Inoculation of plants with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is an ecological approach to improve plants growth and yield. The objective of this study was to screen native PGPBs in tomato root rhizosphere and evaluate their performance in germination and growth of seedlings in the greenhouse in the western region of Cameroon. Isolates were selected based on their ability to solubilize phosphate, produce indole-3-acetic acid, and improve seed germination and seedling growth under laboratory conditions. Following this screening, eight bacteria were selected (S1, S4, S13, S14, S16, B9, B11, and B15) to assess their performance on seedling growth in greenhouse. Seeds of two tomato varieties (one improved, Raja, and the local one, Foolewouh) were used in this study. The experiment was performed in sterilized and non-sterilized soils. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence showed that these bacteria belong to the genusBacillus, includingB. thuringiensis,B. cereus,B. pacificus, andB. aerius. The bacterial performance depended on the variety and conditions of soil treatment. Isolates improved seed germination (up to 31.93%) and seeding strength (up to 78.59%)in vitro. In greenhouse, inoculation with PGPB significantly increased stem height, root length, and weight of fresh and dry stems and roots. Raja variety was more sensitive to bacteria and performed better than the Foolewouh variety. Bacterial isolates on sterilized soil allowed to better seedling growth compared to non-sterilized soil. The study showed thatB. thuringiensis(strain B9),B. pacificus(strain B11), andBacillussp. (strain B15) can be used as inoculant formulations to improve seedling growth of tomato plant.

In many parts of the world, including Cameroon, mycotoxin contamination of groundnuts remains a major constraint affecting their use as food. Understanding the contributing factors is an essential intervention to reduce contamination and people’s exposure to these harmful toxins. The aim of this research was to identify the factors associated with the knowledge, perceptions, and postharvest practices of groundnut farmers in three production basins in Cameroon. Data were collected through surveys and analyzed using descriptive methods and logistic regression models. The results show that groundnut farmers are little aware of the existence of mycotoxins (12%) and totally unaware of the existence of aflatoxins (100%). Only 7.1% of these farmers are aware of the effects of mycotoxins on consumer health. After evaluation, the large majority of farmers scored poor marks for knowledge (86%) and practice (98.7%) in the management of mould and mycotoxins in groundnuts. Knowledge of mycotoxins was positively associated with the level of education [OR = 3.42; (95%-IC: 1.00–16.00); ] and region [OR = 4.49; (95%-IC: 1.09–20.3); ]. Farmers’ good practices were linked to their production experience [OR = 6.06, (95% CI: 0.91-18.4), ]. The use of mouldy groundnut for feed was associated with age [OR = 3.34, (95% CI: 1.14–10.2), ], sex [OR = 0. 43, (IC-95%: 1.14–1.05), ], marital status [OR = 0.35, (IC-95%: 0.14–0.79), ], and production region [OR = 0.27, (IC-95%: 0.13–0.56)]. In conclusion, groundnut farmers had insufficient knowledge of mycotoxins, no knowledge of aflatoxins, and suboptimal handling and storage practices for this commodity. This contributes to increasing the risk of exposure for the population and requires mitigation measures, including awareness campaigns on mycotoxins, specifically aflatoxins, and capacity building for farmers in terms of storage and postharvest management of foodstuffs.

Cocoa is a vital crop globally, yet its production is influenced by various cropping systems that can significantly affect its field performance and long‐term sustainability. This study aimed to evaluate how different cropping systems impact yields, losses from pests and diseases, soil fertility, and microbial populations in cocoa cultivation. Three distinct cropping systems were examined within a 65‐ha orchard in southern Cameroon: cocoa monoculture without shade (cropping system 1), cocoa grown alongside forest trees and Persea americana (cropping system 2), and cocoa in association with Inga edulis and Dacryodes edulis (cropping system 3). Data collected on production metrics, soil fertility, and microbial populations revealed significant differences ( p < 0.05) among the cropping systems. Cropping system 2 demonstrated the highest performance across several production variables, including the number of pods per tree, fresh pod weight, number of beans per pod, and both fresh and dry bean weights. The yield was also notably higher in this system. Conversely, the percentage of losses due to pests and diseases was not significantly different among the three systems, with System 1 at 42.18%, System 2 at 41.21%, and System 3 at 43.09%. In terms of soil fertility, cropping system 2 exhibited superior conditions along with a more diverse microbial population. The dominant bacterial genera identified included Actinomycetes , Azotobacter , Bacillus , Clostridium , and Streptomyces , while the fungal genera included Aspergillus , Penicillium , and Trichoderma . Interestingly, the soil bacterial load was highest in cropping system 3 at 1.89 × 10 ⁶ CFU.g ⁻¹ , whereas cropping systems 1 and 2 had higher fungal loads at 2.09 × 10 ⁶ CFU.g ⁻¹ and 1.91 × 10 ⁶ CFU.g ⁻¹ , respectively. These findings suggest that cropping systems that integrate cocoa with forest species and Persea americana not only yield better results but also enhance ecological functions related to microbial diversity and soil fertility in cocoa plantations.

Preharvest losses, which are often neglected, limit the availability of fresh tomato fruit to varying degrees in tomato‐based cropping systems in Cameroon. Increasing tomato yields requires identifying, understanding, and controlling the factors responsible for preharvest losses in the identified cropping systems. Field surveys were conducted in three production areas of western Cameroon (Foumbot, Bansoa, and Dschang) to characterize cropping systems and growers, quantify production losses, and identify causal factors associated with losses and proffer solutions. One hundred and ninety‐six growers were interviewed in 13 villages, using purposive sampling to select zones and simple random sampling to select growers. Factor analysis for mixed data (FAMD) and canonical discriminant analysis, combined with multinomial logistic regression, were used to analyze the collected data. The FAMD results indicated that 72% of the farm variability was expressed through technical route, preharvest losses, and technical mastery. The tomato‐based cropping systems were classified into three types: (1) a pure cultivation system that consumes excessive synthetic fertilizers and results in significant losses; (2) a pure cultivation system that consumes high amounts of synthetic fertilizers and moderate amounts of organic fertilizers with moderate losses; and (3) a cultivation system that involves moderate synthetic fertilizer consumption, extremely low organic amendment, and low losses. Preharvest losses can be significantly affected by the unregulated use of synthetic fertilizers. The study’s implications are many, affecting agricultural practices, policy, economic stability, and food security in Cameroon. A more sustainable and productive tomato industry can be achieved by addressing preharvest losses through informed strategies. To address this issue, it is crucial to establish fertilization protocols that consider the soil’s fertility status and the tomato’s essential macro‐ and micronutrient requirements.

The present study aimed to evaluate the use of agricultural waste as carriers in the bioformulation of two plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPR), Bacillus thuringiensis B9 and Bacillus pacificus B11 isolated from the tomato rhizosphere, and to determine the effect of different carriers and storage temperatures on bacterial survival. Three carriers, namely palm nut shell biochar, coffee pulp and soil, were inoculated with one of the strains, dehydrated and stored at ambient and refrigeration temperatures (4 °C). Bacterial survival was evaluated for 150 days at 30-day intervals. The results showed that the number of bacterial cells present in the bioformulations decreased progressively with storage time at room temperature, but at refrigeration temperature, the bacterial population initially decreased before increasing until reaching its maximum population at 90 days and gradually decreasing afterward. Although the coffee pulp and biochar carriers stored at 4 °C retained the viability of the bacterial strains as well as possible, the formulations stored at room temperature also remained viable.

Aflatoxin contamination in peanuts is a significant health risk to consumers due to its carcinogenic nature. In this study, the concentration of Aflatoxin