Understanding of Cassava biochemistry and physiology to improve Cassava yield by biotechnological and advanced breeding methods

We intend to identify gene combinations improving source-sink relations and to optimize their expression and function in various Cassava genotypes. These genotypes will be tested in field trials in Nigeria and Taiwan. To meet these demands we propose to gain basic insight into molecular processes which underpin the photosynthetic efficiency of Cassava plants, the energy-efficient phloem loading and transport of assimilates, the competitiveness of phloem unloading in storage sink tissues, processes controlling storage root initiation, development and growth and finally metabolic limitations of storage metabolism.

This insight, together with knowledge obtained from other crop plants, is used to validate and improve genome wide metabolic models for Cassava and to design and create transgenic Cassava plants altered in expression of several target genes simultaneously modifying multiple metabolic processes. The aim of the genetic interventions is to find the best strategy to optimize resource allocation and utilization in Cassava plants and ultimately to create high yielding Cassava genotypes.

The CASS Team consists of eleven research groups from Nigeria, Taiwan, USA, UK, Switzerland and Germany. The project is coordinated from the division of biochemistry of the Friedrich Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen, Germany. Jointly we want to contribute towards improving African food security.

Contacts IBG-2

Prof. Dr. Uwe Rascher