Researchers Complete Draft Genome Sequence for Cassava

A $1.3 Million grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will fund the next phase of research that is critical to global food security.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- A team of academic, government and industry researchers has completed a first draft of the cassava (Manihot esculenta) genome. The project is an important first step in accelerating the pace of research on this subsistence crop and addressing some of the many limitations that face cassava farmers around the world.

To view the full press release, visit the University of Arizona web site.

###
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

ONLINE RESOURCES

The University of Arizona

PRESS RELEASES

Feb 01, 2012Gates Foundation Invites Public to Explore New Visitor Center Jan 30, 2012Private and Public Partners Unite to Combat 10 Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2020 Jan 26, 2012Foundation Commits $750 Million to Global Fund