Yakshini Boyjnath

Ms. Yakshini Boyjnath

Department of Agricultural and Food Science, University of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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27 September 2024 in Plants
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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YBYakshini Boyjnath
Yakshini Boyjnath
Mohammad Ehsan DullooMohammad Ehsan Dulloo
Mohammad Ehsan Dulloo
VBVishwakalyan Bhoyroo
Vishwakalyan Bhoyroo
VRVijayanti Mala Ranghoo-Sanmukhiya
Vijayanti Mala Ranghoo-Sanmukhiya
The wild relatives of crops play a critical role in enhancing agricultural resilience and sustainability by contributing valuable traits for crop improvement. Shifts in climatic conditions and human activities threaten plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), jeopardizing contributions to future food production and security. Studies and inventories of the extant agrobiodiversity, in terms of numbers and distribution patterns of species and their genetic diversity, are primordial for developing effective and comprehensive conservation strategies. We conducted an ecogeographic study on Ipomoea species and assessed their diversity, distribution, and ecological preferences across different topographic, altitudinal, geographical, and climatic gradients, at a total of 450 sites across Mauritius. Species distribution maps overlaid with climatic data highlighted specific ecological distribution. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed species distribution was influenced by geographical factors. Regional richness analyses indicated varying densities, with some species exhibiting localized distributions and specific ecological preferences while the other species showed diverse distribution patterns. Field surveys identified 14 species and 2 subspecies out of 21 species and 2 subspecies of Ipomoea reported in Mauritius. A gap in ex situ germplasm collections was observed and several species were identified as threatened. Further investigations and a more long-term monitoring effort to better guide conservation decisions are proposed.