Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Reviews Vol. 1 (1), pp. 2-11, April 2006
ISSN 1538-2273 © 2006 Academic Journals

Cassava Biotechnology, a southern African Perspective

Murunwa Makwarela and Christine Rey*

School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: chrissie@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za.

Accepted 29 March, 2006

The pre-requisite for any cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) transformation program that proposes to develop improved plants is the availability of a reliable regeneration system. Presently many laboratories that prioritize cassava research are able to reliably regenerate plants from a range of cultivars. Unfortunately, some cultivars are still either recalcitrant or resisting attempts to induce useful levels of embryogenesis from their tissues.The review  gives a brief account on the different uses of cassava, its introduction into southern Africa and the region's current cassava disease complex with a particular focus in South Africa. Different cassava regeneration and gene transfer systems are also discussed. We conclude by presenting future prospects in southern African cassava biotechnology.

Key words: Cassava, CMD, Cassava biotechnology.