CGIAR IITA Cassava Breeding

21/08/2026

The IITA Sportfest brings staff together on friendly competition, teamwork, and wellbeing

Since April, staff across the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have been coming together for this year’s Sports Festival, themed “Fit for Life: Thriving Together.”

For the IITA-CASSAVABREEDING Unit, the Sports Festival is more than a break from the lab and field. It is a chance to connect, recharge, have fun, and strengthen teamwork.

𝗬𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹!

Cassava breeding staff and staff from other units were right there playing, cheering, and celebrating together.

We spend our days developing better cassava varieties, analysing data, evaluating plants, and working to deliver solutions for farmers. However, on the football field, the same values apply: teamwork, resilience, discipline, and commitment.

Because strong teams do not just happen in the laboratory or the breeding field. They are built through shared experiences, healthy competition, and looking out for one another.

Congratulations to our Team Green ladies on a fantastic victory! 🎉

20/08/2026

Can a smartphone identify a cassava variety from a photo of its leaf?

It may sound unlikely, but AI is making it possible.

Researchers have trained an AI model to identify three Tanzania-released cassava varieties, TARICASS4, Kiroba, and Mkuranga1, from field images of leaves, petioles, and stems.

The results are promising:

🔹 Up to 99% accuracy in distinguishing varieties

🔹 Leaves provided the strongest identification signals

🔹 Combining different plant features could improve accuracy even further

This matters because confirming that a seed field contains the correct variety, known as true-to-type verification, has traditionally depended on trained experts and time-consuming field assessments.

AI could make this process faster, more accessible, and potentially possible directly in the field using a smartphone.

The research is already contributing to CropVAR, a free smartphone app being developed for on-the-spot crop variety identification. The team is also expanding the technology to other cassava varieties as well as vegetatively propagated crops.

This research, led by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute, is an output of the PROSSIVA Project, supported by the Gates Foundation and CGIAR Breeding for Tomorrow Science Programme.

Could AI-powered variety identification transform how we verify seed and strengthen seed systems?

Kindly share your thoughts in the comments!

Read the full paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1888478/full

Deep learning is an emerging, powerful technology that facilitates object detection in plant science, enabling applications such as disease diagnostics and i...

18/08/2026

Great to see collaboration driving innovation in cassava breeding!

PowerPollen's technical visit to our Ibadan HQ is a great step toward better pollen storage protocols for cassava and other RTB crops.

14/08/2026

What if breeders could use molecular markers to identify cassava plants with desirable quality traits earlier in the breeding process?

A recently published study in Frontiers in Plant Science explores this question by validating nine SNP markers associated with three important cassava traits: total carotenoid content, dry matter content, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN).

This matters because cassava is an important food-security crop, but improving its nutritional quality and food safety remains a key breeding priority. Breeders are looking for varieties with:

•Higher carotenoid content
•Improved dry matter content
•Lower HCN

One marker, S1_24155522, showed a strong association with total carotenoid content, highlighting its potential for marker-assisted selection and cassava biofortification.

However, this study also points to an important lesson:
A marker that performs well in one breeding population may not perform the same way in another.

This makes validation across diverse genetic backgrounds essential.

The research demonstrates how molecular tools can complement conventional breeding, helping breeders make more informed selections and potentially accelerate the development of cassava varieties that better meet farmers’ and consumers’ needs.

As cassava breeding continues to advance, combining better genetics with precise molecular tools is helping move the crop toward improved nutrition, quality, and food safety.

Kindly read the full open-access article:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1912608/full

Enhancing total carotenoid content (TCC) and dry matter content (DMC) while simultaneously reducing hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are key objectives in cassava bree...

12/08/2026

What if drones could help us see what our eyes cannot?

That question is changing how researchers collect and understand data in cassava fields.

Meet Chike Ugoji, a Data Analyst and Drone Expert with the IITA-CASSAVABREEDING Unit in Ibadan.

Using drones equipped with RGB and multispectral sensors, Chike captures information from cassava plants beyond what the human eye can see, including signals in the near-infrared and red-edge wavelengths.

