Evaluation of the Suitability of New Cassava Genotypes to RTB Users' Needs and Preferences at the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Uganda

Within the frame work of RTBFoods project, WP5 aimed at testing promising cassava clones under real life conditions with farmers using inclusive approaches so that varieties selected and fronted for release possessed acceptable end-user preference traits. NaCRRI adopted the tricot approach to PVS evaluation which purposes inclusiveness and evaluation of candidate cassava clones by end-users at individual basis. Accordingly, 240 men and women were selected from six districts namely; Mityana, Luwero, Arua, Serere, Kaberamaido and Dokolo. Locations were selected based on high cassava production while the participants were selected based on sex, age, marital status and willingness to participate. A total of ten cassava clones comprising of nine candidate clones and one benchmark variety were evaluated. Men and women evaluated cassava clones for agronomic, processing and culinary qualities. Results showed that candidate cassava varieties; MM16/1627, UG120124, UG120193 had positive favourability. Indeed, candidate variety UG120193 had better processing and culinary attributes than the benchmark variety. Gender influenced overall liking of the cassava clones. Accordingly, men preferred UG120193 while women preferred NAROCASS 1. Overall, with the inclusive approach to PVS, candidate varieties were evaluated for end-user preferences in the local setting of the farmers’ fields and a candidate variety namely UG120193, with end-user preferred processing and culinary attributes was identified.