Challenge of Virus Disease Threats to Ensuring Sustained Uptake of Vitamin-A-Rich Sweetpotato in Africa

Abstract Orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes (OFSP) are a rich source of pro-vitamin A and can alleviate vitamin deficiency in the developing world. In Africa, traditional varieties have been almost exclusively white-fleshed introduction breeding orange-fleshed into Africa has severely hampered by virus diseases to which many susceptible. Breeding progress generate resistant slow due rare recessive occurrence resistance populations. Production virus-free seed is complicated fact that most sweetpotato viruses show no or only limited symptoms very low concentrations when infected individual viruses, making them difficult detect. Even single infections lead significant yield losses, but they combine severe disease complexes generated, total crop failure. Significant efforts made characterizing understanding interactions over last two decades address this challenge; reviewed chapter. We also review state art detection support systems breeding. conclude with recommendations for urgent future research directions needed problems sweetpotatoes.