Validation of KASP markers associated with cassava mosaic disease resistance, storage root dry matter and provitamin A carotenoid contents in Ugandan cassava germplasm

IntroductionThe intrinsic high heterozygosity of cassava makes conventional breeding ineffective for rapid genetic improvement. However, recent advances in next generation sequencing technologies have enabled the use of high-density markers for genome-wide association studies, aimed at identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to major traits such as cassava mosaic disease (CMD) resistance, dry matter content (DMC) and total carotenoids content (TCC). A number of these trait-linked SNPs have been converted to Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (KASP) markers for downstream application of marker assisted selection.MethodsWe assayed 13 KASP markers to evaluate their effectiveness in selecting for CMD, DMC and TCC in 1,677 diverse cassava genotypes representing two independent breeding populations in Uganda.ResultsFive KASP markers had significant co-segregation with phenotypes; CMD resistance (2), DMC (1) and TCC (2), with each marker accounting for at least 30% of the phenotypic variation. Markers located within the chromosomal regions for which strong marker-trait association loci have been characterised (chromosome 12 markers for CMD, chromosome 1 markers for DMC and TCC) had consistently superior ability to discriminate the respective phenotypes.DiscussionThe results indicate varying discriminatory abilities of the KASP markers assayed and the need for their context-based use for MAS, with PSY2_572 particularly effective in selecting for high TCC. Availing the effective KASP markers on cost-effective genotyping platforms could facilitate practical implementation of marker-assisted cassava breeding for accelerated genetic gains for CMD, DMC and provitamin A carotenoids.