Enhanced Utilization of Biotechnology Research and Development Innovations in ECA: ASARECA’s success stories Seyfu Ketema, Charles Mugoya, and Clet Wandui Masiga Presented at the Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa: Fostering Innovation Held at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference Hall May 13th to 15th 2011, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ASARECA has 10 MEMBER COUNTRIES Mission: Enhance regional collective action in agricultural research for development, extension and agricultural training and education to promote economic growth, fight poverty, eradicate hunger and enhance sustainable use of resources in Eastern and Central Africa. Burundi Democratic Republic of Congo Ethiopia Eritrea Kenya Madagascar Rwanda Sudan Tanzania Uganda

Rational for ASARECA’s Investment into Biotechnology To harness opportunities that biotechnology offer to agricultural development as envisaged by CAADP; It is recognized as a powerful tool for economic development of the region; Biotechnology offers promise to improve yield, nutritional quality, as well as human health The tool has developed invaluable new methodologies and products in food and agriculture e.g. resistance to pests, diseases and herbicides

Objectives of ASARECA’s investment in Biotechnology Enhanced generation and uptake of demand driven biotechnology Innovations in ECA Strengthened capacity for using biotechnology in Implementing Agricultural Research for Development in ECA Enhanced Availability of information on biotechnological agricultural technologies and innovations in ECA

Biotechnological tools being promoted by ASARECA Plant Genetic Engineering Marker Assisted Breeding Sorghum for resistance to striga Maize for drought tolerance Gene location and comparative mapping Cassava transformation Plant tissue culture Sorghum and Cassava Banana, cassava, sweetpotato Disease detection Sweetpotatoes, cassava and Teania in Pigs Invitro Conservation Slow growth Vaccine development Cryopreservation Both for cassava and sweet potatoes Pigs

Genetic Engineering of Maize for Drought tolerance Drought is a single most important abiotic stress responsible for reduced maize productivity in arid and semi-arid areas, leading up to 70% crop loss.

Success story of Maize project ASARECA and its partners (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Sudan) led by Professor Jesse Machuka at Kenyatta University are introgressing drought tolerance conferring genes into the Maize Ms Rasha Adam invented a drought tolerant gene & named it ASARECA AnxZm35 gene Sudanese Maize transformed with NHX1 gene Glass house care of transfomats Putative transformant

Success story of Maize project This will be a 70% increase in maize production in ECA, hence improving food security, reducing hunger and promoting economic development. Ms Rasha Adam invented a drought tolerant gene & named it ASARECA AnxZm35 gene Sudanese Maize transformed with NHX1 gene Glass house care of transfomats Putative transformant

Vector transformation map of the ASARECA Plant Transformation- Annexin Zea mays 35 (AP-AnZm35) gene construct in pNOV vector Ms Rasha Adam discovered a drought tolerant gene & named it ASARECA AnxZm35 gene

Establishment of a Genetic Transformation Platform for Cassava Status: Completed and functional All have acquired biosafety level II status . GM cassava has been developed for resistance to CMD and CBSD

Applying tissue culture to improve access to cassava and sweetpotato clean planting materials for farmers Developed a DNA based method to detect viruses of cassava and sweet potatoes Optimization of low-cost tissue culture protocols Establishment of centralized regional tissue culture database Established facilities at 8 NARI centres – NacRRI, ISAR, ISABU, INERA EIAR, Kenyatta University KARI, University of Nairobi & at Agrobiotech Ltd (Burundi) Trained 41 scientists and technicians

Developing/acquiring and standardizing virus indexing tools for cassava and sweet potato culture materials Cassava/sweet potato virus sequences For the developing PCR-based and antibody based diagnostics now available. Specific diagnostic primers and the PCR based diagnostics for sweet potato and cassava viruses have been developed. Epitopes from coat proteins of cassava/sweet potato viruses for antibody development have been identified and have been used to develop antibodies. Antibodies against the synthesized peptides for plant viruses have been tested with the synthesized peptides, and evaluated with the infected cassava samples by blocking test with the injected peptides. Virus elimination protocols have been optimized and used to produce virus free cassava and sweetpotato germplasm

Conservation for Sustainable Availability of Cassava and Sweetpotato Germplasm through Biotechnology Applications Established facilities at 8 NARI centers – NacRRI, MARI, ISABU, INERA EIAR KARI, ARC &El Obeid Trained 41 scientists and technicians\ Characterized and evaluated some key target crop accessions Regenerated and safely duplicated some key regional crop collections Facilitated capacity development for Invitro Conservation Slow growth Cryopreservation Both for cassava and sweet potatoes

Freezing equipment

Storage in liquid nitrogen in Dewar flask

Genetic Linkage Mapping of Field Resistance to Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) A total of 316 SSR markers are being mapped on the linkage map.

Fighting Striga: Resistance Genes Deployed to Boost Sorghum Productivity Striga infestation threatens to bring 17 million hectares of farm land out of sorghum production Using Marker assisted breeding, ASARECA and its partners in Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya and ICRISAT, have developed 50 striga resistant sorghum lines capable of giving yield up to 3.6 t/ha

Success story of striga project One of 50 lines developed with resistance to Striga Donor Parent N13 for striga resistant gene Background parent, Wad Ahmed This breakthrough will enable 300 million people in Africa to get out of hunger, attain food security, walk out of the poverty bracket and lead better lives.

Fine Mapping of genes associated with Striga resistance in sorghum

Diagnostic and control tools and strategies for Taenia solium Cysticercosis Taenia solium (pig-tapeworm) vaccine and diagnostic kits developed Epidemiological data collected 2 Msc students received training Pig1 and Pig3 are negative others positive.  The top line is the control (present in all samples) while the bottom is the test line (present only in the positive samples).  So the antibodies have good potential in this assay.  We now have 300 of the devices at ILRI and aim to start testing them on many more pig sera

Transfer of Banana Tissue Culture, Tissue Culture Certification and Tissue Culture Business Network Project Produced and disseminated TC banana to farmers Established banana nurseries in 6 districts Training of farmers and stakeholders