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Background: CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) uses non-functional Cas9 endonuclease (dCas9) but retains the genome targeting ability through its single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). CRISPRa is widely utilized as a gene activation system exploiting its ability to recruit various transcriptional activation domains (TADs) to enhance the expression of the target gene(s). Drought tolerant and resource-efficient crops like millets can mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen food security. Objective: This study aimed to use the Setaria italica (foxtail millet) genome sequence to identify a target gene and the subsequent generation of sgRNAs for use in CRISPRa for conferring waterlogging tolerance that will benefit the future expansion of its cultivation area. Methods and Results: Leveraging existing RNA-seq data and information on functional studies in model plants and from other cereal species, maize and barley, have enabled the identification of candidate ERFVII from the foxtail millet genome sequence in the attempt to engineer waterlogging tolerance. The study provides a step-by-step example for using publicly accessible databases and bioinformatics tools from NCBI and Phytozome to identify and characterize the ortholog from Setaria italica. Softberry was used for promoter annotation to obtain the transcription start site (TSS). Subsequently, CRISP-P 2.0 design tools were employed to generate and select a few efficient sgRNAs for CRISPRa that minimize potentially deleterious off-target binding. Conclusion: The study is a helpful example of how to advance in genomics research, including the revolutionizing CRISPR technology in Setaria italica, which can be adopted in other plant species by utilizing the available genome sequence.
Siti Nor Akmar Abdullah; Sean Mayes; Mahdi Moradpour. Target Gene Identification and sgRNA Design for Waterlogging Tolerance in Foxtail Millet via CRISPR-based Transcriptional Activation. Current Chinese Science 2021, 01, 1 -1.
AMA StyleSiti Nor Akmar Abdullah, Sean Mayes, Mahdi Moradpour. Target Gene Identification and sgRNA Design for Waterlogging Tolerance in Foxtail Millet via CRISPR-based Transcriptional Activation. Current Chinese Science. 2021; 01 ():1-1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSiti Nor Akmar Abdullah; Sean Mayes; Mahdi Moradpour. 2021. "Target Gene Identification and sgRNA Design for Waterlogging Tolerance in Foxtail Millet via CRISPR-based Transcriptional Activation." Current Chinese Science 01, no. : 1-1.
The economic potential of African leafy vegetables (ALVs) remains obscured by a poorly developed value chain. This scoping review assembled and examined scattered knowledge generated on ALVs across southern Africa, focusing on production, processing, marketing, and consumption. Two electronic databases (Scopus and Web of Science) were screened, and a total of 71 relevant studies were included and evaluated. The review provides a state of the art on knowledge related to utilisation of ALVs across the entire value chain. The findings show that functional properties are of prime importance in the production and consumption of ALVs. However, the lack of improved germplasm and a non-existent seed supply system are significant production bottlenecks. Pests and diseases affecting the productivity of ALVs remain mostly unexplored. Sun-drying and boiling were the most reported post-harvest processing methods, suggesting that traditional processing methods are still prominent. Many studies also confirmed the predominance of informal markets in the trading of ALVs as they fail to penetrate formal markets because of poor product positioning and exclusion from produce demand and supply forecasts. The inception of cultivar development, mechanised processing methods, and market linkages will enhance the profitability of ALVs in the region. This review enhances the gaining of insight into the state of different value chain components will assist in upscaling production, value addition of products, and enhance marketing efficiency. There is a great opportunity for basic and applied research into ALVs.
Admire Shayanowako; Oliver Morrissey; Alberto Tanzi; Maud Muchuweti; Guillermina Mendiondo; Sean Mayes; Albert Modi; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi. African Leafy Vegetables for Improved Human Nutrition and Food System Resilience in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2896 .
AMA StyleAdmire Shayanowako, Oliver Morrissey, Alberto Tanzi, Maud Muchuweti, Guillermina Mendiondo, Sean Mayes, Albert Modi, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi. African Leafy Vegetables for Improved Human Nutrition and Food System Resilience in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (5):2896.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdmire Shayanowako; Oliver Morrissey; Alberto Tanzi; Maud Muchuweti; Guillermina Mendiondo; Sean Mayes; Albert Modi; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi. 2021. "African Leafy Vegetables for Improved Human Nutrition and Food System Resilience in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review." Sustainability 13, no. 5: 2896.
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is the most traded crop among the economically important palm species. Here, we report an extended version genome of E. guineensis that is 1.2 Gb in length, an improvement of the physical genome coverage to 79% from the previous 43%. The improvement was made by assigning an additional 1968 originally unplaced scaffolds that were available publicly into the physical genome. By integrating three ultra-dense linkage maps and using them to place genomic scaffolds, the 16 pseudomolecules were extended. As we show, the improved genome has enhanced the mapping resolution for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and permitted further identification of candidate genes/protein-coding regions (CDSs) and any non-coding RNA that may be associated with them for further studies. We then employed the new physical map in a comparative genomics study against two other agriculturally and economically important palm species—date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.)—confirming the high level of conserved synteny among these palm species. We also used the improved oil palm genome assembly version as a palm genome reference to extend the date palm physical map. The improved genome of oil palm will enable molecular breeding approaches to expedite crop improvement, especially in the largest subfamily of Arecoideae, which consists of 107 species belonging to Arecaceae.
