ways that public and private sector breeding programs can learn from each other to optimize success.
Highlights
This paper reviews and analyzes key features and results from cassava breeding at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) over 50 years and draws lessons for public breeding efforts broadly (Byerlee and Lynam 2020)
Germplasm collection & evaluation Strengthened national programs Full-fledged recurrent selection program established Populations developed based on edapho-climatic zone adaptation Models for high yield under ideal conditions Advances in pest and disease resistance, yield, dry matter content (DMC)
CIAT has evolved through several overlapping phases of defining the drivers of objective-setting for cassava breeding, each building on new knowledge and a changing client landscape (Table 1). We broadly describe these drivers in terms of: farmers’ needs for high productivity varieties; production system adaptation, sustainability, eco-efficiency and adaptation to climate change; meeting market needs for quality and sector-specific traits; and human health and social equity concerns
Summary
This paper reviews and analyzes key features and results from cassava breeding at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) over 50 years and draws lessons for public breeding efforts broadly (Byerlee and Lynam 2020). The review discusses the evolution of objectives, strategies, methodologies, progress and outcomes; lessons learned; and perspectives on how to adapt and build for the future. It provides insights into the relevance of organizational structure. Systematic cassava breeding began with the creation of CIAT and IITA along with national programs (such as those in India, Thailand and Brazil) by 1970. The first varieties resulting from international programs began to emerge after 1985
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