The Exploitation of Orphan Legumes for Food, Income, and Nutrition Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Research and developmental strategies to hasten the improvement of orphan crops

To feed the world's expanding population, crop breeders need to increase agricultural productivity and expand major crops base. Orphan crops are indigenously important crops with great potential because they are climate resilient, highly nutritious, contain nutraceutical compounds, and can improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers and consumers, but they have received little or no scientific attention. This review article examines several research and developmental strategies for hastening the improvement of these crops so that they can effectively play their role in securing food and nutrition. The integration of both research and developmental approaches will open up modern opportunities for crop improvement. We summarized ways in which advanced tools in phenotyping and genotyping, using high-throughput processes, can be used to accelerate their improvement. Finally, we suggest roles the genebanks can play in improving orphan crops, as the utilization of plant genetic resources is important for the genetic improvement of a crop.

Food safety assessment of genetically modified soybean DBN9004×DBN8002×DBN8205 in a subchronic rodent feeding study

Soybeans provide a nutritionally complete plant-based protein, containing all nine essential amino acids and bioactive compounds. The food safety of a novel triple-stacked genetically modified (GM) soybean, DBN9004 × DBN8002 × DBN8205 was evaluated in a 90-day rat feeding study. The GM soybean, developed through conventional hybridization of three GM lines (DBN9004, DBN8002 and DBN8205), incorporates genes conferring resistance to glyphosate (epsps), glufosinate (pat), and lepidopteran pests (cry1Ac, cry2Ab2, and mVip3Aa). One hundred Wistar Han RCC rats were divided into five groups (n = 10/sex/group) and fed diets containing 15 % or 30 % GM soybean, non-GM soybean (Jack), or a basal diet for 90 days. No treatment-related effects on body weight/gain, food consumption/utilization, clinical signs, mortality, ophthalmology, clinical pathology (hematology, prothrombin time, urinalysis, serum chemistry), organ weights, and gross and microscopic pathology were observed in rats fed with the GM soybean compared to the non-GM Jack and the basal-diet group. In rats, the results of this 90-day feeding study suggest that there were no significant differences in safety between GM soybean DBN9004 × DBN8002 × DBN8205 compared to the non-GM Jack.

Underutilized crops for diverse, resilient and healthy agri-food systems: a systematic review of sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces increasing water scarcity, food and nutrition insecurity, poverty and inequality under climate change. Under these circumstances, promoting locally adapted and nutrient-dense crops is touted as a plausible climate adaptation strategy. We reviewed the utility of neglected and underutilized crop species (NUS) as a climate change adaptation strategy to diversify local food systems and diets and improve nutritional health and environmental outcomes in SSA. We conducted a systematic literature review using Web of Science and Scopus research databases. Of the 1,545 studies retrieved, 75 were included following a multi-level screening process on Covidence guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review consolidates fragmented knowledge on the application of NUS in different contexts. Despite growing interest, NUS remain gendered and stigmatized crops, marginalized and fragmented in research, development, and marketing efforts and lack explicit support from policy and decision-makers. Despite rhetoric purporting to support them, there is a worrying rise in policies and regulations that inadvertently hinder the development of these crops and reinforce dependence on a narrow basket of crops for food and nutrition security, undermining food sovereignty. Some NUS have received increasing recognition for their potential in the past decade. However, this is neither universal nor systematic, which makes scaling up necessary but challenging. Consequently, progress in mainstreaming NUS in local food systems continues to lag. Despite these challenges, NUS remain sub-Saharan Africa's better-bet option for diversifying food systems and transitioning them to be equitable, inclusive, resilient and healthy; hence, NUS provide positive outcomes for people and the planet under climate change.

