A participatory plant breeding approach for early storage root bulking cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) with desired quality traits in Uganda Robooni Tumuhimbise1,2, Rob Melis1, Paul Shanahan1, Robert Kawuki 2 1 African Centre for Crop Improvement, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 2 National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda; Corresponding authors’ email: rtumuhimbise@hotmail.com ABSTRACT: Cassava is an important perennial storage root crop in Uganda. A large number of cassava cultivars are grown, however, only a few are perceived by farmers to be early storage root bulking (ESRB). Early storage root bulking in cassava has increasingly become a major breeding objective in the national cassava breeding programmes in Africa, and is considered a requirement for the transition of cassava from a traditional to an industrial crop, as well as a key factor for enhancement of cassava production in terms of storage root yield per unit time. To assess farmers’ understanding of cassava ESRB, and identify their cultivar selection criteria, a study was conducted in Busia, Jinja and Mukono districts in Uganda. One hundred twenty smallholder cassava farmers were sampled and interviewed following structured questionnaires, and their fields assessed. Results show that farmers have varied understanding of ESRB, and expressed an overwhelming need for improved ESRB cultivars, asserting that they provide quick food and income, and escape late season pests and droughts. Their cassava cultivar selection criteria did not vary across districts, implying that a similar selection method can be employed across the districts. According to the farmers ESRB cassava cultivars should, in order of importance, have high dry matter content, be sweet, high yielding and resistant to pests and diseases. In order to design a successful breeding programme under smallholder production systems, the farmers’ prevailing production conditions, views and trait preferences should be fully understood and taken into consideration. INTRODUCTION: In Uganda, a large number of cassava cultivars are grown but only a few are perceived by farmers to be ESRB. Early storage root bulking in cassava has increasingly become more important in situations where there is mounting pressure on land and farmers need to intensify production, as well as in semi-arid regions where ESRB cassava is harvested after only one cycle of rain (Suja et al., 2009). To obtain information on farmers’ understanding of cassava ESRB, and identify their cassava cultivar selection criteria, that would be used in the development of improved ESRB cultivars in Uganda, a study was conducted in Busia, Jinja and Mukono districts of Uganda in 2010. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Farmers had varied understanding of ESRB, and expressed an overwhelming need for improved ESRB cassava cultivars, asserting that they provide quick food and income, and escape late season pests and droughts. Their cassava cultivar selection criteria did not vary across districts (Table 1), implying that a similar selection method can be employed across the districts. Farmers suggested a wide range of traits (Table 2) to be incorporated in ESRB cultivars in order to be more acceptable. METHODOLOGY: A total of 120 smallholder cassava farmers were sampled and interviewed following structured questionnaires, and their fields assessed. From each of the three study districts, 40 cassava farmers were sampled at random. REFERENCE: Suja G, John KS, Sreekumar J, Srinivas T (2009) Short-duration cassava genotypes for crop diversification in the humid tropics: growth dynamics, biomass, yield and quality. Journal of Science and Food Agriculture 90:188-198.