Ai-Ling Ong; Chee-Keng Teh; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; David Appleton; Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam. An Improved Oil Palm Genome Assembly as a Valuable Resource for Crop Improvement and Comparative Genomics in the Arecoideae Subfamily. Plants 2020, 9, 1476 .
AMA StyleAi-Ling Ong, Chee-Keng Teh, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe, David Appleton, Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam. An Improved Oil Palm Genome Assembly as a Valuable Resource for Crop Improvement and Comparative Genomics in the Arecoideae Subfamily. Plants. 2020; 9 (11):1476.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAi-Ling Ong; Chee-Keng Teh; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; David Appleton; Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam. 2020. "An Improved Oil Palm Genome Assembly as a Valuable Resource for Crop Improvement and Comparative Genomics in the Arecoideae Subfamily." Plants 9, no. 11: 1476.
Underutilised species such as bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) have the potential to contribute significantly to meeting food and nutritional needs worldwide. We evaluated phenotypic traits in twelve bambara groundnut genotypes from East, West and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia and two F2 bi-parental segregating populations derived from IITA-686 ×Tiga Nicuru and S19-3 ×DodR to determine phenotypic trait variation and their potential contribution to the development of improved crop varieties. All phenotypic traits in twelve genotypes were significantly influenced (p < 0.01) by genotypes. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 accounted for 97.33% variation and was associated with four genotypes collected from East and Southern Africa. PC2 accounted for 2.48% of the variation and was associated with five genotypes collected from East, West and Southern Africa. Transgressive segregation for a number of traits was observed in the two F2 bi-parental populations, as some individual lines in the segregating populations showed trait values greater or less than their parents. The variability between twelve genotypes and the two F2 bi-parental segregating populations and the negative relationship between plant architectural traits and yield related traits provide resources for development of structured populations and breeding lines for bambara groundnut breeding programme.
Xiuqing Gao; Aliyu Siise Abdullah Bamba; Aloyce Callist Kundy; Kumbirai Ivyne Mateva; Hui Hui Chai; Wai Kuan Ho; Mukhtar Musa; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. Variation of Phenotypic Traits in Twelve Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Genotypes and Two F2 Bi-Parental Segregating Populations. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1451 .
AMA StyleXiuqing Gao, Aliyu Siise Abdullah Bamba, Aloyce Callist Kundy, Kumbirai Ivyne Mateva, Hui Hui Chai, Wai Kuan Ho, Mukhtar Musa, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe. Variation of Phenotypic Traits in Twelve Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Genotypes and Two F2 Bi-Parental Segregating Populations. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (10):1451.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiuqing Gao; Aliyu Siise Abdullah Bamba; Aloyce Callist Kundy; Kumbirai Ivyne Mateva; Hui Hui Chai; Wai Kuan Ho; Mukhtar Musa; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. 2020. "Variation of Phenotypic Traits in Twelve Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Genotypes and Two F2 Bi-Parental Segregating Populations." Agronomy 10, no. 10: 1451.
Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important crop species and an emerging model plant for C4 grasses. However, functional genomics research on foxtail millet is challenging because of its long generation time, relatively large stature and recalcitrance to genetic transformation. Here we report the development of xiaomi, a rapid-cycling mini foxtail millet mutant as a C4 model system. Five to six generations of xiaomi can be grown in a year in growth chambers due to its short life cycle and small plant size, similar to Arabidopsis. A point mutation in the Phytochrome C (PHYC) gene was found to be causal for these characteristics. PHYC encodes a light receptor essential for photoperiodic flowering. A reference-grade xiaomi genome comprising 429.94 Mb of sequence was assembled and a gene-expression atlas from 11 different tissues was developed. These resources, together with an established highly efficient transformation system and a multi-omics database, make xiaomi an ideal model system for functional studies of C4 plants. This study developed xiaomi, a mini foxtail millet mutant, as a C4 model plant that has a short life cycle and small stature. To further enhance its model plant function, xiaomi’s genome was sequenced and an efficient transformation system was established.
Zhirong Yang; Haoshan Zhang; Xukai Li; Huimin Shen; Jianhua Gao; Siyu Hou; Bin Zhang; Sean Mayes; Malcolm Bennett; Jianxin Ma; Chuanyin Wu; Yi Sui; Yuanhuai Han; Xingchun Wang. A mini foxtail millet with an Arabidopsis-like life cycle as a C4 model system. Nature Plants 2020, 6, 1 -12.
