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Published online 16 January 2008
Published in Crop Sci 48:49-58 (2008)
© 2008 Crop Science Society of America
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Reproductive Biology of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and Isolation of Experimental Field Trials

Mark E. Halseya,d, Kenneth M. Olsenb, Nigel J. Taylora and Paul Chavarriaga-Aguirrec,*

a Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132
b Dep. of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
c CIAT, AA 6713, Cali, Colombia
d current address: United Soybean Board, St. Louis, MO 63141

* Corresponding author (p.chavarriaga{at}cgiar.org).

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a vitally important food source for many people in developing tropical countries. There are significant opportunities for improving the compositional qualities and pest resistance of cassava, and modern biotechnology is expected to play an important role in these improvements. The testing and development of genetically modified cassava will of course be subject to regulatory review, and experimental field trials must be performed in a fashion that prevents gene flow from the regulated plants. Methods to ensure reproductive isolation will be derived from a fundamental understanding of the biology of the crop. A current and comprehensive document on cassava reproductive biology is not yet available but is essential to guide regulators and scientists in planning and evaluating measures for reproductive isolation of confined field trials. This paper compiles a current view of the reproductive biology of cassava for use in experimental design and regulation of confined field trials. With the current state of knowledge on gene flow and seed dormancy in cassava, three methods for reproductive isolation of regulated experimental plots may currently be recommended: (i) removal of flower buds before flowering, (ii) destruction of plants before flowering, and (iii) floral bagging to contain pollen and seed. Areas for further research in cassava biology and biosafety are suggested.

Abbreviations: CIAT, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical • GM, genetically modified • PBS, Program for Biosafety Systems • USAID, U.S. Agency for International Development

The authors are grateful to Professor Nagib Nassar (Universidade de Brasilia, Brazil) and Dr. Donald McKenzie (AgBios, Ottawa, Canada) for their work on an early version of this paper. The following colleagues gave helpful suggestions on the manuscript: Dr. Hernan Ceballos (CIAT, Cali, Colombia), Dr. Bruce Macbryde (USDA-APHIS, Washington, DC), Dr. Claude Fauquet (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA). K.M. Olsen assembled the data presented in Table 1 while serving as a paid consultant of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. These data were published previously in the document "Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): Reproductive biology and practices for confinement of experimental field trials," by P. Chavarriaga-Aguirre and M. Halsey, report prepared for the Regulatory Approval Strategies of the Program for Biosafety Systems: Washington, DC. The Regulatory Approval Strategies Component is managed by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center under subagreement EEM-A-00-03-00001-00-(DDPSC)-2826-30X with the International Food Policy Research Institute, which manages the overall PBS program.

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Received for publication May 18, 2007.




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