Sean Mayes1,2, Wai Kuan Ho3,4, Hui Hui Chai3,4, Xiuqing Gao3,4, Aloyce C Kundy3,4, Kumbirai I Mateva3,4, Muhammad Zahrulakmal3, Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Hahiree3, Presidor Kendabie5, Luis C S Licea5, Festo Massawe3,4, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi6, Albert T Modi6, Joseph N Berchie7, Stephen Amoah7, Ben Faloye3,4,8, Michael Abberton8, Oyatomi Olaniyi8, Sayed N Azam-Ali5,3. 1. School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK. sean.mayes@nottingham.ac.uk. 2. Crops For the Future, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. sean.mayes@nottingham.ac.uk. 3. Crops For the Future, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. 4. School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. 5. School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK. 6. Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa. 7. CSIR-Crop Research Institute, P.O. Box 3785, Fumesua, Kumasi, Ghana. 8. Genetic Resources Centre, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION: Bambara groundnut has the potential to be used to contribute more the climate change ready agriculture. The requirement for nitrogen fixing, stress tolerant legumes is clear, particularly in low input agriculture. However, ensuring that existing negative traits are tackled and demand is stimulated through the development of markets and products still represents a challenge to making greater use of this legume. World agriculture is currently based on very limited numbers of crops, representing a significant risk to food supplies, particularly in the face of climate change which is expected to increase the frequency of extreme events. Minor and underutilised crops can help to develop a more resilient and nutritionally dense future agriculture. Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.[, as a drought resistant, nitrogen-fixing, legume has a role to play. However, as with most underutilised crops, there are significant gaps in knowledge and also negative traits such as 'hard-to-cook' and 'photoperiod sensitivity to pod filling' associated with the crop which future breeding programmes and processing methods need to tackle, to allow it to make a significant contribution to the well-being of future generations. The current review assesses these factors and also considers what are the next steps towards realising the potential of this crop.
MAIN CONCLUSION: Bambara groundnut has the potential to be used to contribute more the climate change ready agriculture. The requirement for nitrogen fixing, stress tolerant legumes is clear, particularly in low input agriculture. However, ensuring that existing negative traits are tackled and demand is stimulated through the development of markets and products still represents a challenge to making greater use of this legume. World agriculture is currently based on very limited numbers of crops, representing a significant risk to food supplies, particularly in the face of climate change which is expected to increase the frequency of extreme events. Minor and underutilised crops can help to develop a more resilient and nutritionally dense future agriculture. Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.[, as a drought resistant, nitrogen-fixing, legume has a role to play. However, as with most underutilised crops, there are significant gaps in knowledge and also negative traits such as 'hard-to-cook' and 'photoperiod sensitivity to pod filling' associated with the crop which future breeding programmes and processing methods need to tackle, to allow it to make a significant contribution to the well-being of future generations. The current review assesses these factors and also considers what are the next steps towards realising the potential of this crop.
Authors: Peter J Gregory; Sean Mayes; Chai Hui Hui; Ebrahim Jahanshiri; Advina Julkifle; Giva Kuppusamy; Ho Wai Kuan; Tan Xin Lin; Festo Massawe; T A S T M Suhairi; Sayed N Azam-Ali Journal: Planta Date: 2019-06-27 Impact factor: 4.116
Authors: Xin Lin Tan; Susan Azam-Ali; Ee Von Goh; Maysoun Mustafa; Hui Hui Chai; Wai Kuan Ho; Sean Mayes; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi; Sayed Azam-Ali; Festo Massawe Journal: Front Nutr Date: 2020-12-10