Cassava is a key food security crop in Central Africa, but its production depends largely on the use of local farmers’ varieties characterized by inherently low yield which is compounded by generally high susceptibility to various growth and yield-limiting pests and diseases. Improved cassava genotypes have demonstrated the potential to substantially improve cassava’s contribution to food security and the development of the cassava industry and the improvement of nutrition status elsewhere in Western Africa. Eleven improved cassava genotypes were compared with a local landrace (LMR) used as a check under field conditions over two years in eight locations, grouped in four agro-ecologies in Cameroon. Pest and disease abundance/incidence and damage severity were evaluated. At harvest, root yield and carotenoid content were measured. Best linear unbiased predictors showed the lowest breeding value for LMR with the cassava mosaic virus disease (+ 66.40 ± 2.42) compared with 1.00 ± 0.02% for the most susceptible improved genotype. Two genotypes (I010040-27 and I011797) stood out for having higher predicted fresh root yield means which were at least 16 times greater compared with LMR. Predicted total carotenoid content was the highest (+ 5.04 ± 0.17) for improved genotype I070593 compared with LMR which showed the lowest (− 3.90 ± 0.06%) and could contribute to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiency from cassava-based food systems. Diffusion of high-yielding and nutritious genotypes could alleviate food and nutritional security in Central Africa.

This work was supported by the Agricultural Investment and Market Development Project jointly funded by the Cameroon government, Japan Policy, the World Bank, and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Program on Roots, Tubers, and Bananas.

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86958-w

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Fotso Kuate, A.https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5247-7519

Cargele Massohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3980-6832

E J Parkeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4063-1483

Peter Kulakowhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7574-2645

Komi Fiaboehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5113-2159

Rachid Hannahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5715-0144

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86958-w

Biotech and Plant Breeding; Natural Resource Management; Plant Production and Health

Agronomy; Cassava; Food Security; Plant Breeding; Plant Diseases; Plant Health; Plant Production

Cassava; Food Security; Genotypes; Farmers; Varieties; African Cassava Mosaic Virus; Cameroon

Africa; Central Africa

Cameroon

Central Africa Hub; Headquarters and Western Africa Hub

Scientific Reports