Application of embryo culture in germinating African cassava mosaic disease resistant gene mapping population

In a study to map out the genes confering resistanceto African cassava msaic disease (ACMD), a cost-effective protocol for zygotic embryo culture developed at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA) using 1/2 strenght Murashige and Skoog's basal media, was employed to germinatethe F1 populations. The F1 crosses wee generated from cross combinations between ACMD resistant and susceptible and local cassava germplasm. These crosses were TMS 30572 x TME 117, TMS 30572 x TME 4, and TMS 30555 x TME 3, giving three mapping populations. Four weeks after explanting embryo axes, progenies of the F1 cross of TMS 30555 x TME 3 perfomed best with 88% of the explanted embryos poducing two or more nodes, followed by those of the F1 cross TMS 30572 x TME 4, with 79%, and TMS 30572 x TME 117, germilings had 4 to 5 nodes, and 3, 5, and 9% in F1 crosses of TMS 30572 x TME 117, TMS 30572 x TME 4, and TMS 30555 X tme 3, respectively