Last August, the international community came together in Tanzania to establish a framework for combating the worst enemies of African banana in years—banana Xanthomonas wilt and banana bunchy top disease.

This commentary presents a comprehensive review of IITA’s past and present efforts, and future initiatives on biocontrol. It also forwards some insights on how biocontrol efforts could be more successful.

Biosystematics involves the study of the origin, distribution, biology, association, and evolutionary relationships of organisms. Learn why it is important in biocontrol.

This article describes the results of a study by IITA and partners on Tanzanian farmers’ understanding and perceptions of genetically modified crops.

Why do relationships matter? Find out why in this brief explaining the importance of understanding crossing combinations in developing rice cultivars suitable for sub-Saharan Africa.

Information on the banana genome and molecular tools to map traits are lacking. IITA is mapping and characterizing new molecular markers for use in banana breeding and genetics.

Guest contributor Glenn Gregorio of IRRI suggests that hybrid rice may help solve Africa’s rice woes. Find out how tropical hybrids fared under conditions in the IITA research farm in Ibadan, Nigeria.

First it was the cassava mealybug, then the cassava green mite that threatened the food security of more than 300 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Now, another threat to cassava is emerging.

IITA plant pathologists present an overview of an emerging menace in banana in West-Central and Southern Africa, and the findings from ongoing efforts to control the disease.

As the debate over Nigeria’s biosafety bill gathers momentum, Atser Godwin chronicles efforts undertaken by the Government so far.