Review Article | Open Access

Viruses Infecting Yam in Africa: Existing Knowledge and Future Perspectives

    Emmanuel Bwanampongo Kulimushi

    Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, P.O. Box 3000, Tanzania

    Paul Mbogo Kusolwa

    Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, P.O. Box 3000, Tanzania

    Espoir Basengere Bisimwa

    Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Catholic University of Bukavu, P.O. Box 285, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa

    Gration Mutashoberwa Rwegasira

    Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, P.O. Box 3000, Tanzania


Received
25 Oct, 2024
Accepted
01 Dec, 2024
Published
02 Dec, 2024

Yam is one of the nutritional crops feeding a large population in West Africa in particular and currently expanding to the other parts of the continent. However, its productivity is being hampered by biotic stresses particularly viruses which are mainly propagated through infected tubers as planting materials. Viruses infecting yam have been reported worldwide in yam production areas affecting both the quality and quantity of tubers, subsequently interfering with the international germplasm exchange. There are few, not well-described yam viruses in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that induce such symptoms as mosaic, chlorotic spotting, curling and mottling. Despite the strides made in describing and diagnosing yam viruses in SSA, a lot remained and is still unknown due to scarcity and limited access to knowledge, particularly the epidemiology of yam viruses. This review presented the current status of yam viruses occurring in Africa. Future directions on yam viruses and diagnostics using molecular methods are discussed.

How to Cite this paper?


APA-7 Style
Kulimushi, E.B., Kusolwa, P.M., Bisimwa, E.B., Rwegasira, G.M. (2024). Viruses Infecting Yam in Africa: Existing Knowledge and Future Perspectives. Asian Journal of Plant Pathology, 18(1), 86-102. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajpp.2024.86.102

ACS Style
Kulimushi, E.B.; Kusolwa, P.M.; Bisimwa, E.B.; Rwegasira, G.M. Viruses Infecting Yam in Africa: Existing Knowledge and Future Perspectives. Asian J. Plant Pathol. 2024, 18, 86-102. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajpp.2024.86.102

AMA Style
Kulimushi EB, Kusolwa PM, Bisimwa EB, Rwegasira GM. Viruses Infecting Yam in Africa: Existing Knowledge and Future Perspectives. Asian Journal of Plant Pathology. 2024; 18(1): 86-102. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajpp.2024.86.102

Chicago/Turabian Style
Kulimushi, Emmanuel, Bwanampongo, Paul Mbogo Kusolwa, Espoir Basengere Bisimwa, and Gration Mutashoberwa Rwegasira. 2024. "Viruses Infecting Yam in Africa: Existing Knowledge and Future Perspectives" Asian Journal of Plant Pathology 18, no. 1: 86-102. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajpp.2024.86.102