Scientific Papers and Publications
SEQART AFRICA is proud to be part of Publications below.
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Abdou R. Ibrahim Bio Yerima1,2*,
Kassari Ango Issoufou2,
Charlotte A. Adje1,
Aissata Mamadou2,
Happiness Oselebe3, Mame Codou Gueye4,
Claire Billot5 and Enoch G. Achigan-Dako1
White fonio (Digitaria exilis) is a staple food for millions of people in arid and semi-arid areas of West Africa. Knowledge about nutritional and health benefits, insights into morphological diversity, and the recent development of genomic resources call for a better understanding of the genetic structure of the extant germplasm gathered throughout the region in order to set up a robust breeding program. We assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 259 fonio individuals collected from six countries from West Africa (Nigeria, Benin, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger) in this study using 688 putative out of 21,324 DArTseq-derived SNP markers. Due to the inbreeding and small population size, the results revealed a substantial level of genetic variability. Furthermore, two clusters were found irrespective of the geographic origins of accessions. Moreover, the high level of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between loci observed resulted from the mating system of the crop, which is often associated with a low recombination rate. These findings fill the gaps about the molecular diversity and genetic structure of the white fonio germplasm in West Africa. This was required for the application of genomic tools that can potentially speed up the genetic gain in fonio millet breeding for complex traits such as yield, and other nutrient contents. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page).
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Barthlomew Yonas Chataika1*,
Levi Shadeya-Mudogo Akundabweni1, Aristide Carlos Houdegbe2,3,
Julia Sibiya3 and
Kingsley Masamba4
Increased public awareness of healthy foods and healthy living, coupled with escalating medicinal costs and recent advances in research and technology, has sparked a paradigm shift to nutraceuticals, which guarantee human health and disease prevention. Spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) contains dietary phytochemicals with high nutritional and medicinal properties that can contribute to healthy living. A study was conducted to identify spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) accessions with superior levels of dietary phytochemicals and anti-oxidative activity for use in nutraceutical breeding. Thirty-three accessions of spider plant, representing a wide genetic diversity based on geographic areas of origin (Asia, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa), were used. Total phenolic acids, tannins, and anthocyanins were extracted and quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteau colorimetric, spectrophotometric, and pH differential methods, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined using phosphomolybdenum method. Results showed significant variation in levels of total phenolic compounds, tannins, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (P < 0.05) amongst the spider plant accessions and regions of origin; ODS-15-037 (464 mg TAE/g DW), ODS-15-053 (270 mg GAE/g DW), and BC-02A (127 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/g DW) had the highest levels of total tannins, phenolic compounds, and anthocyanins, respectively. Antioxidant activity was high in ODS-15-053 (492.2 mg AAE/100 g DW), NAM 2232 (445.3 mg AAE/100 g DW), and NAM-6 (432.5 mg AAE/100 g DW). On average, West African accessions had significantly high tannin concentrations (239 mg TAE/g DW), while Southern Africa accessions contained significantly high anthocyanin content (58.9 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/g DW). The superior accessions are potential candidates for use in nutraceutical breeding, while the regions of origin could be used as gene pools for specific phytochemicals for improving dietary supplements of nutraceuticals. The strong antioxidant activity exhibited by spider plant accessions suggests the presence of compounds responsible for scavenging free oxygen or nitrogen radicals. Further studies are recommended to identify the chromosomal regions that contain genes controlling the dietary nutraceuticals in the genetic materials and to determine their association with foliage yield and other phenotypes, which can be utilized in spider plant improvement. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page) -
Mary Emeraghi, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Chibuzo N. C. Nwaoguala & Happiness Oselebe
