Nigeria’s aquaculture sector, which has been dominated by the production of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), has held considerable potential to improve national food security, support livelihoods, and contribute to economic growth. Although Nigeria has been ranked among the world’s leading producers of farmed catfish, a persistent fish supply deficit that exceeds 2.5 million metric tons annually has been reported. This gap has been sustained by factors such as low productivity, genetic decline, inadequate hatchery systems, and limited export competitiveness. A comprehensive perspective is presented in this review, in which findings from recent researches, field surveys, and stakeholder consultations have been synthesized. The dominance of hybrid species such as Heteroclarias, which has been driven by consumer demand due to fast growth and large body size, is highlighted. Additionally, ecological and genetic concerns resulting from unregulated breeding are emphasized. Major systemic constraints, which include poor broodstock management, weak hatchery infrastructure, low technical capacity, and poor supply chain governance, have also been identified. A strategic approach involves modernizing fish breeding programs by developing a robust and active Fish Breeding Community of Practice (FCoP), enhancing physical infrastructure, improving data collection and management, standardizing germplasm exchange procedures, and increasing the number and capacity of fish breeders and technicians in breeding programs. Identifying traits preferred by farmers and end-users ensures that fish breeding is demand-driven and inclusive. Building capacity in genomic resources to implement an accurate predictive platform for performance assessment will significantly shorten the breeding cycle and increase the rate of genetic progress. This will be complemented by the adoption of modern aquaculture technologies, such as recirculating aquaculture systems, and the development of institutional frameworks for production, certification, and traceability schemes. Capacity development, which should be promoted through collaboration among academic institutions, industry actors, and government agencies, has been recommended. The alignment of aquaculture expansion with environmental sustainability, improved biosecurity, and habitat protection has been considered critical. By outlining strategies for innovation, investment, and policy reform, this review provides a roadmap through which Nigeria’s catfish industry can be transformed into a globally competitive and sustainable sector.

This study examines the genotypic and phytochemical diversity of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), an underutilised legume with potential applications in sustainable agriculture and nutrition. Phytochemical profiles of seeds from five distinct landraces, sourced from Cross River, Abia, Benue, Ogun, and Niger States in Nigeria, were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative analysis revealed significant variability in phytochemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids, across the landraces. Alkaloids were consistently present in moderate concentrations across all accessions, suggesting genetic stability in their synthesis. Conversely, flavonoid levels were highest in the Benue landrace, indicating potential region-specific environmental or genetic factors influencing their production. Saponins were most abundant in the Cross River and Abia landraces, while tannins were uniformly high, with the Benue landrace showing the greatest concentration. Terpenoid levels were generally low but reached moderate peaks in the Niger landrace. Quantitative analysis confirmed these patterns but found no significant differences (P> 0.05) in phytochemical concentrations among the landraces, highlighting a general consistency in their distribution. The findings emphasise the nutritional and agronomic potential of African yam beans, particularly the Benue and Cross River landraces, which demonstrate promising phytochemical profiles. This research underscores the importance of conserving African yam bean genetic diversity and utilising its phytochemical traits for breeding programmes aimed at enhancing food security, addressing malnutrition, and exploring industrial applications.

Grasping the genetic variation of economically significant crops, along with their Wild counterparts that serve as genetic assets, is essential for advancing the development of cultivars and strains capable of adapting to shifting climate conditions. Achieving high crop yields in agriculture is often challenging due to multiple influencing factors, such as cultivar quality, availability of nutrients and water, pathogen infection levels, natural disasters, and soil quality, all of which play a role in plant growth and development. This research evaluated the genetic diversity of 20 accessions of squash pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) by analysing its’ plastid genes using bioinformatics mechanism. Twenty Cucurbita moschata accessions were sourced from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Phylogenetic association, Guanine-cytosine (GC) composition, secondary and three-dimensional protein structure, and domain structure were evaluated. The phylogenetic assessment identified 12 clades in total, with two main clades containing four accessions; XM_023105445.1, XM_023105444.1, XM_023075850.1, and XM_023075859.1 each showing 100% bootstrap support. Accession XM_021009681.1 showed the peak Guanine-cytosine composition, whereas XM_023076698.1 showed the least performance. The analysis of domain structure indicated that accession XM_02100968.1 contained the highest number of domains, while XM_023067309.1, XM_02105444.1, and XM_0230758951.1, each had only one domain, implying that they could have a more specific role. Variations in secondary and three-dimensional protein structures were observed across the accessions, suggesting potential structural differences that may affect protein robustness or their ability to interact with other molecules.

