Siraj Ismail Kayondo, a Research scientist at CGIAR–IITA, is making a significant impact in the cassava industry with his in-depth research on the genetic architecture of Cassava Brown Streak Virus Disease (CBSD) resistance. Through his PhD research and experience as a forage breeder at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Kayondo brings a vast pool of knowledge and expertise to his role as part of IITA’s multidisciplinary cassava molecular breeding research team.
Kayondo currently works on the Root, Tubers and Banana (RTB) breeding project, formed by the merger of the NextGen Cassava Breeding and RTBFoods projects. The project aims to leverage cutting-edge molecular tools to aid in breeding and to deploy superior cassava varieties, with an expected conclusion in 2024.