Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.

SUMMARY: The low yield of pearl millet largely due to the low adoption of improved varieties substantiates the application of client-oriented plant breeding for pearl millet. Hence to enhance adoption, new varieties must correspond to farmers’ preferences and respond to the constraints prevailing in the production environments, participatory rural appraisals were conducted in two agro-ecological zones (Sahel and North-Sudan) to determine farmers’ preferences in the choice of varieties and to identify constraints to pearl millet production. The study revealed that the major production constraints are hierarchically drought, Striga, head miner, bird and downy mildew. Compact panicle, large grain size and non-bristle panicle were the most preferred traits in pearl millet across agro-ecological zones. Very long panicle and early maturity crop cycle were more preferred in the Sahel zone whereas, in the North-Sudan zone medium panicle length and medium maturity cycle were more preferred by farmers. Traits largely rejected by farmers were small grain size, narrow, loose and bristled panicle. Very few investigations were done to understand the raison of the low adoption of improved technologies in pearl millet. This study identified the major criteria of new pearl millet variety adoption by farmers. It is expected that breeding program must integrate these criteria in new pearl millet variety profiling to enhance adoption.

Soybean is one of the promising food crops and feeds which contributes significantly to the development of agriculture in Burkina Faso. However, very few improved soybean varieties have been developed in the country. The introduction of new genotypes with high agronomic potential and adapted to the climatic conditions of the Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso will boost soybean production in the region. Twenty-four (24) newly introduced soybean genotypes were evaluated for their agromorphological and adaptation characteristics in the Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso. The variability parameters such as genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, broad sense heritability, and expected genetic advance were estimated for 14 agromorphological characters. The experimental design used in this study was an alpha lattice with 3 replications. Planting was done following a spacing of 50 cm (inter-row) × 5 cm (within row). Analysis of variance revealed significant difference ( ; ) for all characters studied except the nodule diameter, nodule score, and grain yield. The values of the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the characters indicating the influence of environmental factors. The highest GCV and PVC values were found in the number of nodules (70.07% and 77.26%), number of seeds per plant (41.34% and 44.18%), and number of pods per plant (29.27% and 33.50%), respectively. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance expressed as a percentage of mean were observed for 10 of the 14 traits, suggesting an important expected genetic gain allowing more success in selection.

Pearl millet is primarily grown under rainfed conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Early droughts are prevalent in the Sahel region, where pearl millet is widely cultivated, and they severely impact pearl millet growth and productivity by affecting plant stand and reducing plant density in the field. Consequently, genetic improvement for early drought tolerance is a promising strategy to enhance productivity in these regions. This study aims to identify pearl millet lines that are tolerant to water stress at the seedling stage by assessing various water-stress-tolerance traits. Two hundred pearl millet inbred lines were screened for drought tolerance by inducing water stress with polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) in the laboratory. The experiment was repeated in the greenhouse using pot screening. The experimental design was an alpha lattice with 10 entries × 20 blocks in two replications. Four treatments (0 g/L, 115 g/L, 235 g/L, 289 g/L) were applied in the laboratory: one control and three concentrations of PEG 6000. Control and stress were applied in the greenhouse. Data were collected on germination rate and growth parameters, including root and seedling length, leaf length and width, and chlorophyll content. Results revealed significant differences among the pearl millet inbred lines under both drought and well-watered conditions. The inbred lines IP-16403 and IP-18062 were the most tolerant in both the greenhouse and laboratory. Water stress significantly reduced plant growth, although an increase in root length was observed in some lines. The number of days to 50% emergence was positively and strongly correlated with survival time (+0.45), while leaf width was negatively correlated with survival time (−0.29) and water stress tolerance (−0.37). The drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible pearl millet inbred lines identified in this study provide valuable genetic resources for enhancing pearl millet productivity in arid and semi-arid environments, especially in the face of unpredictable climate variability.

Plant health research within National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) represents a critical yet neglected pillar of agricultural resilience in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where crop productivity remains substantially below global averages due to persistent biotic and abiotic stresses. Although plant health units have a strategic mandate to support crop protection, disease surveillance, and varietal improvement, the institutional capacity of these units across NARES in SSA is not defined. Here, we assessed 36 plant health units across 26 SSA countries to determine research capacity, identify operational constraints, and examine their contributions to crop improvement and food security. Our findings reveal the existence of a strong human capital operating under structurally constrained systems. More than 65% of personnel possess postgraduate qualifications, indicating the presence of a highly trained scientific workforce with considerable potential to drive plant health innovation. However, this expertise is undermined by severe infrastructural and institutional limitations that restrict research delivery. Access to essential facilities remains low, whereby only 53% of respondents had access to plant pathology laboratories, 43% had molecular biology platforms, and 37% had glass/screenhouses, while only 30% of respondents maintained phenotyping infrastructure such as sick plots or endemic/hot spot disease sites. These deficiencies undermine plant health research in areas like biotic stress resistance screening, pathogen diagnostics, and diversity. It was noted that plant health units primarily target staple food crops central to regional food systems, including cereals (maize, rice, sorghum, and millets), legumes (groundnut and cowpea), and root and tuber crops (cassava and potato). All these crops are affected by diverse biotic stresses that include fungi, bacteria, viruses, insect pests, and parasitic weeds. Yet research effectiveness to address these challenges is further constrained by unclear or fragmented protocols, poorly equipped laboratories, weak data capture, and management systems. Critical gaps were consistently identified in pathogen isolation and characterization, disease phenotyping, surveillance and mapping, experimental design, and data management. Workforce composition raises additional concerns regarding long-term system sustainability. Women account for only 18% of plant health personnel, while researchers younger than 35 years represent just 10% of the workforce, reflecting weak generational succession and gender inequity. These demographic imbalances constitute an existential threat to institutional continuity and innovation capacity. In summary, closing these gaps will require coordinated investment in infrastructure, technical training, institutional strengthening, and digital modernization. Equally important is the development of inclusive workforce strategies that improve gender representation and strengthen succession pathways. Unlocking the potential of NARES plant health networks is essential for accelerating resilient crop development, strengthening agricultural productivity, and advancing food security across SSA.

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is an important cereal crop in semi-arid regions, but its production is constrained by downy mildew caused by Sclerospora graminicola. The development of resistant male-sterility maintainer lines is important for improving the resistance of pearl millet hybrids. This study aimed to develop and screen pearl millet male-sterility maintainer populations for resistance to the Kamboinse downy mildew pathotype in Burkina Faso. Crosses were made between ICMB 177004, the maintainer parent of the hybrid ICMH 147007, and three maintainer lines used as sources of resistance, namely ICMB 177002, ICMB 93333 and SIVAREX-S3-45. Through self-pollination and backcrossing, thirty-four maintainer lines were developed and evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among genotypes. Disease incidence ranged from 0.0% to 36.9%, with an overall mean of 5.26%. Among the thirty-four maintainer lines, twenty-one were classified as highly resistant, seven as resistant, four as moderately resistant and one as moderately susceptible. Six backcross-derived maintainers, BC3-B3, BC3-B4, BC3-B5, BC3-B6, BC3-B11 and BC3-B14, showed no disease symptoms under the screening conditions. These results indicate that several newly developed maintainer lines possess useful levels of resistance to the Kamboinse downy mildew pathotype and may serve as valuable parental materials for pearl millet hybrid development.