As part of efforts to support the availability of quality planting material for farmers ahead of the 2027 production season, IITA donated breeder seeds of two improved yam varieties to seed producers and national research institutions in Ghana recently. …
New genomic evidence could help scientists distinguish ancient viral remnants from active infections—and support safer yam germplasm exchange Yams are prone to several viruses, and some of their genomes contain diverse viruses known as endogenous pararetroviral sequences (EPRVs), inherited…
For millions of people across Africa, a healthy bunch of bananas on the farm or a bag of aflatoxin-free maize at the market may seem like ordinary sights. Yet behind these everyday realities are decades of scientific research, innovation,…
IITA, in collaboration with CIMMYT and other CGIAR centers, brought together breeders from across Africa for a five-day intensive training on breeding pipeline optimization and market intelligence, to accelerate genetic gain in the continent’s neglected yet highly nutritious “opportunity crops.” From Bambara groundnut cultivated in the savannahs of Ghana to Okra harvested in the humid forests…
West Africa’s transition from open-pollinated maize varieties to high-performing hybrids could significantly transform productivity, strengthen food security, and improve resilience for millions of smallholder farmers. To support this shift, National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) partners from Ghana,…
A high-resolution linkage map and chromosome scale-genome assembly for cassava by a group of international researchers, including some from IITA, has been published in G3 Genes Genomes Genetics, and highlighted by the Genetics Society of America (http://www.g3journal.org/content/5/1/133.full). The linkage…
IITA, in collaboration with CIMMYT, has organized a one-week training course for field technicians, seed specialists of public institutions, and production managers of seed companies participating in the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project. This is in recognition…
IITA has made significant progress in its plantain research in West Africa with the generation of seedlings from crosses with in vitro induced tetraploids from diploids―a first for the Institute. The IITA Regional Banana Breeding Manager, Delphine Amah,…