Aflatoxin contamination is a global menace that adversely affects food crops and human health. Peanut seed coat is the outer layer protecting the cotyledon both at pre- and post-harvest stages from biotic and abiotic stresses. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of seed coat against A. flavus infection. In-vitro seed colonization (IVSC) with and without seed coat showed that the seed coat acts as a physical barrier, and the developmental series of peanut seed coat showed the formation of a robust multilayered protective seed coat. Radial growth bioassay revealed that both insoluble and soluble seed coat extracts from 55-437 line (resistant) showed higher A. flavus inhibition compared to TMV-2 line (susceptible). Further analysis of seed coat biochemicals showed that hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives are the predominant phenolic compounds, and addition of these compounds to the media inhibited A. flavus growth. Gene expression analysis showed that genes involved in lignin monomer, proanthocyanidin, and flavonoid biosynthesis are highly abundant in 55-437 compared to TMV-2 seed coats. Overall, the present study showed that the seed coat acts as a physical and biochemical barrier against A. flavus infection and its potential use in mitigating the aflatoxin contamination.

Despite sustained efforts to promote climate-smart technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), adoption remains low. At the same time, the downside risks associated with climate change and food insecurity are becoming acute. Improved cowpea varieties are climate-smart and contribute to food and nutrition security. Limited evidence exists, however, regarding how cowpea attributes influence adoption. We use a discrete choice experiment to investigate farmers' preferences and mean willingness to pay (WTP) for cowpea variety attributes. Our results show that farmers' decision to adopt improved cowpea varieties increases in response to the following attributes: higher yields, early maturity, and white seed coat colour. The results indicate that 86% of the sampled farmers prefer climate-smart cowpea. Secondly, while we observe a wide dispersion of WTP among female cowpea farmers relative to male cowpea farmers, participation in cowpea training reduces the dispersion of WTP for both men and women. Moreover, controlling for farmer risk aversion further decreases the dispersion of WTP for all respondents. Our experiment reemphasizes the need for crop breeding programmes to be participatory. Moreover, such programmes would do well to satisfy the demands of different segments of the population based on risk, gender, and geographical characteristics.

The early and late leaf spot disease (ELS and LLS) caused by the Cercospora arachidicola and Cercosporidium personatum is one of the most important economic diseases in groundnut production. The effect of the disease can lead to up to 70% yield loss under severe conditions. Even though there are an array of management approaches in curbing the menace of the disease, these seem not to be enough to completely control the disease. It is therefore important to develop additional and more improved strategies via the implementation of sustainable approaches. Around the globe, several researches have been conducted on this topic, with most of them leading to prosperous and dynamic outcomes that could lead to a lasting solution to the disease, and hence improving farmers’ income. It is therefore important to know what work has been done in order to identify gaps that needs to be filled. The objective of this review is to discuss recent research findings on the management of the leaf spot disease on groundnut. This will include cultural control, chemical control, the use of antagonistic organisms, and host plant resistance. These areas unabatedly continue to be an active research area, and current information on their efficacy will continuously be available. In this review, we have discussed some of the mechanisms involved and also suggested some ways to maximize the outcomes for further interventions.

Wood vinegar (WV) is a biostimulant and a biopesticide that contains pyroligneous acid and is used as a crop growth enhancer and biocontrol agent, but insufficient information exists on WV’s effects on soil quality and cowpea production in Ghana. A field study (2 years) was conducted to determine the appropriate method of applying WV for soil health and cowpea production, and to determine the economic benefits of WV. Assessments were on nodulation, shoot biomass, yield, value–cost ratio, soil enzymes, soil respiration, microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC), mineralizable C, soil pH, available nitrogen and phosphorus. Results revealed soil drenching and foliar application are efficient methods of applying WV to achieve greater shoot dry matter, nodulation and grain yield of cowpea. Economically, soil drenching, followed by foliar application, generated better economic returns than the control. Adding WV to cowpea using soil drenching and foliar application improved soil health indicators. Soil enzymes and MBN were enhanced by WV applied foliarly and through soil drenching. Soil drenching with WV produced greater POXC and mineralizable C compared to the other treatments. Conclusively, WV applied foliarly and through soil drenching improved soil health, nodulation and yields of cowpea, and enhanced profitability.

Callosobruchus maculatus is an important field-to-store pest that causes close to 100% losses in stored produce. This study aimed at assessing the resistance of cowpea genotypes to C. maculatus infestation. Thirteen cowpea advanced breeding lines pre-selected on the basis of their high grain yield, and three released varieties (Padi-tuya, Kirkhouse Benga and Wangkae) were evaluated in a no-choice experiment. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with four replications under laboratory conditions. Data were collected on mean number of eggs per seed (MEPS), days to first emergence (DFE), adult bruchid emergence (ABE), percentage weight loss (PWL), percentage seed damage (PSD) and median development period (MDP). Dobie’s susceptibility index (DSI) was computed and used to classify the genotypes as resistant or susceptible. Significant differences were found among the genotypes for the measured traits, except for DFE and MDP. IT13K-1070-2 had the lowest MEPS, ABE, PWL and PSD. C. maculatus, with high ABE, developed best on Kirkhouse Benga and Wangkae. Wangkae had 100% seed damage at the end of the experiment. Based on the DSI score, IT13K-1070-2 was found to be moderately resistant; the rest of the genotypes were susceptible. Among the susceptible genotypes, IT10K-817-3, IT07K-303-1, SARI-2-50-80, SARI-3-11-100, IT10K-837-1, IT13K-1424-12 and SARVX-09-004 had PWL of less than 16%, indicating tolerance to bruchid infestation. DSI was significantly and positively correlated with ABE (r = 0.81), PSD (r = 0.93) and PWL (r = 0.79). DSI had a significant negative correlation with the final seed weight (r = −0.83). IT13K-1070-2 could serve as a useful source of resistance to the cowpea bruchid in cowpea breeding programs or released as a variety for cultivation.

Social Impact Statement: The use of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in agrosystems is a potential solution to the challenges arising from global change. These species could contribute to the equitable diversification of agricultural systems. Providing knowledge on their genetic diversity and fostering access to data and results is essential for the development of strong collaborative future research. The study addressed these issues by assessing the diversity of the largest fonio (Digitaria exilis) collection existing to date. Associated with a user‐friendly Shiny application (https://shinyapps.southgreen.fr/app/foniodiv), our results reinforce research efficiency and broaden the prospects for all actors involved in enhancing fonio and indigenous crops as valuable resources for the future.