Genomics Session Workshop

1
Genomics Session - Workshop Chair Joe Tohme
Reporter Chike Mba Represented NARS
Africa Asia South America USDA Private Sector
(e.g. National Starch) IITA CIAT CBN-coordination
Universities Africa Asia Europe US Danforth
Center
2

• Genomics Session
• 5 presentations
• Ceballos et al. Biotechnology the key to cassava
  problems
• double haploids and
• cut and paste genome modification strategy
• Carvalho et al. Proteomics for gene discovery
• Storage root 2o growth gene isolated and
  characterized
• 2 carotene sequestering proteins purified
• Fregene et al. SSR diversity of cassava landraces
• High level of polymorphism/loci
• High genetic diversity, low genetic
  differentiation
• Spontaneous recombination and high turn-over
  implicated in genetic differentiation
• High genetic differentiation between African and
  Guatemalan landraces

3

• Genomics Session
• Mba et al. Molecular marker tools for cassava
• Over 500 SSR markers publicly available, many
  have been mapped
• Application of DArT is on-going
• Capacity building conducted
• SSRs being utilized in several laboratories
• Restrepo et al. Characterization of defense genes
  to CBB
• QTLs detected
• cDNA - AFLP technique revealed transcriptional
  activation of a large no. of genes encoding for
  resistance genes
• RGAs isolated, not yet mapped, to be applied in
  MAS

4

• Genomics workshop
• Issues discussed
• Maximization of benefits from available tools
  such as
• 3 BAC libraries
• EST libraries
• SSRs
• Cassava DB
• EMBRAPA - CENARGEN proteomics facility
• CIAT, North Dakota State Univ. microarray
  facilities
• Acceleration of breeding
• gene discovery
• benefits from model crops
• information sharing
• Information sharing

5

• Genomics workshop
• Recommendations and conclusions
• ESTs
• Seek out a company or consortium to donate
  Cassava EST as
• public good
• Information sharing
• The global cassava network to take up the
  co-ordination of the information sharing e.g. the
  ESTs, BAC, etc.
• Cassava DB hosted at Cornell USDA
• To be updated by CIAT with access new tools
• Group with microarray facility
• To provide information as to the availability of
  this facility
• Set up cassava chip
• Establish protocols