This study evaluated the genetic diversity of 18 African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) accessions from the IITA germplasm in Ibadan, Nigeria, using nine qualitative traits. The experiment was conducted behind the Biological Science Block at the University of Calabar, following a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Qualitative traits were observed and recorded based on the descriptors for African Yam Bean, while quantitative traits were measured using metric tools like rulers, vernier calipers, and weighing scales. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests via GenStat Discovery Edition 4 and PASW version 20.0 software. Results indicated minimal variation in morphological traits such as days to 50% seedling emergence, vine length, leaf number, leaf dimensions, peduncle and petiole length, and days to 50% flowering across accessions. Leaf color varied, ranging from light green to dark and pale green, with accession TSs 285 showing pale green leaves. Seed shapes varied from round/globular to oval or oblong, and all accessions except TSs 33 had seed cavities. Accessions TSs 266 and TSs 38 performed better in most parameters, except for days to 50% flowering and leaf count. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in traits like days to 50% emergence, days to 50% flowering, leaf color, pod dehiscence, seed shape, seed cavity presence, testa splitting, and texture. However, no significant differences were noted for hypocotyl pigmentation and pod dehiscence. Accession TSs 266 excelled in traits such as vine length, terminal leaf width, peduncle length, and pod number per plant, showing optimal adaptation to the climatic and agro-geological conditions of Cross River State.

Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a valuable tuber crop with numerous health benefits. However, due to insufficient conservation and breeding efforts, its genetic diversity is threatened, risking genetic erosion and the loss of wild relatives. This study examines genetic relationships using the chloroplast matK gene. Nucleotide sequences from the NCBI database were analyzed with MEGA 6 for phylogenetic and maternal lineage assessments. GC content was calculated using Genscan, domain architecture was evaluated with SMART tools, and tertiary protein structures were predicted via Phyre2. Phylogenetic analyses revealed distinct groupings of Dioscorea species into three primary clades, with D. bulbifera positioned within the third clade, indicating its conserved genetic lineage. High bootstrap values supported the robustness of the phylogenetic tree, while maternal lineage analysis positioned D. bulbifera as a likely ancestral clade within the genus. Guanine-cytocine content ranged from 31.78% to 32.40%, with D. bulbifera showing the highest value, indicating increased molecular stability. The matK protein contained two primary domain types. Most species had a single low-complexity domain, but D. transversa exhibited transmembrane and low-complexity domains, and D. pseudojaponica showed two low-complexity domains. Predicted protein structures revealed conserved folding patterns, although D. arcuatinervis lacked beta sheets, implying adaptive divergence. This study highlights the evolutionary importance of D. bulbifera and the matK gene, emphasising their relevance for phylogenetics, conservation, and breeding strategies within the Dioscorea genus. Future studies can employ genome-wide analyses and transcriptomics to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of matK gene expression and its role in Dioscorea genus evolution and biotechnology.

African Yam Bean [Sphenostylis stenocarpa (L.)] as an unexploited, neglected and underutilized crop, calls for urgent attention for its breeding and improvement to avoid extinction. Fifty AYB seed samples from Idomi, Obubra, Ekoli-Edda, Abakaliki, Jos as well as IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria was assessed for genetic diversity using morphological and rbcL gene markers. Morphological characterization of AYB was carried out on twenty yield-related and yield traits. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Principal Component Analysis and Clustering Analysis were done using Genstat discovery Edition 4 and PASW version 20.0 software. The results revealed low genetic variations in morphological traits like pod weight, pod length, number of leaves, days to 50 % maturity, seed length and width and days to 50% flowering in different accessions investigated. Principal Component analysis generated eight principal components accounting for 57.47 % of the total variation while the hierarchical cluster analysis revealed two major clusters without traceable pattern of clustering. The relatively low genetic variation observed in the AYB accessions indicates inter-national germplasm exchange of AYB which has been a common practice among countries in Africa and Asia. Accessions from Ekoli-Edda in cluster 2 distantly clustered away from those from Abakaliki even when they were from same state. The Principal component analysis lend credence to the analysis of variance results and stems from the low degree of morphological diversity possibly due to an interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The traits which had large loading values (pod weight and length) in the first two principal component should be considered for selection in S. sternocarpa breeding programme. We conclude that there was very narrow genetic diversity in the AYB collections investigated.