Insight into Re-emergence of Cassava Brown Streak Disease: the Need to explore Diverse Approaches for Effective Control

Abstract

The consumption of cassava crop per capita calories in many Africa countries ranked it as the second most important staple food crop. Despite its diverse utilities, the yield potential of cassava is greatly hampered by viral diseases and these differ from country to country, depending on the type of viruses present. Unfortunately, the recent sudden re-emergence of cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) in East and Central Africa is currently gaining more aggressive international attention in Africa and other concerned countries, due to the significant economic yield losses imparting to most poor resource farmers fields. However, selfless efforts from scientific researches to manage CBSD, including recommendations, still seems not to be complimented as expected with pro-active measures from relevant stakeholders, nevertheless the concerned farmers. Overall, the present review revisited a brief glance of the historical development of CBSD, progresses made so far with respect to management strategies. Even more, the paper suggests opinions which could be explore by the ones interested to help within research findings, as well as to bring the awareness and to prevent further spread in countries and/or regions where there is currently the outbreak of CBSD and which had not been yet affected.

Keywords

• Cassava
• farmers
• management strategies
• stakeholders
• viral disease
• yield potential