Journal Article

Genome-wide association study of post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) using visual and AI-powered phenotyping

author(s)

Dankwa, Kwame Obeng

themes
  • Crops for nutrition and health
regions
  • Colombia
original file download
full citation

Dankwa, K.O.; Luna Melendez, J.L.; Giraldo, J.C.; Sanchez Sarria, C.E.; Selvaraj, M.; Olasanmi, B.; Gimode, W. (2026) Genome-wide association study of post-harvest physiological deterioration in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) using visual and AI-powered phenotyping. Frontiers in Plant Science 17: 1807180. ISSN: 1664-462X

This study investigated the genetic basis of postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) in cassava using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and both traditional visual scoring and AI-based phenotyping. Researchers analyzed 298 cassava accessions with two genotyping platforms and identified several significant genetic markers linked to PPD tolerance, particularly on chromosomes 1 and 12. The findings suggest that AI-powered phenotyping provides a more consistent and reproducible method for assessing PPD and offers valuable targets for breeding cassava varieties with improved shelf life and delayed deterioration.