mosaic disease

The discovery came in the late 1800s, as scientists puzzled over a strange disease called tobacco mosaic disease.

The industry was saved from collapse only by breeding resistance to the viruses that cause cassava mosaic disease, and through biological control of mealybug and other pests in the 1980s.

And varieties with genetic markers for resistance to cassava mosaic disease turn out to be resistant around 60% of the time.

Breeders around the world are already using the Nigerian centre’s data to check their plants for resistance to cassava mosaic disease.

Farmers in Thailand, South America and the Pacific Islands — where cassava is highly susceptible to the viruses that cause mosaic disease — are hoping to mix resistant alleles from Africa into their crops through conventional breeding.