Landraces are repositories for potential beneficial traits which could be used to develop varieties with enhanced qualities. Optimal utilization of the available large collection of landraces of African yam bean (AYB) presently conserved at the Genetic Resource Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (GRC-IITA), requires an assessment of the magnitude and nature of genetic diversity within the germplasm. One hundred and ninety-six AYB accessions were evaluated during the ...

Plantain flour (PLF) and soy flour (SF) were used to substitute wheat flour (10% and 20% w/w) in composite bread. Physicochemical, phytochemical, and sensory properties were investigated. Partial substitution by PLF significantly increased (p < .05) starch, amylose, ascorbic acid, and potassium content in bread samples. In contrast, a significant improvement (p < .05) in protein, fat, amylopectin, and calcium content was observed with SF substitution. Composite bread with PLF and SF together lowered ...

In this paper, we considered the effects of different drying regimes on the subsequent longevity of Bambara groundnut seeds. Freshly harvested Bambara groundnut seeds from 27 genebank accessions were divided into five samples. One sample (control) was immediately dried at 17°C/15% RH and the other samples were dried at 45°C/35% RH for up to eight days, before transfer to 17°C/15% RH. After drying, seed moisture content was raised to 10.9% before packing the seeds in aluminium foil packets and ...

Soybean cultivation in Ghana is limited mainly to the Guinea savanna and the forest/savanna transitional agro-ecological zones. Although soybean can be cultivated in the semi-deciduous forest zone, low soil pH and limited nodulation limit its productivity in this zone. In this study, a randomized complete block design, with four replications, was used to test if rhizobia inoculation and/or p-fertilizer could improve yield of soybean in the semi-deciduous forest zone. The residual effects of the ...

he youth unemployment situation is an essential component of the current agricultural policy agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Deep-rooted debates on finding a lasting solution to this problem using agriculture have been targeted as one of the panaceas. Using data from 207 systematically selected rice-producing households, this study employed the Propensity Score Matching method (PSM) and the Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment method (IPWRA) to examine the effect of ...

Studies have shown that the continuous application of N, P, and K fertilizers has led to the depletion of secondary and micronutrients, which have become limiting nutrients hindering crop growth and yield. An on-farm trial was conducted to determine the effect of site-specific nutrient fertilizers and compost on soybean yield, phosphorus use efficiency, and soil properties, at Nyong Guma, Serekpere, Daffiama Saapare, and Naaga in northern Ghana. Nine (9) treatments (3 rates of mineral fertilizer ...

The nutrient-rich tubers of the greater yam, Dioscorea alata L., provide food and income security for millions of people around the world. Despite its global importance, however, greater yam remains an orphan crop. Here, we address this resource gap by presenting a highly contiguous chromosome-scale genome assembly of D. alata combined with a dense genetic map derived from African breeding populations. The genome sequence reveals an ancient allotetraploidization in the Dioscorea lineage, followed ...

Plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes (RKN: Meloidogyne spp.) and cyst nematodes (CN: Globodera and Heterodera spp.) cause severe yield reduction in most cultivated crops and are of high economic importance. African nightshade (Solanum spp.) and African spinach (Amaranthus spp.) are important African indigenous vegetables (AIV) and are rich sources of nutrition and income. However, their host status to plant-parasitic nematodes remains largely speculative. Therefore, a survey ...

Food insecurity and malnutrition are challenges in rural Rwanda that are presumed to be affected by differential household socioeconomic status, but the relationship between food and nutrition security and socioeconomic status is not well-understood. We used a participatory and multidisciplinary study comprising nutrition survey, focus group discussion (FGD), detailed household/farm characterization, and interviews to construct a participatory household typology and to determine differences in the ...

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important grain legume for food and cash of the smallholder farmers worldwide. However, the total potential benefits to be derived from the common bean as a source of food and income, its complementarities with non-legume food crops, and significance to the environment are underexploited. Intensification of common bean could provide approaches that offer new techniques to better manage and monitor globally complex systems of sustainable food production. ...