AMA StyleZhirong Yang, Haoshan Zhang, Xukai Li, Huimin Shen, Jianhua Gao, Siyu Hou, Bin Zhang, Sean Mayes, Malcolm Bennett, Jianxin Ma, Chuanyin Wu, Yi Sui, Yuanhuai Han, Xingchun Wang. A mini foxtail millet with an Arabidopsis-like life cycle as a C4 model system. Nature Plants. 2020; 6 (9):1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhirong Yang; Haoshan Zhang; Xukai Li; Huimin Shen; Jianhua Gao; Siyu Hou; Bin Zhang; Sean Mayes; Malcolm Bennett; Jianxin Ma; Chuanyin Wu; Yi Sui; Yuanhuai Han; Xingchun Wang. 2020. "A mini foxtail millet with an Arabidopsis-like life cycle as a C4 model system." Nature Plants 6, no. 9: 1-12.
Superior oil yield is always the top priority of the oil palm industry. Short trunk height (THT) and compactness traits have become increasingly important to improve harvesting efficiency since the industry started to suffer yield losses due to labor shortages. Breeding populations with low THT and short frond length (FL) are actually available, such as Dumpy AVROS pisifera (DAV) and Gunung Melayu dura (GM). However, multiple trait stacking still remains a challenge for oil palm breeding, which usually requires 12–20 years to complete a breeding cycle. In this study, yield and height increment in the GM × GM (GM-3341) and the GM × DAV (GM-DAV-3461) crossing programs were evaluated and palms with good yield and smaller height increment were identified. In the GM-3341 family, non-linear THT growth between THT_2008 (seven years old) and THT_2014 (13 years old) was revealed by a moderate correlation, suggesting that inter-palm competition becomes increasingly important. In total, 19 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for THT_2008 (8), oil per palm (O/P) (7) and FL (4) were localized on the GM-3341 linkage map, with an average mapping interval of 2.01 cM. Three major QTLs for THT_2008, O/P and FL are co-located on chromosome 11 and reflect the correlation of THT_2008 with O/P and FL. Multiple trait selection for high O/P and low THT (based on the cumulative effects of positive alleles per trait) identified one palm from 100 palms, but with a large starting population of 1000–1500 seedling per cross, this low frequency could be easily compensated for during breeding selection.
Chee-Keng Teh; Ai-Ling Ong; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; David Ross Appleton. Major QTLs for Trunk Height and Correlated Agronomic Traits Provide Insights into Multiple Trait Integration in Oil Palm Breeding. Genes 2020, 11, 826 .
AMA StyleChee-Keng Teh, Ai-Ling Ong, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe, David Ross Appleton. Major QTLs for Trunk Height and Correlated Agronomic Traits Provide Insights into Multiple Trait Integration in Oil Palm Breeding. Genes. 2020; 11 (7):826.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChee-Keng Teh; Ai-Ling Ong; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; David Ross Appleton. 2020. "Major QTLs for Trunk Height and Correlated Agronomic Traits Provide Insights into Multiple Trait Integration in Oil Palm Breeding." Genes 11, no. 7: 826.
The present study searched for candidate genes in five linkage groups (LGs) - T2, T3, OT4, OT6 and T9 hosting the QTLs associated with iodine value (IV) and fatty acid composition (FAC) in an oil palm interspecific hybrid population. Each of the five LGs was successfully anchored to its corresponding chromosomal segment where, a wider repertoire of candidate genes was identified. This study further revealed a total of 19 candidate genes and four transcription factors involved in biosynthesis of fatty acids, lipids (including triacylglycerol) and acetyl-CoA, glycosylation and degradation of fatty acids. Their possible involvement in regulating the levels of saturation are discussed. In addition, 22 candidate genes located outside the QTL intervals were also identified across the interspecific hybrid genome. A total of 92 SSR markers were developed to tag the presence of these candidate genes and 50 were successfully mapped onto their respective positions on the genome. The data obtained here complements the previous studies, and collectively, these QTL-linked candidate gene markers could help breeders in more precisely selecting palms with the desired FAC.
Ngoot-Chin Ting; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi; Kuang-Lim Chan; Kandha Sritharan; Rajinder Singh. Candidate genes linked to QTL regions associated with fatty acid composition in oil palm. Biologia 2020, 76, 267 -279.
AMA StyleNgoot-Chin Ting, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe, Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi, Kuang-Lim Chan, Kandha Sritharan, Rajinder Singh. Candidate genes linked to QTL regions associated with fatty acid composition in oil palm. Biologia. 2020; 76 (1):267-279.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNgoot-Chin Ting; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi; Kuang-Lim Chan; Kandha Sritharan; Rajinder Singh. 2020. "Candidate genes linked to QTL regions associated with fatty acid composition in oil palm." Biologia 76, no. 1: 267-279.
Oil palm is a remarkable crop which in 2017 produced 34% of the world’s vegetable oil from 0.36% of the world’s agricultural land. The fact that it is a perennial ‘tree’ crop growing in the humid tropics under high light intensity accounts for the tenfold advantage in oil yield it has over many annual temperate oil crops, per hectare, per year. However, slow breeding cycles in a manually intensive industry are beginning to erode this advantage, and the challenges of climate change have yet to be addressed. The history, economic importance and how research has been applied to improve the productivity and value of the oil palm are reviewed, along with some of the future challenges which research needs to address.
