Dr. Pearl Abu Spearheads Groundbreaking Research to Establish a Double Haploid Maize Breeding Facility in Ghana

In a landmark development for African agriculture, Dr. Pearl Abu of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana is leading the establishment of the first Double Haploid (DH) Maize breeding facility in Ghana and the West African Sub-region.

This innovative project promises to revolutionize maize breeding in Ghana and across West Africa, potentially transforming food security and agricultural productivity in the region.

Dr. Pearl Abu, a distinguished plant breeder and geneticist, has been at the forefront of crop improvement research at WACCI. She is currently the Team Lead for the Maize Breeding Programme at WACCI where her research group is integrating innovating technologies such as doubled haploid and genomic selection high yielding varieties to tackle the food security challenges of the country. Dr. Abu's work focuses not only high-yielding but also climate resilience varieties against the drought, high temperature, low soil fertility and diseases and pest prevalent in African agricultural systems. Her expertise and vision have been instrumental in efforts to bring this cutting-edge facility to fruition.

The Double Haploid technology represents a significant leap forward in plant breeding. This technique allows plant breeders to produce completely homozygous lines in just two generations compared to the six to eight generations by traditional breeding methods, thus significantly reducing the time for develop new maize varieties from 8-10 years to 3 years.

The establishment of this DH facility in Ghana marks a major revolution for African agriculture. As the first of such facility in West Africa, it positions Ghana as a leader in advanced plant breeding techniques. The project is in collaboration with Iowa State University, USA and Khon Kaen University, Thailand and to hopes to attract collaborations with other international research institutions and potentially spark similar developments across Africa.

The introduction of DH technology in Ghana's maize breeding programs is anticipated to have far-reaching effects. By accelerating the development of improved maize varieties, the facility will contribute to increased crop yields and stability, bolstering food security in Ghana and potentially across West Africa. This will also ensure that farmers have access to high yieldling maize varieties sooner, potentially increasing their income and improving livelihoods in rural communities and contributing to economic development.

The facility will enable rapidly development of climate resilient varieties adapted to the changing climatic conditions which is crucial in the face of global climate change.

Dr. Abu emphasizes the importance of training the next generation of plant breeders in these advanced techniques. The facility will serve as a hub for capacity building, offering hands-on experience to students and researchers from across Africa.

On the future of Maize Breeding in West Africa, Dr. Abu and her team at WACCI envision a future where similar facilities are established across the continent, creating a network of advanced breeding centers that can rapidly respond to the evolving needs of African agriculture.

As this groundbreaking facility takes shape under Dr. Pearl Abu's leadership, it stands as a testament to Africa's growing capacity for innovation in agricultural research. The impact of this initiative is expected to resonate far beyond Ghana's borders, potentially ushering in a new era of crop improvement across the African continent.

Peter Amoako Ofori
Plant Scientist
Department of Plants, Food and Environmental Sciences

Dalhousie University