The VIRCA Project: Virus resistant cassava for Africa
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
GM Crops & Food
Abstract
The VIRCA (Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa) project is a
collaborative program between the Donald Danforth Plant
Science Center, USA the National Crops Resources Research
Institute, Uganda and the Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute, Kenya. VIRCA is structured to include all aspects of
the intellectual property, technology, regulatory, biosafety,
quality control, communication and distribution components
required for a GM crop development and delivery process.
VIRCA's goal is to improve cassava for resistance to the viral
diseases cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava
mosaic disease (CMD) using pathogen-derived RNAi
technology, and to field test, obtain regulatory approval for
and deliver these products to small landholder farmers. During
Phase I of the project, proof of concept was achieved by
production and testing of virus resistant plants under
greenhouse and confined field trials in East Africa. In VIRCA
Phase II, two farmer-preferred varieties will be modified for
resistance to CBSD and CMD, and lead events identified after
molecular and field screening. In addition to delivery of
royalty-free improved planting materials for farmers, VIRCA
capacity building activities are enhancing indigenous
capability for crop biotechnology in East Africa.
Description
Keywords
Cassava, Cassava mosaic disease, Cassava brown streak disease, VIRCA, RNAi, Virus resistance, Confined field trial
Citation
Taylor, NJ, Halsey, M., Gaitán-Solís, E., Anderson, P., Gichuki, S., Miano, D., ... & Fauquet, CM (2012). The VIRCA Project: virus resistant cassava for Africa. GM Crops & Food , 3 (2), 93-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.19144