The conventional sweetpotato breeding (CSB) programs are time consuming. The new varieties released via CSB often fail to suit the various geo-graphic areas and the preferences of diverse farmers and consumers within a country. Indeed, most of these countries lack real breeding program hence rely on testing materials developed elsewhere. These can work well, however, not when agro-ecological conditions are quite distinct. This brief, outline effort of SASHA to revolutionize conventional sweetpotato breeding. With three sweetpotato support platforms (SSPs) there is potential to develop new breeding ways using accelerated breeding, creation of sub-region based distinct sweetpotato populations, molecular marker development and inclusion of infrared reflectance spectroscopy for the rapid and inexpensive evaluation of important quality attribute. Some major achievements include application of heterosis in SP breeding and population improvement based on molecular markers.
Authors: Robert Mwanga, Ted Carey, Robert Mwanga, Ted Carey, [63], [63]
Contributors: Hilda Munyua, Hilda Munyua
Pages: 2
Publisher: International Potato Center
Publication Date: 2012
Rights: Open access
Keywords: Accelerated breeding, heterosis, Improved varieties
HOW TO CITE
Mwanga, R., Adrande, M. and Carey, T. 2012. Breeding in Africa for Africa. International Potato Center (CIP).