Sean Mayes. The History and Economic Importance of the Oil Palm. Compendium of Plant Genomes 2020, 1 -8.
AMA StyleSean Mayes. The History and Economic Importance of the Oil Palm. Compendium of Plant Genomes. 2020; ():1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSean Mayes. 2020. "The History and Economic Importance of the Oil Palm." Compendium of Plant Genomes , no. : 1-8.
Characterizing the morphological variability in root system architecture (RSA) during the sensitive pre-flowering growth stage is important for crop performance. To assess this variation, eight bambara groundnut single genotypes derived from landraces of contrasting geographic origin were selected for root system architecture and rooting distribution studies. Plants were grown in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) column system under controlled water and nutrient availability in a rainout shelter. Days to 50% plant emergence was characterized during the first two weeks after sowing, while taproot length (TRL), root length (RL), root length density (RLD), branching number (BN), branching density (BD) and intensity (BI), surface area (SA), root volume (RV), root diameter (RDia), root dry weight (RDW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and shoot height (SH) were determined at the end of the experiment, i.e., 35 days after emergence. Genotypes S19-3 and DipC1 sourced from drier regions of sub-Saharan Africa generally had longer taproots and greater root length distribution in deeper (60 to 90 cm) soil depths. In contrast, bambara groundnut genotypes from wetter regions (i.e., Gresik, Lunt, and IITA-686) in Southeast Asia and West Africa exhibited relatively shallow and highly branched root growth closer to the soil surface. Genotypes at the pre-flowering growth stage showed differential root foraging patterns and branching habits with two extremes, i.e., deep-cheap rooting in the genotypes sourced from dry regions and a shallow-costly rooting system in genotypes adapted to higher rainfall areas with shallow soils. We propose specific bambara groundnut genotype as donors in root trait driven breeding programs to improve water capture and use efficiency.
Kumbirai Ivyne Mateva; Hui Hui Chai; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. Root Foraging Capacity in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Core Parental Lines Depends on the Root System Architecture during the Pre-Flowering Stage. Plants 2020, 9, 645 .
AMA StyleKumbirai Ivyne Mateva, Hui Hui Chai, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe. Root Foraging Capacity in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Core Parental Lines Depends on the Root System Architecture during the Pre-Flowering Stage. Plants. 2020; 9 (5):645.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKumbirai Ivyne Mateva; Hui Hui Chai; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. 2020. "Root Foraging Capacity in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Core Parental Lines Depends on the Root System Architecture during the Pre-Flowering Stage." Plants 9, no. 5: 645.
Underutilised crops have potential to play an increasing role in the diet of many who may lack adequate nutrition. At present, there appears to be no comprehensive or systematic effort to collate and analyse nutritional composition data, although this is likely to make a significant contribution to global food and nutritional security. For example, determining intra- and inter- species variation for nutritional components would enable direct comparison with commodity crops. Using bambara groundnut (Vignasubterranea; BG) as a use-case, we present a systematic work-flow that facilitates comparison of nutritional composition and function for underutilised crops. This includes (i) critical literature review of available data sources for the target and comparator crops, to determine the extent of variation reported for a range of nutritional components; (ii) development of a Crop Dietary Nutritional Data Framework (CDN-DF) to assist in data curation; (iii) de novo analysis of seed nutritional components for a subset of BG accessions selected to represent the global genepool. The CDN-DF includes controlled vocabularies organised in a hierarchical structure that represent a simplified subset of relationships for nutritional composition and dietary function This facilitates comparison of datasets between species and can help identify data gaps. This framework is currently guiding establishment of a formal nutritional ontology that more fully represents the complex relationships between nutritional components. Based on our analysis, it appears that BG seed protein, lipid and fibre concentrations cover a similar range in chickpea and mungbean. Variation in BG protein concentration indicates scope for developing high protein cultivars.
Razlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Liliana Andrés-Hernandéz; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. A Systematic Approach to Defining Nutritional Quality of Underutilised Crops. Proceedings 2020, 36, 176 .
AMA StyleRazlin Azman Halimi, Bronwyn J. Barkla, Liliana Andrés-Hernandéz, Sean Mayes, Graham J. King. A Systematic Approach to Defining Nutritional Quality of Underutilised Crops. Proceedings. 2020; 36 (1):176.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRazlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Liliana Andrés-Hernandéz; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. 2020. "A Systematic Approach to Defining Nutritional Quality of Underutilised Crops." Proceedings 36, no. 1: 176.
