Breeding of Novel Potato/Sweet Potato/Cassava Cultivars and the Application of New Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

The three major tuber and root crops—potato (Solanum tuberosum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), and cassava (Manihot esculenta)—are globally significant non-staple food sources. They are widely cultivated due to their high yield potential, substantial nutritional value, and tolerance to marginal growing conditions. As vegetatively propagated crops, their complex genetic backgrounds and inherent susceptibility to variation impose significant constraints on conventional breeding programs. These limitations manifest as pronounced varietal degeneration and senescence, coupled with protracted breeding cycles. Consequently, the application of modern biotechnology is imperative in developing novel cultivars exhibiting enhanced yield, superior quality, and adaptability to evolving demands in modern agriculture.

This Special Issue aims to explore newly developed potato/sweet potato/cassava cultivars, elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying their high yield and superior quality, and introduce novel breeding techniques. The articles primarily emphasize the application of contemporary biotechnological approaches in potato/sweet potato/cassava breeding, with a focused examination of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS), genome editing techniques, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), pangenomes, and so on. This Special Issue primarily solicits research articles addressing novel germplasm screening and the optimization and implementation of breeding techniques in potato/sweet potato/cassava, alongside comprehensive reviews summarizing recent advances in potato/sweet potato/cassava crop breeding research.      

Dr. Zhitong Ren
Prof. Dr. Hong Zhai
Guest Editors

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