Preliminary research project

Developing and emergency response and long term management strategy for Cassava Mosaic Disease in Cambodia and Vietnam

Despite the current lack of information on SLCMD, the new disease poses an imminent threat to the livelihoods of smallholders and a region-wide industry. First, it is essential to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the current status of the disease. Next, immediate action is required to contain the disease, and prevent further spread and impact on national and regional cassava sector.

Project goal -Through this SRA, we deployed a robust and large-scale baseline disease diagnostics survey in Vietnam and Cambodia, to systematically assess the geographical spread, local incidence and severity of SLCMD. Also, advise was provided to national authorities (PPRI, GDA) and private sector actors on options for eradication and replacement of planting in affected fields. Furthermore, critical capacity building was conducted amongst a range of national partners (e.g., scientists, plant protection officers, development workers) to correctly identify SLCMD symptoms, and apply advanced serological or nucleic acid-based techniques for rapid, sensitive, and high-volume viral diagnostics.

Coordination with national and international partners occurred to seek synergies with ongoing plant health programs, and build critical mass for further multi-country CMD mitigation initiatives based on the results of the baseline disease diagnostics.

In parallel with the baseline disease diagnostics vector samples of B. tabaci whitefly populations were collected and information about stake procurement practiced to elucidate seed flows. This allowed the projections of the relative spread potential of SLCMD through anthropogenic and insect-mediated means.

The study consolidate an over-arching framework to guide medium and long-term mitigation strategies at a local, national and sub-regional level, depending on the actual distribution and incidence of the disease in Vietnam and Cambodia. Our multi-pronged strategy, centered around robust-applied diagnostics, large-scale baseline diagnostics, national capacity-building and policy engagement, is ultimately anticipated to deliver a tailored response to this new disease threat of regional importance.

Annual Reports

Journal articles

Raising the Stakes: Cassava Seed Networks at Multiple Scales in Cambodia and Vietnam

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2018.00073/full

Surveillance for Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV) in Cambodia and Vietnam one year after its initial detection in a single plantation in 2015

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0212780

Workshop Presentations

Inception meeting

Result sharing workshop

Posters

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