Bambara groundnut has the potential to be used to contribute more the climate change ready agriculture. The requirement for nitrogen fixing, stress tolerant legumes is clear, particularly in low input agriculture. However, ensuring that existing negative traits are tackled and demand is stimulated through the development of markets and products still represents a challenge to making greater use of this legume. World agriculture is currently based on very limited numbers of crops, representing a significant risk to food supplies, particularly in the face of climate change which is expected to increase the frequency of extreme events. Minor and underutilised crops can help to develop a more resilient and nutritionally dense future agriculture. Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.[, as a drought resistant, nitrogen-fixing, legume has a role to play. However, as with most underutilised crops, there are significant gaps in knowledge and also negative traits such as ‘hard-to-cook’ and ‘photoperiod sensitivity to pod filling’ associated with the crop which future breeding programmes and processing methods need to tackle, to allow it to make a significant contribution to the well-being of future generations. The current review assesses these factors and also considers what are the next steps towards realising the potential of this crop.
Sean Mayes; Wai Kuan Ho; Hui Hui Chai; Xiuqing Gao; Aloyce C. Kundy; Kumbirai I. Mateva; Muhammad Zahrulakmal; Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Hahiree; Presidor Kendabie; Luis C. S. Licea; Festo Massawe; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi; Albert T. Modi; Joseph N. Berchie; Stephen Amoah; Ben Faloye; Michael Abberton; Oyatomi Olaniyi; Sayed N. Azam-Ali. Bambara groundnut: an exemplar underutilised legume for resilience under climate change. Planta 2019, 250, 803 -820.
AMA StyleSean Mayes, Wai Kuan Ho, Hui Hui Chai, Xiuqing Gao, Aloyce C. Kundy, Kumbirai I. Mateva, Muhammad Zahrulakmal, Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Hahiree, Presidor Kendabie, Luis C. S. Licea, Festo Massawe, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Albert T. Modi, Joseph N. Berchie, Stephen Amoah, Ben Faloye, Michael Abberton, Oyatomi Olaniyi, Sayed N. Azam-Ali. Bambara groundnut: an exemplar underutilised legume for resilience under climate change. Planta. 2019; 250 (3):803-820.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSean Mayes; Wai Kuan Ho; Hui Hui Chai; Xiuqing Gao; Aloyce C. Kundy; Kumbirai I. Mateva; Muhammad Zahrulakmal; Mohd Khairul Izwan Mohd Hahiree; Presidor Kendabie; Luis C. S. Licea; Festo Massawe; Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi; Albert T. Modi; Joseph N. Berchie; Stephen Amoah; Ben Faloye; Michael Abberton; Oyatomi Olaniyi; Sayed N. Azam-Ali. 2019. "Bambara groundnut: an exemplar underutilised legume for resilience under climate change." Planta 250, no. 3: 803-820.
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L) Verdc.) is an underutilized legume native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it is grown at low levels by many farmers as a component of household food and nutritional security. It is generally regarded as drought tolerant and fills the same agroecological niche as peanut (Arachis hypogaea L). Molecular research in this crop really began only in the early 2000s but has gathered pace and the recent publication of the first genome draft as part of the AOCC drive to sequence 101 African crop species marks an important milestone towards the application of genome-enabled breeding. This crop has potential to contribute to the climate-smart agriculture of the future. The current article traces the progress made in recent years and highlights the challenges that still remain.
Sean Mayes; Wai Kuan Ho; Hui Hui Chai; Bo Song; Yue Chang; Festo Massawe. Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L) Verdc)—A Climate Smart Crop for Food and Nutrition Security. Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Pulse Crops 2019, 397 -424.
AMA StyleSean Mayes, Wai Kuan Ho, Hui Hui Chai, Bo Song, Yue Chang, Festo Massawe. Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L) Verdc)—A Climate Smart Crop for Food and Nutrition Security. Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Pulse Crops. 2019; ():397-424.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSean Mayes; Wai Kuan Ho; Hui Hui Chai; Bo Song; Yue Chang; Festo Massawe. 2019. "Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L) Verdc)—A Climate Smart Crop for Food and Nutrition Security." Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Pulse Crops , no. : 397-424.
Meiotic crossovers in outbred species, such as oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq., 2n = 32) contribute to allelic re-assortment in the genome. Such genetic variation is usually exploited in breeding to combine positive alleles for trait superiority. A good quality reference genome is essential for identifying the genetic factors underlying traits of interest through linkage or association studies. At the moment, an AVROS pisifera genome is publicly available for oil palm. Distribution and frequency of crossovers throughout chromosomes in different origins of oil palm are still unclear. Hence, an ultrahigh-density genomic linkage map of a commercial Deli dura x AVROS pisifera family was constructed using the OP200K SNP array, to evaluate the genetic alignment with the genome assembly. A total of 27,890 linked SNP markers generated a total map length of 1,151.7 cM and an average mapping interval of 0.04 cM. Nineteen linkage groups represented 16 pseudo-chromosomes of oil palm, with 61.7% of the mapped SNPs present in the published genome. Meanwhile, the physical map was also successfully extended from 658 Mb to 969 Mb by assigning unplaced scaffolds to the pseudo-chromosomes. A genic linkage map with major representation of sugar and lipid biosynthesis pathways was subsequently built for future studies on oil related quantitative trait loci (QTL). This study improves the current physical genome of the commercial oil palm, and provides important insights into its recombination landscape, eventually unlocking the full potential genome sequence-enabled biology for oil palm.
