View article

The current pandemic of cassava mosaic virus disease [cassava African mosaic bigeminivirus] (CMD) in Uganda and various approaches to its control are described. Problems were first reported in 1988 in Luwero district where c. 2000 ha of cassava were severely affected. Similar reports were received from many other localities and the affected area has since extended progressively southwards moving along a broad front across much of Uganda and into western Kenya at c. 20 km/year. In the first attempts at control, CMD-free stem cuttings from relatively unaffected areas of southern Uganda were introduced into northern Luwero, Masindi, Arua, Nebbi, Moyo and Kumi districts and distributed to farmers for planting material. Spread of CMD to the introduced material occurred rapidly and within 8 months of planting there was almost total infection in all the fields surveyed and symptoms were severe. A different …