Science at work 17 September 2024
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Roots and tubers
Tropical starchy root crops and tubers – cassava, sweet potato, yam and dasheen –, or "RTs", play a vital role in food security for populations in tropical zones, against a backdrop of population growth and rapid urbanization, particularly in Africa. CIRAD has substantial expertise in these value chains, ranging from genomics to postharvest technology through varietal improvement, plant health, cropping systems and value chain economics. CIRAD's approach is multidisciplinary and often innovative.
Books and documents
- Tropical Root and Tuber Crops Cassava, Sweet Potato, Yams and Aroids
2nd edition. 2020. Vincent Lebot, Cirad. Cabi, 515p
Aims to bring together in a single work the state of the art on the origins and history, taxonomy and botany, genetics and improvement, physiology, agronomy, pests and diseases, post-harvest quality and marketing for root and tuber plant species (cassava, sweet potato, yams and aroids).
RTBfoods website
- Le manioc, entre culture alimentaire et filière agro-industrielle
Philippe Vernier, Boni N’Zué, Nadine Zakhia-Rozis, Quæ, Agricultures tropicales en poche, 2018
- Sustainable Development and Tropical Agri-Chains
Estelle Biénabe, Denis Loeillet, Alain Rival (ed.), Springer, 2017
- Le grand livre des fruits et légumes lontan : fruits et légumes d'antan
Vincenot Didier, Roux-Cuvelier Michel. Chevagny-sur-Guye: Editions Orphie, 159 p. (Le grand livre) ISBN 978-2-87763-637-7 Revues, 2018
- FruiTrop
Monthly bulletin on trade in fresh and processed tropical fruits, citrus fruits and off-season fruits.
Special issues: Roots and tubers - Sweet potato
Production guides
Guides to good phytosanitary practice published by COLEACP/PIP.
COLEACP is an international network working to foster sustainable development of the horticultural trade. PIP is a European cooperation programme led by COLEACP.
Roadmap summary
Scientific publications
Related news items
All news items
Science at work 13 June 2024
Roots, tubers and bananas: if you want a useful variety, ask a consumer!
Institutional news 2 November 2023
Four ambitions to support the roots and tubers sector between now and 2033
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See also
Coffee
Returning to ecologically viable systems and boosting the profitability of agroforestry systems that favour smallholders in more than 40 countries.
Sugarcane
Building the sugarcane sector of the future by helping producers make the agroecological transition.
Coconut
Revitalizing coconut, a plant with a thousand uses: knowing and making better use of its genetic diversity and ensuring sustainability, from production to processing.