The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, under Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency, is using agricultural innovation to help protect the country’s cassava industry from a long-running plant disease.
Cassava is one of ASEAN’s key economic crops, and Thailand is among the world’s leading exporters. But in recent years, farmers have been hit hard by cassava mosaic disease, which lowers yields, reduces quality, and causes a serious shortage of clean planting material.
To tackle this problem, Thai researchers are applying modern plant breeding technology, combining tissue culture with a small-stem cutting technique. This allows farmers to quickly produce strong, disease-free cassava plants in large numbers.
The latest project has been rolled out in cassava farms in Ratchaburi province, turning the area into a pilot model for stopping the spread of the disease at its source. The focus is on helping local communities produce and share clean planting stems by themselves, reducing the risk of reinfection and strengthening long-term farm sustainability.
The project leader, Dr Saengsoon Charoenvilaisiri, says the key is moving beyond short-term fi xes and building a complete system that starts with healthy planting material. The project also brings together researchers and the private sector to turn lab technology into real farm solutions.
Early results show that disease-free plants grow just as well as traditional methods, while offering better control over quality and supply. Offi cials say this model can now be adapted in other areas, helping secure the future of Thailand’s cassava industry and supporting farmers across the region.
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