title: Development and application of transgenic technologies in cassava.
abstract: The capacity to integrate transgenes into the tropical root crop cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is now established and being utilized to generate plants expressing traits of agronomic interest. The tissue culture and gene transfer systems currently employed to produce these transgenic cassava have improved significantly over the past 5 years and are assessed and compared in this review. Programs are underway to develop cassava with enhanced resistance to viral diseases and insects pests, improved nutritional content, modified and increased starch metabolism and reduced cyanogenic content of processed roots. Each of these is described individually for the underlying biology the molecular strategies being employed and progress achieved towards the desired product. Important advances have occurred, with transgenic plants from several laboratories being prepared for field trails.
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB), Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA. ntaylor@danforthcenter.org
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chavarriaga
authors.forename: Krit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raemakers
authors.forename: Dimuth
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siritunga
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005544:Forecasting; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007313:Insecta / Q000254:growth & development; D002365:Manihot / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins