Project

Evolution and diversification of East African sweet potato crop wild relatives, Ipomoea L. (Convolvulaceae).

Code

01W06121

Duration

01 October 2021 → 30 September 2026

Funding

Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund

Promotor

Lars Chatrou

Research disciplines

Natural sciences
- Phylogeny and comparative analysis
- Plant systematics and taxonomy
- Conservation and biodiversity

Keywords

Climate change conservation crop resilience drought food security Ipomoea Kenya phylogenetics sweet potato

Project description

In Kenya, persistent drought and population increase drive up food demands, threatening food security. Advanced genomic techniques will be used to investigate the evolution and diversification of sweet potato wild relatives, with focused sampling of the understudied Eastern African species; thus, providing analytical tools for biodiversity conservation, and food security strategies in the face of climate change for the region.