Ai-Ling Ong; Chee-Keng Teh; Qi-Bin Kwong; Praveena Tangaya; David Ross Appleton; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. Linkage-based genome assembly improvement of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 1 -9.
AMA StyleAi-Ling Ong, Chee-Keng Teh, Qi-Bin Kwong, Praveena Tangaya, David Ross Appleton, Festo Massawe, Sean Mayes. Linkage-based genome assembly improvement of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Scientific Reports. 2019; 9 (1):1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAi-Ling Ong; Chee-Keng Teh; Qi-Bin Kwong; Praveena Tangaya; David Ross Appleton; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. 2019. "Linkage-based genome assembly improvement of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)." Scientific Reports 9, no. 1: 1-9.
Winged bean is popularly known as "One Species Supermarket" for its nutrient-dense green pods, immature seeds, tubers, leaves, and mature seeds. This underutilised crop has potential beneficial traits related to its biological nitrogen-fixation to support low-input farming. Drawing from past knowledge, and based on current technologies, we propose a roadmap for research and development of winged bean for sustainable food systems. Reliance on a handful of "major" crops has led to decreased diversity in crop species, agricultural systems and human diets. To reverse this trend, we need to encourage the greater use of minor, "orphan", underutilised species. These could contribute to an increase in crop diversity within agricultural systems, to improve human diets, and to support more sustainable and resilient food production systems. Among these underutilised species, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) has long been proposed as a crop for expanded use particularly in the humid tropics. It is an herbaceous perennial legume of equatorial environments and has been identified as a rich source of protein, with most parts of the plant being edible when appropriately prepared. However, to date, limited progress in structured improvement programmes has restricted the expansion of winged bean beyond its traditional confines. In this paper, we discuss the reasons for this and recommend approaches for better use of its genetic resources and related Psophocarpus species in developing improved varieties. We review studies on the growth, phenology, nodulation and nitrogen-fixation activity, breeding programmes, and molecular analyses. We then discuss prospects for the crop based on the greater understanding that these studies have provided and considering modern plant-breeding technologies and approaches. We propose a more targeted and structured research approach to fulfil the potential of winged bean to contribute to food security.
Alberto Stefano Tanzi; Graham Ewen Eagleton; Wai Kuan Ho; Quin Nee Wong; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) for food and nutritional security: synthesis of past research and future direction. Planta 2019, 250, 911 -931.
AMA StyleAlberto Stefano Tanzi, Graham Ewen Eagleton, Wai Kuan Ho, Quin Nee Wong, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe. Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) for food and nutritional security: synthesis of past research and future direction. Planta. 2019; 250 (3):911-931.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlberto Stefano Tanzi; Graham Ewen Eagleton; Wai Kuan Ho; Quin Nee Wong; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe. 2019. "Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) for food and nutritional security: synthesis of past research and future direction." Planta 250, no. 3: 911-931.
Winged bean (P. tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) is a leguminous crop that could contribute towards food security in tropical areas, but whose growth and development is still poorly understood. In order to develop improved individuals for increased green pod and seed productivity, we investigated the factors involved in winged bean plant architecture, development, and their link to a number of yield-related traits. An F2 population was generated from the cross between M3 and FP15 Malaysian accessions and assessed under field conditions in Malaysia. The results showed stem length to be mainly influenced by internode length (r s = .80; p < .01), while multiple genes could be controlling the number of branches, with an average number of branches in the offspring above the highest parent value. The average length of branches appeared to influence the most the final number of pods per plant (r s = .44; p < .001), while flowering showed potentially transgressive segregation towards earliness, without preventing the potential development of high pod-yielding individuals (r s = − 208; p = .056). Taken together, the results reported here shed light on the interaction between morphological, developmental, and yield-related traits, defining potential targets for developing crop ideotypes to direct breeding programmes for this underutilised crop.
Alberto Stefano Tanzi; Wai Kuan Ho; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. Development and interaction between plant architecture and yield-related traits in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.). Euphytica 2019, 215, 36 .
AMA StyleAlberto Stefano Tanzi, Wai Kuan Ho, Festo Massawe, Sean Mayes. Development and interaction between plant architecture and yield-related traits in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.). Euphytica. 2019; 215 (2):36.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlberto Stefano Tanzi; Wai Kuan Ho; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. 2019. "Development and interaction between plant architecture and yield-related traits in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.)." Euphytica 215, no. 2: 36.
