Fighting hunger with cassava
Genetically engineered plant variety shows drought resistance and promises greater yields
Advertisement
A team led by Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against global hunger. The researchers have succeeded in genetically modifying the tropical cassava plant to provide significantly greater yields and also to become more resistant to drought. The researchers have published their findings in the journal Nature Plants.
The starchy storage roots of the cassava plant provide a staple food source for almost one billion people across the world. Especially in the tropical regions of Asia, South America and particularly in Africa, the underground storage organ of the cassava plant forms the basis for a great many meals, with its high starch content making the root an excellent source of carbohydrate. Globally, cassava is the fourth most important source of carbohydrate after maize, rice and wheat, and is essential for ensuring food security in many poor countries throughout the world.
Improved transport of potassium lets cassava thrive
The team of researchers in the international Cassava Source Sink (CASS) consortium have modified the plant to ensure improved transportation of potassium in the plant. The result: The plant’s photosynthesis becomes more efficient, carbohydrates are distributed more favorably and the storage root, the edible part of the plant, grows better. Furthermore, the plant is considerably more resistant to drought stress, an important aspect in view of advancing climate change – and all without a need for additional fertilizer.
In field trials in greenhouses and over longer periods of time, the researchers from FAU, the University of Kaiserslautern, Forschungszentrum Jülich and the National Chung Hsing University (Taiwan) were able to validate their results and demonstrate that the new properties of the cassava plant remain stable over several years.
A contribution to global food security
“This study represents an important step towards exploiting the potential yield of cassava,” says Prof. Dr. Uwe Sonnewald, head of the Chair of Biochemistry at FAU. “By improving the transport of nutrients and drought resistance, we can make a contribution towards making cassava crops more productive and climate resilient, thereby making a sizable contribution towards global food security.”
The CASS project
The Cassava Source Sink (CASS) project is a global research collaboration focusing on improving cassava productivity, climate resilience and food security. Coordinated by Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and funded by Gates Agricultural Innovations, CASS brings together leading partners such as the Boyce Thompson Institute (USA), the University of Oxford (UK), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, the University of Kaiserslautern, the University of Helsinki (Finland), ETH Zürich (Switzerland), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (Nigeria), the National Root Crops Research Institute (Nigeria) and National Chung Hsing University (Taiwan).
Original publication
W. Zierer, M. Fritzler, T. J. Chiu, R. B. Anjanappa, S.-H. Chang, R. Metzner, J. Quiros, C. E. Lamm, M. Thieme, R. Koller, G. Huber, O. Muller, U. Rascher, U. Sonnewald, H. E. Neuhaus, W. Gruissem, L. Bellin; "Engineering vascular potassium transport increases yield and drought resilience of cassava"; Nature Plants, Volume 11, 2025-12-17
Other news from the department science
