Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 9 (6), pp. 001-006, June, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Potential role of biotechnology tools for genetic improvement of “lost crops of Africa”: the case of fonio (Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua)

Danladi Dada KUTA¹*, Emmanuel KWON-NDUNG², Stephen DACHI², Mark UKWUNGWU² and Emmanuel Dada IMOLEHIN²

¹National Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, P.M.B. 186 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria

²Biotechnology Unit, National Cereals Research Institute, NCRI-Badeggi, P.M.B 8 Bida, Niger State, Nigeria.

Accepted 22 March, 2019

Abstract

Fonio (Digitaria spp), considered as one of the lost crops of Africa, remains an important food crop for millions of people in Africa. The intimidating challenge today is to produce enough fonio to meet the growing demand for its products. Research has an important role to play in enhancing fonio production in Africa. This paper discusses the innovative research techniques of agricultural biotechnology that are particularly relevant to facilitating the genetic improvement of fonio for higher productivity. The paper considers the potential role of biotechnology applications like DNA markers in understanding the evolution, origin, distribution and diversity of fonio in Africa; somaclonal variation in generating genetic variability in fonio; and genetic transformation in circumventing fonio breeding barriers to introduce alien genes of agronomic importance into fonio.

Key words: Fonio, Digitaria exilis, Digitaria iburua, lost crops.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 9 (6), pp. 001-012, June, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Influence of some cover leguminous plants on the infestation degree of cotton plant major weeds

J. Ipou Ipou¹*, A. Touré¹, L. M. D. Adou¹, Y. Touré² and S. Aké³

¹Laboratory of Botany, UFR Biosciences, University of Cocody-Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Ivory Coast.

²CNRA, Station cotton, 01 BP 633 Bouaké o1, Ivory Coast.

³Laboratory of Vegetable Physiology, UFR Biosciences, University of Cocody-Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Ivory Coast.

Accepted 15 January, 2019

Abstract

From phytosociological sampling carried out between 1999 and 2005 in cotton culture in the North of Ivory Coast, more than 230 weeds species were inventoried. Among those, Euphorbia heterophylla, Ageratum conizoides, Bidens pilosa Tridax procumbens, Boerhavia diffusa and Chromolaena odorata were the most abundant species causing weeding problems to farmers. A test that used herbaceous Fabaceae: Crotalaria sericea, Mucuna pruriens, Pueraria phaseoloides and Vigna unguiculata to control these weeds was carried out in some localities at Bouaké in the center of the country, Korhogo in North and Odienné in the North-West. The results showed that annual Leguminous species like C. sericea, M. pruriens and V. unguiculata, used in previous culture, decreased the rate of weeds on the different plots. P. phaseoloides, Leguminous perennial species was indicated in improved fallow.

Key words: Leguminous plants, weeds, cotton, Ivory Coast.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 9 (5), pp. 001-010, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Infection of maize by Fusarium species and contamination with fumonisin in africa

P. Fandohan^1*, K. Hell², W.F.O. Marasas³, M.J. Wingfield⁴

¹Programme on Agricultural and Food Technology, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin, P. O. Box 128, Porto-Novo, Benin.

²International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P. O. Box: 08-0932 Tri Postal, Cotonou, Benin.

³Programme on Mycotoxins and Experimental Carcinogenesis (PROMEC), Medical Research Council, P. O. Box 19070, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.

⁴Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Biological and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.

Accepted 24 January, 2019

Abstract

Fusarium is one of the major fungal genera associated with maize in Africa. This genus comprises several toxigenic species including F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, which are the most prolific producers of fumonisins. The fumonisins are a group of economically important mycotoxins and very common contaminants of maize-based foods and feeds throughout the world. They have been found to be associated with several animal diseases such as leukoencephalomalacia in horses and pulmonary oedema in pigs. Effects of fumonisins on humans are not yet well understood. However, their occurrence in maize has been associated with high incidences of oesophageal and liver cancer. Infection of maize by Fusarium species and contamination with fumonisins are generally influenced by many factors including environmental conditions (climate, temperature, humidity), insect infestation and pre- and postharvest handling. Attempts to control F. verticillioides and to detoxify or reduce fumonisin levels in maize have been undertaken. However, more research studies are urgently needed in order to understand more about this toxin. Fumonisins are less documented because they are recently discovered mycotoxins compared to aflatoxins. To date in Africa, apart from South Africa, very little information is available on Fusarium infection and fumonisin contamination in maize. It is a matter of great concern that on this continent, millions of people are consuming contaminated maize and maize-based foods daily without being aware of the danger.

Key words: Fusarium, fumonisins, maize, Africa.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 9 (5), pp. 001-008, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Harnessing modern biotechnology for tropical tuber crop improvement: Yam (Dioscorea spp.) molecular breeding

Hodeba D. Mignouna¹*, Mathew M. Abang² and Robert Asiedu³

¹Virginia State University, Agricultural Research Station, Box 9061 Petersburg, VA 23806, USA

²International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria and IRAD, Root and Tuber Program, B.P. 2123 Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon

³International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo Road, PMB 5320 Ibadan, Nigeria

Accepted 20 November 2018

Abstract

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) constitute a staple food crop for over 100 million people in the humid and subhumid tropics. They are polyploid and vegetatively propagated. The Guinea yams, Dioscorea rotundata and D. cayenensis, are the most important yams in West and Central Africa where they are indigenous, while D. alata (referred to as water yam) is the most widely distributed species globally. The genetics of yams is least understood among the major staple food crops due to several biological constraints and research neglect. Research to unravel the apparent complexity of the yam genome will have far-reaching implications for genetic improvement of this important tuber crop. Some progress has been made in recent years in germplasm characterization and the development of molecular markers for genome analysis. A genetic linkage map based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers has been constructed for Guinea and water yams. These linkage maps were used to scan the genome for quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with genes conferring resistance to Yam Mosaic Virus (YMV) in D. rotundata and anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) in D. alata. In addition, candidate random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with major genes controlling resistance to YMV and anthracnose have been identified that could be used for selection and pyramiding of YMV and anthracnose resistance genes in yam improvement. Also, molecular markers such as RAPDs, AFLPs, and microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) have been developed for yam genome analysis. An initial c-DNA library has been constructed in order to develop expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for gene discovery and as a source of additional molecular markers. This paper will review the advances made, discuss the implications for yam genetic improvement and germplasm conservation, and outline the direction for future research.

Key words: Genetic mapping, genome analysis, molecular breeding, PCR-based markers, QTLs, resistance genes, yam.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 9 (4), pp. 001-004, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Green revolution vaccines, edible vaccines

Swamy Krishna Tripurani, N. S. Reddy and K. R. S. Sambasiva Rao*

Centre for Biotechnology, Nagarjuna university, Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur-522510, A.P., India.

Accepted 28 November 2018

Abstract

Edible vaccines are sub-unit vaccines where the selected genes are introduced into the plants and the transgenic plant is then induced to manufacture the encoded protein. Edible vaccines are mucosal targeted vaccines where stimulation of both systematic and mucosal immune network takes place. Foods under study include potatoes, bananas, lettuce, rice, wheat, soybean, corn and legumes. Edible vaccines for various diseases such as measles, cholera, hepatitis-B, and many more are in the process of development. Food vaccines may also help to suppress autoimmunity disorders such as Type-1 Diabetes.

Key words: Edible vaccines, oral vaccines, antigen expression, food vaccines.