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.; www.bamyield.org) is a crop similar in morphology and growth habit to groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). It was also historically largely displaced by groundnut upon the latter’s introduction to sub-Saharan Africa from Latin America (Sprent et al. 2010). Bambara groundnut nevertheless still holds local importance in West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and even Southeast Asia (Fig. 8.1). It is held in high esteem for its nutritional qualities by the consumer and its drought tolerance by the farmer (Tables 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3; Fig. 8.2). It could therefore be promoted in areas that are currently drought prone as well as in areas where climate change projections show an increased frequency and intensity in droughts as well as unpredictable rainfall patterns.
Aryo Feldman; Wai Kuan Ho; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. Bambara Groundnut is a Climate-Resilient Crop: How Could a Drought-Tolerant and Nutritious Legume Improve Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Change? Sustainable Solutions for Food Security 2019, 151 -167.
AMA StyleAryo Feldman, Wai Kuan Ho, Festo Massawe, Sean Mayes. Bambara Groundnut is a Climate-Resilient Crop: How Could a Drought-Tolerant and Nutritious Legume Improve Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Change? Sustainable Solutions for Food Security. 2019; ():151-167.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAryo Feldman; Wai Kuan Ho; Festo Massawe; Sean Mayes. 2019. "Bambara Groundnut is a Climate-Resilient Crop: How Could a Drought-Tolerant and Nutritious Legume Improve Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Change?" Sustainable Solutions for Food Security , no. : 151-167.
Underutilised crops contribute only marginally to global food and nutritional security, despite their regional nutritional, economic, and cultural significance. Their potential to make a greater contribution is often overlooked, in part due to the scarcity of data reflecting the range of nutritional variation. Bambara groundnut (BG; Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), a pulse native to West Africa has been proposed as an exemplar underutilised crop. We analysed variation in the major nutritional components of 100 BG accessions of diverse geographical origins and compared these values with representatives of four related pulse crops. We found considerable intra-species variation for major components: 13.8–26.4% protein, 4.6–8.2% oil, 0.9–12.9% total dietary fibre, and 47.8–71.4% available carbohydrate. The range in seed protein and oil concentrations was similar to that measured in chickpea and mungbean. Linoleic (C18:2, n-6) accounted for up to 48% of total fatty acids in BG seed oil, and oleic (C18:1, n-9) up to 28%, with palmitic (C16:0) representing the other major component. Principal component analysis indicated that oleic, behenic (C22:0) and lignoceric (C24:0) acids are strongly associated with seed oil concentration. These data were obtained from material where there has been no systematic selection for enhancement of nutritional composition. The range of variation suggests that there is potential within the BG genepool to develop distinct sets of high-protein, high-oil cultivars. With the addition of more detailed genomic information, BG could benefit from similar breeding approaches that have been successfully adopted for crops such as cowpea and soybean.
Razlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. Characteristics of the Underutilised Pulse Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Relevant to Food & Nutritional Security. Proceedings 2019, 36, 199 .
AMA StyleRazlin Azman Halimi, Bronwyn J. Barkla, Sean Mayes, Graham J. King. Characteristics of the Underutilised Pulse Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Relevant to Food & Nutritional Security. Proceedings. 2019; 36 (1):199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRazlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. 2019. "Characteristics of the Underutilised Pulse Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Relevant to Food & Nutritional Security." Proceedings 36, no. 1: 199.
Bambara groundnut is an underutilized pulse that can make a positive contribution to food and nutritional security at the regional and global level, particularly in tropical developing countries where the crop is currently grown. Improvement of the crop is constrained by limited understanding of variation in its nutritional composition compared with other pulses. We analysed available nutritional data for bambara groundnut in comparison with four related commodity pulses. This included comparison of concentrations of proximate components and detailed composition of carbohydrate, fibre, seed storage protein and amino acids, fatty acid, phytosterols, minerals, and anti-nutritional factors. The levels of starch (up to 53% of seed), the amylose content of its starch (15.7 - 35.3% of starch), and dietary fibre content (up to 10.3% of seed), make this crop a desirable food for inclusion into diets for management of diabetes and high cholesterol. There is also potential to develop high protein cultivars, as there exists a large variation for crude protein concentration within the species genepool, reported as 9.6 - 30.7% of seed. With a more comprehensive base of nutritional information, breeding strategies that have proven successful for crops such as chickpea and soybean can be established for bambara groundnut.
Razlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. The potential of the underutilized pulse bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) for nutritional food security. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2018, 77, 47 -59.
AMA StyleRazlin Azman Halimi, Bronwyn J. Barkla, Sean Mayes, Graham J. King. The potential of the underutilized pulse bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) for nutritional food security. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2018; 77 ():47-59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRazlin Azman Halimi; Bronwyn J. Barkla; Sean Mayes; Graham J. King. 2018. "The potential of the underutilized pulse bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) for nutritional food security." Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 77, no. : 47-59.
