Applied genomics in the improvement of crops grown in Africa

Abstract

Crop biotechnology seems to be in its infancy in Africa, some national researchers are well trained in this area 
but lack of funding from their national governments does not allow them take advantage of their knowledge 
and professional skills. Among the agro-biotechnology tools, tissue culture ranks first in the micro
propagated and tree crops. DNA marker-aided breeding for a range of traits (particularly to overcome diseases 
and pests or low input environments) should become the second most important application of agro
biotechnology in the mid-term. Molecular markers are being used worldwide to tag specific chromosome 
segments bearing the desired gene(s) to be transferred (or incorporated) into breeding lines (or populations). 
In this way, indirect selection with co-dominant molecular markers tightly linked to the gene(s) controlling the 
characteristic(s) of interest improves response to selection, because heritability for co-dominant markers 
equals to 1. Molecular markers are therefore descriptors that offer reproducible results for characterizing 
genotypes. Similarly, applied plant genomics also improves the understanding of crop gene pools, which are 
being enlarged by including transgenes and “native” gene pools. Furthermore, finding new genes adds value 
to traditional agricultural products. There are many on-going applications of DNA markers in research-for
development and crop improvement for crops grown by African farmers. Marker-assisted selection and –aided 
introgression are being employed by private and public plant breeders mostly to locate and select genes for 
controlling important quality and disease or pest resistant traits.