title: The VIRCA Project: virus resistant cassava for Africa.
abstract: The VIRCA (Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa) project is a collaborative program between the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA the National Crops Resources Research Institute, Uganda and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya. VIRCA is structured to include all aspects of the intellectual property, technology, regulatory, biosafety, quality control, communication and distribution components required for a GM crop development and delivery process. VIRCA's goal is to improve cassava for resistance to the viral diseases cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD) using pathogen-derived RNAi technology, and to field test, obtain regulatory approval for and deliver these products to small landholder farmers. During Phase I of the project, proof of concept was achieved by production and testing of virus resistant plants under greenhouse and confined field trials in East Africa. In VIRCA Phase II, two farmer-preferred varieties will be modified for resistance to CBSD and CMD, and lead events identified after molecular and field screening. In addition to delivery of royalty-free improved planting materials for farmers, VIRCA capacity building activities are enhancing indigenous capability for crop biotechnology in East Africa.
authors.affiliation: Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Nigel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halsey
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gaitán-Solís
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gichuki
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miano
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bua
authors.forename: Titus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alicai
authors.forename: Claude M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Fauquet
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D007391:International Cooperation; D007630:Kenya; D002365:Manihot / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D019176:Potyviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D034622:RNA Interference; D014454:Uganda; D014481:United States