Palm oil is among the most important vegetable oils, contributing to a quarter of the world’s oils and fats market. The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) fruitlets, which are the source of palm oil, vary from 8 to 20 g in weight. Palm oil content in the fruitlets is approximately 45–50% by weight and an increase in the percentage of mesocarp-to-fruit is likely to have a positive effect on oil yield. In this study, we report a quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with two yield related components, namely fruit and mesocarp content in a commercial breeding population (Deli dura × Yangambi pisifera). The QTL confidence interval of about 12 cM (~ 6.7 Mbp) was fine-mapped with 31 markers (17 SNPs and 14 SSRs) consisting of 20 nuclear markers derived from the maternal parent, six paternal and five co-segregating markers. Interestingly, inheritance of the paternal alleles leads to a larger difference in both fruit and mesocarp weight, when comparing genotypes in the progeny palms. Candidate genes and transcription factors were mined from the QTL region by positioning markers on the oil palm EG5 genome build. Putative genes and transcription factors involved in various biological processes including flower organ development, flowering, photosynthesis, microtubule formation, nitrogen and lipid metabolism were identified within this QTL interval on pseudo-chromosome 3. This genome-based approach allowed us to identify a number of potential candidate gene markers associated with oil palm fruit and mesocarp weight which can be further evaluated for potential use in marker-assisted breeding.
Ngoot-Chin Ting; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi; Johannes Jansen; Sharifah Shahrul Rabiah Syed Alwee; Tzer-Ying Seng; Maizura Ithnin; Rajinder Singh. Putative regulatory candidate genes for QTL linked to fruit traits in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Euphytica 2018, 214, 214 .
AMA StyleNgoot-Chin Ting, Sean Mayes, Festo Massawe, Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi, Johannes Jansen, Sharifah Shahrul Rabiah Syed Alwee, Tzer-Ying Seng, Maizura Ithnin, Rajinder Singh. Putative regulatory candidate genes for QTL linked to fruit traits in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Euphytica. 2018; 214 (11):214.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNgoot-Chin Ting; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe; Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi; Johannes Jansen; Sharifah Shahrul Rabiah Syed Alwee; Tzer-Ying Seng; Maizura Ithnin; Rajinder Singh. 2018. "Putative regulatory candidate genes for QTL linked to fruit traits in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)." Euphytica 214, no. 11: 214.
Climate change is impacting the cropping system, landscape, livelihoods, and nutrition diversity of farming households and communities in Africa. Climate change adaptability and resilience are emerging as important criteria for setting national priorities for promoting indigenous crops to enhance food and nutrition security, especially of resource-poor smallholders. However, many climate resilient indigenous crops have been lost due to inappropriate policies that fail to prioritize climate resilience and nutritional diversity. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an indigenous crop in Africa. It is tolerant to drought, poor soils, and short spells of elevated temperatures. It, therefore, offers several advantages over other legumes as a source of nutrition, food security and improved welfare in the face of climate change. The research investigated farmers’ perceptions and socioeconomic factors that influenced the cultivation and commercialization of bambara groundnut and the effect of commercialization on smallholder farmers’ welfare in two local government areas (LGAs) of Benue State, Nigeria. In all, 300 smallholder farmers were sampled through a multistage sampling technique. The method of analysis involved the estimation of a fractional regression and treatment effect models. We found that older farmers who perceived that bambara groundnut is a climate-resilient and food security crop allocated more of their total farmland to its production. The perception that bambara groundnut is a climate-resilient crop also impacted positively on the commercialization of bambara groundnut. Formal education coupled with the commercialization of bambara groundnut led to increased farmers’ welfare. We recommend that more sensitization and education should be given to farmers on the good characteristics of bambara groundnut as a climate-resilient and food security crop while they are also supported to upscale its production for commercialization purposes.
Olawale Emmanuel Olayide; Samuel A. Donkoh; Isaac Gershon Kodwo Ansah; William Adzawla; Patrick J. O’Reilly; Sean Mayes; Aryo Feldman; Razlin Azman Halimi; George Nyarko; Christopher O. Ilori; Tunrayo Alabi. Assessing Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Production and Commercialization of Bambara Groundnut as an Indigenous Climate Resilient Crop in Nigeria. Handbook of Climate Change Resilience 2018, 1 -19.
AMA StyleOlawale Emmanuel Olayide, Samuel A. Donkoh, Isaac Gershon Kodwo Ansah, William Adzawla, Patrick J. O’Reilly, Sean Mayes, Aryo Feldman, Razlin Azman Halimi, George Nyarko, Christopher O. Ilori, Tunrayo Alabi. Assessing Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Production and Commercialization of Bambara Groundnut as an Indigenous Climate Resilient Crop in Nigeria. Handbook of Climate Change Resilience. 2018; ():1-19.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOlawale Emmanuel Olayide; Samuel A. Donkoh; Isaac Gershon Kodwo Ansah; William Adzawla; Patrick J. O’Reilly; Sean Mayes; Aryo Feldman; Razlin Azman Halimi; George Nyarko; Christopher O. Ilori; Tunrayo Alabi. 2018. "Assessing Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Production and Commercialization of Bambara Groundnut as an Indigenous Climate Resilient Crop in Nigeria." Handbook of Climate Change Resilience , no. : 1-19.