Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies

Abstract Cassava is a major food crop for millions of people in Africa, Asia and South America, forming an essential food-security and income generation commodity for small-scale or subsistence farming communities. The storage root is the most important component of the crop that provides more calor...

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Main Authors: Wilton Mbinda, Asunta Mukami
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: CABI 2022-05-01
Series:CABI Agriculture and Bioscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00097-4
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author Wilton Mbinda
Asunta Mukami
author_facet Wilton Mbinda
Asunta Mukami
author_sort Wilton Mbinda
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cassava is a major food crop for millions of people in Africa, Asia and South America, forming an essential food-security and income generation commodity for small-scale or subsistence farming communities. The storage root is the most important component of the crop that provides more calories than cereals. Immediately after harvest, cassava storage roots undergo complex biochemical and physiological changes known as postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD), which is influenced by genotype, environmental and agronomic factors, resulting to spoilage, rendering the storage roots unpalatable and unmarketable. This problem has remained unresolved over the years. This review describes the innovative breeding technologies which could be used to prolong cassava storage root shelf-life. In this review, we discuss the available knowledge on (i) physiology and biochemistry of cassava storage root with regard to PPD (ii) strategies for minimizing PPD in cassava storage roots (iii) traits associated with PPD tolerance as essential targets for prolonging cassava storage root shelf life, and (iv) suggestions for novel genomic tools and modern genetic and breeding approaches for prolonging shelf-life in cassava storage roots. With its extensive genomic resources including the public release of cassava reference genome sequence assembly and other and resources, and innovative plant breeding technologies, the crop offers an excellent opportunity to serve as a model to address postharvest spoilage and improve food security. Continuous improvements based on the new plant breeding technologies (genome editing, speeding breeding and RNA-dependent DNA methylation) in cassava and innovations in postharvest handling and storage of the storage roots are expected to provide sustainable solutions for PPD constraints and make cassava an important food security and nutrition and industrial crop.
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spelling doaj-art-ab818282663b4c5f830a0c53b5cdadeb2025-02-02T16:16:02ZengCABICABI Agriculture and Bioscience2662-40442022-05-013111810.1186/s43170-022-00097-4Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategiesWilton Mbinda0Asunta Mukami1Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani UniversityDepartment of Life Sciences, South Eastern Kenya UniversityAbstract Cassava is a major food crop for millions of people in Africa, Asia and South America, forming an essential food-security and income generation commodity for small-scale or subsistence farming communities. The storage root is the most important component of the crop that provides more calories than cereals. Immediately after harvest, cassava storage roots undergo complex biochemical and physiological changes known as postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD), which is influenced by genotype, environmental and agronomic factors, resulting to spoilage, rendering the storage roots unpalatable and unmarketable. This problem has remained unresolved over the years. This review describes the innovative breeding technologies which could be used to prolong cassava storage root shelf-life. In this review, we discuss the available knowledge on (i) physiology and biochemistry of cassava storage root with regard to PPD (ii) strategies for minimizing PPD in cassava storage roots (iii) traits associated with PPD tolerance as essential targets for prolonging cassava storage root shelf life, and (iv) suggestions for novel genomic tools and modern genetic and breeding approaches for prolonging shelf-life in cassava storage roots. With its extensive genomic resources including the public release of cassava reference genome sequence assembly and other and resources, and innovative plant breeding technologies, the crop offers an excellent opportunity to serve as a model to address postharvest spoilage and improve food security. Continuous improvements based on the new plant breeding technologies (genome editing, speeding breeding and RNA-dependent DNA methylation) in cassava and innovations in postharvest handling and storage of the storage roots are expected to provide sustainable solutions for PPD constraints and make cassava an important food security and nutrition and industrial crop.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00097-4Cassava storage rootsFood securityNew plant breeding technologiesPostharvest physiological deterioration
spellingShingle Wilton Mbinda
Asunta Mukami
Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
CABI Agriculture and Bioscience
Cassava storage roots
Food security
New plant breeding technologies
Postharvest physiological deterioration
title Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
title_full Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
title_fullStr Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
title_full_unstemmed Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
title_short Breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava: problems and strategies
title_sort breeding for postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava problems and strategies
topic Cassava storage roots
Food security
New plant breeding technologies
Postharvest physiological deterioration
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00097-4
work_keys_str_mv AT wiltonmbinda breedingforpostharvestphysiologicaldeteriorationincassavaproblemsandstrategies
AT asuntamukami breedingforpostharvestphysiologicaldeteriorationincassavaproblemsandstrategies