The economic importance of the maize streak virus disease to the African maize production dynamic is to be appreciated now more than ever due to the preponderant influence of a changing climate. Continued dependence on a single major-effect quantitative trait locus (QTL) called Msv1 on Chromosome 1 of Maize (Zea mays L.) is not guaranteed to ensure durable resistance to the causal pathogen. With over ten decades of research on the disease and its associated host plant resistance mechanisms, it is pertinent to consider future approaches to attaining durability by looking to the synergistic roles of moderate- and minor-effect QTLs located on other chromosomes so as to facilitate a secure farming system for sub-Saharan Africa. For this review, more than 40 publications relating to maize streak disease research were methodically analysed with about 30% making specific reference to conventional, molecular and transgenic approaches employed in introgressing, maintaining and improving streak resistance in maize. A meta-analysis of mapped QTLs conferring streak resistance was conducted in a bid to reveal any inter-dependence or co-localization of resistant loci and to aid decision-making for marker-assisted breeding. With the changing climatic conditions around the globe, man’s preparedness in the event of an epidemic following any evolutionary process in the streak viral genome was determined as insufficient. Modern breeding approaches including gene pyramiding that could be considered in maize breeding programmes to ensure durability for streak resistance were proposed while improving maize for other abiotic stress tolerance, particularly drought. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page)
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Dèdéou A. Tchokponhoué, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Sognigbé N’Danikou, Daniel Nyadanu, Rémi Kahane, Alfred O. Odindo & Julia Sibiya
Abstract
Background
Understanding end-users’ preferred breeding traits and plant management practices is fundamental in defining sound breeding objectives and implementing a successful plant improvement programme. Since such knowledge is lacking for Synsepalum dulcificum, a worldwide promising orphan fruit tree species, we assessed the interrelationships among socio-demography, ecology, management practices, diversity and ranking of desired breeding traits by end-users of the species (farmers, final consumers and processing companies) in West Africa. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page)
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Dèdéou Apocalypse Tchokponhoué, Sognigbé N’Danikou, Nicodème Vodjo Fassinou Hotegni, Daniel Nyadanu, Rémi Kahane, Alfred Oduor Odindo, Enoch Gbènato Achigan-Dako, Julia Sibiya
Abstract
Despite the growing interest in the miracle plant worldwide due to its numerous applications, the threats and the wild harvest of the species hamper its sustainable utilisation. Moreover, traditional knowledge so far documented on the species is limited to a narrow geographical coverage of its natural distribution range, which is West and Central Africa. This study analysed the use variation and knowledge acquisition pattern of the miracle plant among West African sociolinguistic groups and deciphered the drivers of populations’ willingness and readiness to engage in cultivating the species. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 510 respondents purposively selected from nine sociolinguistic groups in Benin and Ghana using the snowball sampling approach. Information was collected on respondents’ socio-demographic profile, miracle plant ownership, plant parts used and preparation methods, knowledge of the species bioecology, perceived threats on the species, willingness to cultivate, maximum acreage to allocate to the species and maximum price to pay for a seedling. Descriptive statistics, generalized linear models, classification and regression tree models were used for data analysis. The miracle plant ownership mode depended on the age category. Sociolinguistic affiliation, level of schooling, migratory status and religion significantly affected the number of trees owned. We recorded 76 uses belonging to six use categories. The overall use-value of the miracle plant significantly varied according to the respondent sociolinguistic affiliation, main activity and religion. Men were the main source of knowledge and knowledge is mainly acquired along the family line. Knowledge related to food and social uses was mostly acquired from parents and people of the same generation, while magico-therapeutic and medicinal use-related knowledge were inherited from parents and grandparents. Sociolinguistic affiliation, awareness of taboos and market availability were the most important drivers of respondent willingness to cultivate the miracle plant. While the respondent’s level of schooling and perception of plant growth rate determined the maximum acreage they were willing to allocate to the species in cultivation schemes, their main activity, sociolinguistic affiliation and knowledge of the species time to fruiting drove the maximum purchase price they were willing to offer for a seedling of the species. Our findings provide key information for the promotion of miracle plant cultivation in the study area. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page) -
Barthlomew Yonas Chataika, Levi Shadeya-Mudogo Akundabweni, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Julia Sibiya, Kingdom Kwapata
Abstract
