Possible alternative for national supply of seed potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) from in vitro culture at the Agro-physio-genetic and Plants Biotechnology laboratory of IPR / IFRA of Katibougou, Mali

The enhancement of the potential for reducing food insecurity and poverty through potato cultivation in Mali is largely limited by difficult access to quality seed. In trying to find ways to reduce these shortcomings outlined above that work has been done. The objective of this work was to assess the economic profitability of the local potato seed sourcing scheme from in vitro propagation and to analyze the competitiveness of the sourcing scheme from imported elite seed. The technical and economic feasibility of the local potato seed supply scheme was assessed at five levels. The first concerns the production of vitro-plants in the laboratory, the second the production of mini zero generation tubers (G0). Regarding the other three levels of evaluation, they were carried out in collaboration with the seed cooperatives by successive multiplication from mini-tubers to obtain seeds of one “G1”, two “G2” and three “G3” generations". The profitability of the procurement scheme from the elite imported and multiplied once seed was evaluated in order to analyze its competitiveness in relation to the local circuit. The valuation indicates positive profit margins. However, it should be noted that the economic efficiency coefficients of vitro-propagation (0.77) and tunnel multiplication (0.75) are less than 1. The production cost of one kilogram of G3 is equal to at 463.39 F CFA. A profit margin of 456.61 F CFA / kg emerges between this unit production cost and the selling price of imported seeds, which amounts on average to 920 F CFA / kg. The production of plants is technically feasible and profitable with a cost price of one kg of G3 in the order of 500 to 600 F CFA against 900 to 1000 F CFA / kg for imported seed. La valorisation du potentiel de réduction de l’insécurité alimentaire et de la pauvreté à travers la culture de la pomme de terre au Mali est limitée en grande partie par l’accès difficile à la semence de qualité. En essayant de trouver des moyens pour réduire ces insuffisances soulignées ci-dessus que ce travail a été effectué. Le présent travail avait pour objectif d’évaluer la rentabilité économique du schéma d’approvisionnement locale en semences de pomme de terre à partir de la vitro propagation et d’analyser la compétitivité du schéma d’approvisionnement à partir de la semence élite importées. La faisabilité technico-économique du schéma d’approvisionnement local en semences de pomme de terre était évaluée à cinq niveaux. Le premier concerne la production de vitro-plants au laboratoire, le deuxième la production de mini tubercules de génération zéro (G0). Pour ce qui concerne les trois autres niveaux d’évaluation, ils ont été réalisés en collaboration avec les coopératives semencières par multiplications successives à partir de mini-tubercules pour obtenir des semences de génération une «G1», deux «G2» et trois «G3». La rentabilité, du schéma d’approvisionnement à partir de la semence élite importée et multipliée une fois, a été évaluée en vue d’analyser sa compétitivité en rapport avec le circuit local. L’évaluation indique des marges bénéficiaires positives. Cependant, il faut remarquer que les coefficients d’efficacité économiques de la vitro-propagation (0,77) et de la multiplication sous tunnels (0,75) sont inférieurs à 1. Le coût de production d’un kilogramme de G3 est égal à 463,39 F CFA. Une marge bénéficiaire de 456,61 F CFA / kg se dégage entre ce coût de production unitaire et le prix de vente des semences importées qui s’élève en moyenne à 920 F CFA / kg. La production de plants est techniquement faisable et rentable avec un coût de revient d’un kg de G3 de l’ordre de 500 à 600 F CFA contre 900 à 1 000 F CFA / kg pour la semence importée

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

The past 2 years, during which waves of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants swept the globe, have starkly highlighted health disparities across nations. Tegally et al. show how the coordinated efforts of talented African scientists have in a short time made great contributions to pandemic surveillance and data gathering. Their efforts and initiatives have provided early warning that has likely benefited wealthier countries more than their own. Genomic surveillance identified the emergence of the highly transmissible Beta and Omicron variants and now the appearance of Omicron sublineages in Africa. However, it is imperative that technology transfer for diagnostics and vaccines, as well the logistic wherewithal to produce and deploy them, match the data-gathering effort