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Tomato VR - Mali
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TOMATO VIRUS RESISTANCE FOR WEST AFRICA |
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| Introduction: |
Tomato is one of the most important horticultural crops grown in Mali and other West African countries. In Mali, losses due to tomato diseases caused by viruses over the past five years resulted in a shift from the country being a tomato exporting country to a tomato importing country.
There are several viral diseases that limit tomato production in Mali. One of ASBPII’s goals on this project is to aid in the identification of the major viruses present in Mali and surrounding West African countries.
Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) is the major constraint to growing tomatoes in Mali. Tomato varieties exit that possess natural resistance to TYLCV and ABSPII is supporting efforts to screen these varieties for resistance to West African strains of TYLCV. Potyvirus is another major family of viruses that negatively impacts the vegetable industry in West Africa and it is anticipated that the TYLCV resistant varieties will be susceptible to potyvirus infections. A gene from pepper has been identified that confers resistance to potyvirus. Introduction of this gene into tomatoes through genetic engineering promises to be a valuable tool for helping control potyvirus infection in tomatoes. The second objective of this project is to backcross the genes conferring resistance to TYLCV and potyvirus into locally adapted tomato varieties. |
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| Project Manager: |
Frank Shotkoski, Director, ABSPII |
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| Participating Countries : |
Mali |
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| Term: |
2005-2009 |
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| Partners: |
- Centre pour le Developpement de l'Horticulture/Institut Senegalais de Recherche Agricole (CDH/ISRA), Senegal
- Cornell University - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), USA
- Crops Research Insitute (CRI), Ghana
- Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Benin (INRAB)
- Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), Niger
- Institut Togolais de Recherche Agricole (ITRA), Togo
- Institut d'Economie Rurale (IER), Mali
- Institut d'Etudes Environnementales et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Burkina Faso
- National Bureau of Plant Genetic Research, India
- University of California, Davis (UC Davis), USA
- World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), Taiwan
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| Technology: |
Currently screening to identify viruses. The pepper Pvr1 gene will be tested for its resistance to local viruses. |
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| Project Status: |
The resistance gene Pvr1 was transferred into experimental tomato lines at Cornell University. A breeding program will now take place to transfer this gene into tomato varieties grown in Mali. Once this is completed, the material will be sent to Mali for continued breeding. The goal of the project is to produce a Roma-type tomato with conventional resistance to TYLCV and bioengineered for resistance to potyvirus.
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| Expected Benefits : |
- Train scientists from Mali and other African countries in advanced tomato breeding techniques.
- Increased tomato production at a much reduced cost for regional farmers.
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| Economic Importance: |
Currently about 40% of the market sales of products in Mali and other West African countries come from horticultural crops and tomato is one of the most important horticultural crops grown. In Mali, losses due to tomato virus disease over the past 4-5 years have resulted in a shift from the country being a net tomato exporter to a net importer. By increasing tomato production in Mali, this project will help small scale farmers increase their income. |
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| Partners Within the Country: |
Institute for Rural Economics (IER), Mali
The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), Mali |
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| Planned Activities and Milestones: |
- Sample regional viruses.
- Develop screening methods for virus resistance detection in Mali.
- Breed conventional TYLCV resistance and potyvirus-resistance into local tomato varieties.
- Form partnership with seed distribution sector.
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