Spider plants (Gynandropsis gynandra, L. Briq.) are a semi-wild vegetable reported to have high nutritional, medicinal, insecticidal, and cultural values, yet continue to be neglected in research. The study was undertaken to investigate indigenous knowledge and utilization of the species in five regions of northern Namibia. Three tools were used; (i) focus group discussion, (ii) semi-structured interviews involving a random selection of 100 farming households and 24 consumers, and (iii) key informant interviews involving four agricultural staff and two open-market supervisors. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, inferential, and cluster analyses. The study found that farming households and consumers placed higher nutritional, sociocultural, and medicinal values in spider plants than any other vegetable. Ranking of utilization traits, such as nutritional, sociocultural, and medicinal use, revealed three clusters of sociolinguistic groups associated with geographical region. The vegetable was sold and used in most cultural, traditional, and religious functions as a relish, as a source of honor, to bring luck, and for protection. The diverse uses and value placed on spider plants could offer an opportunity for the development of technologies for enhancing their domestication, production, and utilization. It is recommended that follow-up studies be carried to identify specific sociocultural and geographic factors affecting the use of spider plants. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page) -
Barthlomew Chataika, Levi Akundabweni, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Julia Sibiya, Kingdom Kwapata, Benisiu Thomas
Simple Summary
Knowledge on the diversity and domestication levels of the spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) has the potential to affect pre-breeding for client-preferred traits, yet information is scarce in Namibia due to limited research. We investigated indigenous knowledge on the species diversity and domestication levels in the regions of Kavango West, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, and Oshikoto of northern Namibia. Semi-structured interviews involving 100 randomly selected farming households, four key informant interviews, and a focus group discussion were conducted. Descriptive and chi-square tests were conducted using IBM SPSS version 20. Out of the possible four morphotypes, the results suggested that only one with green stem and green petiole existed and was associated with soils rich in organic manure. Spider plant abundance was reported to be on the decline, due to declining soil fertility. On a scale of 0 (wild species) to 6 (highest level of domestication), an index of 1.56 was found and this implied very low domestication levels. Furthermore, the study found significant differences in the trends of domestication across the sociolinguistic groups (χ2 (12, N = 98) = 46.9, p < 0.001) and regions studied (χ2 (12, N = 100) = 47.8, p < 0.001), suggesting cultural and geographical influences. In conclusion, the findings constituted an important precedent for guiding subsequent pre-breeding efforts. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page) -
Dèdéou A. Tchokponhoué, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Sognigbé N’Danikou, Daniel Nyadanu, Rémi Kahane, Jacob Houéto, Nicodème V. Fassinou Hotegni, Alfred O. Odindo & Julia Sibiya
Abstract
The miracle plant Synsepalum dulcificum is a multipurpose natural sweetener and a promising West African orphan fruit shrub candidate for genetic improvement. Unfortunately, basic knowledge such as phenotypic variation and inheritance estimates required for implementing a breeding program are still lacking. A set of 203 accessions were sampled in two habitats from seven populations spread across the Dahomey Gap (DG) and the Upper Guinea forest (UG) in West Africa. The phenotypic diversity and allometric relationships among functional traits were analysed; the broad-sense heritability was estimated for fruit-traits, and a mini-core collection was developed in the species. Quantitative variation in tree- and fruit-traits was recorded, and multivariate analyses were performed to assess relationships among accessions, whereas heritability was estimated using the coefficient of repeatability. Tree-traits observed in S. dulcificum were more variable than fruit-traits. While habitat-type only affected tree-traits, the provenance population significantly affected both fruit- and tree-traits, with the UG populations outperforming the DG ones. Significant correlations were observed among fruit-traits on one hand, and among tree-traits on the other hand, whereas poor correlations were observed between tree- and fruit-traits. The multivariate analysis grouped accessions in three clusters. Promising individuals for high fruit mass and pulp-dense genotypes’ selection were identified within clusters. Repeatability estimates for fruit-traits ranged from 0.015 (edible ratio) to 0.88 (fruit mass). The Core Hunter algorithm enabled the extraction of 41 individuals as robust representatives of the initial set of 203 accessions, and the mapping of this core collection suggested Dahomey Gap as a centre of diversity of the species. These original findings offer opportunities, not only for the genetic improvement of S. dulcificum, but also for targeted ex-situ conservation in the species. View Paper (you will be redirected to another page)
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