This matters because every image adds another layer of information that breeders can use to understand plant performance, compare varieties, and make better breeding decisions.

This technology, acquired through the oNe hEalth SusTainabiLity partnership between EU-AFRICA for food sEcuRity (Nestler-Project) in collaboration with University College London (UCL), is helping bring data, technology, and plant science together to advance cassava breeding.

Chike's work also shows something else: young people have an important role to play in shaping the future of agriculture.

This 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆, we celebrate young professionals bringing new skills, curiosity, and innovation to science and agriculture.

Different contexts. Common aspirations.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀?

Kindly share in the comments!

07/08/2026

What if a drone could spot the next breakthrough cassava variety?

We asked that question five days ago. Today, at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, we close the Drone-Based Phenotyping Workshop with an answer taking real shape.

During the workshop, scientists, breeders, and digital agriculture experts moved from the fundamentals UAV components, safety, and regulation-compliant mission planning into the real work of breeding-driven phenotyping: exploring RGB and multispectral imagery, digital workflows for image analytics, and how growth-rate data translates into smarter variety selection.

As one participant put it:

"The workshop opened our eyes to the advantages and disadvantages of UAVs, image processing pipelines, and emerging technologies across other centers."

The workshop closed with certificates presentation, recognizing participants for completing the training and their readiness to use these skills in their breeding programs.

This workshop, delivered by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in partnership with ICRISAT, CIAT, National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, and the CGIAR Digital Transformation Accelerator, is an investment in the future of crop improvement where more precise data means more resilient varieties for farmers, processors and small-medium enterprises/industries.

The future of phenotyping isn't just about seeing crops differently. It's about breeding smarter.

03/08/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆?

That future is already taking shape.

Today at 𝗜𝗜𝗧𝗔 Ibadan, scientists, breeders, and digital agriculture experts came together for a 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, organized by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ICRISAT, CIAT, National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, Nigeria and the CGIAR Digital Transformation.

Over the next few days, participants will move beyond the basics of flying drones to explore how these technologies are transforming crop breeding. From mission planning and safe drone operations to multispectral and thermal imaging, digital workflows, mapping, and field-based phenotyping.

The training is equipping breeding teams with the skills to collect richer, faster, and more precise data.

This matters because every breeding decision depends on quality data. When we can accurately identify desirable traits in the field, the faster we can develop improved varieties that are more productive, resilient, and better suited to farmers' needs.

This workshop is an investment in the future of crop improvement, where digital technologies and plant breeding work hand in hand to accelerate innovation and deliver greater impact.

The future of phenotyping isn't just about seeing crops differently. It's about breeding smarter.

31/07/2026

We are delighted to celebrate Professor Michael Abberton, Director of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) West Africa Hub, Crop Improvement, on his installation as the Atayese of Ise-Ekiti, Nigeria.

This well-deserved honour reflects your outstanding leadership, unwavering commitment to agricultural research, and dedication to improving livelihoods through science and innovation.

It is also a testament to the strong relationships you have built with communities and the lasting impact of your service.

Your commitment to community development is further exemplified by the Parabolic Shaped Solar Dryer and Storage Processing Facility, a legacy project gifted to the people of Ise-Ekiti. This state-of-the-art facility will help reduce postharvest losses, improve food quality and safety, support value addition, and create opportunities for farmers, women, youth, and the wider community, contributing to food security and sustainable livelihoods for generations to come.

As you take on this distinguished traditional title, we wish you wisdom, strength, and continued success as you serve both your community and the agricultural research community.

Congratulations, Professor Michael Abberton, on this remarkable achievement and legacy!

30/07/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮?

Few days after breeders and scientists from 10 countries came together for the West and Central Africa Breeding Network (WCABNet) Product Advancement Meeting hosted by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan. We asked them that question.

Their answers said it all. Different voices with one shared vision.

A future powered by science, shaped by farmers' needs, strengthened through regional collaboration, and driven by data and innovation.

If you had to describe the future of cassava breeding in one word, what would it be?

Kindly share in the comments!