Seed quality as a proxy of climate-ready orphan legumes: the need for a multidisciplinary and multi-actor vision

In developing countries, orphan legumes stand at the forefront in the struggle against climate change. Their high nutrient value is crucial in malnutrition and chronic diseases prevention. However, as the 'orphan' definition suggests, their seed systems are still underestimated and seed production is scanty. Seed priming is an effective, sustainable strategy to boost seed quality in orphan legumes for which up-to-date guidelines are required to guarantee reliable and reproducible results. How far are we along this path? What do we expect from seed priming? This brings to other relevant questions. What is the socio-economic relevance of orphan legumes in the Mediterranean Basin? How to potentiate a broader cultivation in specific regions? The case study of the BENEFIT-Med (Boosting technologies of orphan legumes towards resilient farming systems) project, developed by multidisciplinary research networks, envisions a roadmap for producing new knowledge and innovative technologies to improve seed productivity through priming, with the long-term objective of promoting sustainability and food security for/in the climate-sensitive regions. This review highlights the existing drawbacks that must be overcome before orphan legumes could reach the state of 'climate-ready crops'. Only by the integration of knowledge in seed biology, technology and agronomy, the barrier existing between research bench and local agricultural fields may be overcome, generating high-impact technical innovations for orphan legumes. We intend to provide a powerful message to encourage future research in line with the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Dataset on estimate of intra-specific genetic variability of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Harms.) based on rbcL gene marker

African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Harms.) (Fabaceae) is a versatile crop of nutritional, nutraceutical, and pharmacological value widely grown for its edible seeds and underground tubers. Its high-quality protein, rich mineral elements, and low cholesterol make it a suitable source of food for age groups. However, the crop is still under-exploited and constrained by factors such as intra-specific incompatibility, low yields, indeterminate growth pattern and long gestation period, hard-to-cook (HTC) seeds, and the presence of antinutritional factors (ANFs). To efficiently utilize its genetic resources for improvement and utilization, it is necessary to understand the crop's sequence information and select promising accessions for molecular hybridization trials and conservation purposes. A total of 24 accessions of AYB were collected from the Genetic Resources center of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria, and subjected to PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. The dataset determines genetic relatedness among the twenty-four accessions of AYB. The data consist of partial rbcL gene sequences (24), estimates of intra-specific genetic diversity, the maximum likelihood of transition/transversion bias, and evolutionary relationships based on the UPMGA clustering method. The data identified 13 variables (segregating sites) as SNPs, 5 haplotypes, and codon usage of the species that can be explored further to advance the genetic utilization of AYB.

Genetic and Metabolite Variability among Commercial Varieties and Advanced Lines of Vicia faba L

Vicia faba L. (faba bean) is one of the most promising pulse crops due to its nutritional value and high nitrogen fixation capacity. The aim of the present study was to compare the genetic diversity and the seed metabolite profiles of five genetic materials of faba bean. Specifically, three newly developed advanced lines (KK18, KK14 and KK10) and two commercial cultivars (POLIKARPI and TANAGRA), were evaluated for this purpose. Genetic diversity among populations was assessed by SCoT molecular markers. Through UPGMA dendrogram, genetic distances between populations were estimated. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of the seeds was performed employing GC/EI/MS. The cultivar POLYKARPI exhibited the highest polymorphism. All varieties showed a higher within-cultivars and advanced lines variability than between. POLYKARPI and KK14 had the lowest genetic distances, while KK18 and TANAGRA presented the highest ones. The advanced line KK18 displayed the best nutritional profile, the highest concentration of desirable metabolites (lactic acid and trehalose), the lowest concentration of anti-nutritional factors (oxalic acid) and the lowest concentration of saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic acid). According to the results of the present study, KK18 line is a very promising material for further exploration and utilization in breeding programs.

Nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties of african underutilized legumes

Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, utilization, and incorporation into mainstream agriculture in Africa are more convincing than ever. This work reviews some selected NULs of Africa (Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum), Mung bean, (Vigna radiata), Rice bean (Vigna Umbellata), and Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)), and their nutritional, and functional properties. Furthermore, we highlight the prospects and current challenges associated with the utilization of the NULs and discusses the strategies to facilitate their exploitation as not only sources of vital nutrients, but also their integration for the development of cheap and accessible functional foods.