Agronomic performance and consumer acceptability of improved water yam ( L.) varieties in the Republic of Benin.

White yam ( L.) is widely cultivated, and is a staple food in the Republic of Benin. However, its production is highly sensitive to soil infertility, leading to low yields over the years.

Entomophagy practices, use patterns, and factors influencing perception and consumption frequency of edible insects in the Republic of Benin.

Background: Edible insects are important sources of essential nutrients and have the potential to contribute to malnutrition reduction and food security in the Republic of Benin. However, their consumption is always restricted to a limited number of sociocultural groups. To determine how the consumption of insects could be promoted as an alternative food source, this study documents the endogenous knowledge associated with edible insects and, the main factors that govern their perception and frequency consumption.

White Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) landraces trait profiling and setting benchmark for breeding programs in the Republic of Benin.

To meet the high demand for white Guinea yam, there is a need to develop and release improved varieties to farmers. Unfortunately, low rate of adoption of most of the improved yam varieties by both producers and consumers was observed. Information regarding agronomic characteristics and food qualities of popular white Guinea yam landraces with high market value are not available to establish minimum standards to be considered by breeding programs.

Genetic diversity and population structure of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh) landraces grown in Benin revealed by Genotyping-By-Sequencing.

Genetic diversity studies provide important details on target trait availability and its variability, for the success of breeding programs. In this study, GBS approach was used to reveal a new structuration of genetic diversity and population structure of pigeonpea in Benin. We used a total of 688 high-quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphism markers for a total of 44 pigeonpea genotypes.

On-farm management and participatory evaluation of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh) diversity across the agro-ecological zones of the Republic of Benin.

Background: Pigeonpea is a multipurpose food legume crop that contributes to food security in the Republic of Benin. For the establishment of conservation and breeding programs, previous ethnobotanical surveys on pigeonpea were done in Benin but restricted to south and central regions. In previous years, pigeonpea landraces were introduced in northern Benin for soil fertility management; it is therefore important to evaluate the diversity in this legume in this region.

Yam genomics supports West Africa as a major cradle of crop domestication.

While there has been progress in our understanding of the origin and history of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, a unified perspective is still lacking on where and how major crops were domesticated in the region. Here, we investigated the domestication of African yam (), a key crop in early African agriculture. Using whole-genome resequencing and statistical models, we show that cultivated yam was domesticated from a forest species.

Banana and plantain production systems in Benin: ethnobotanical investigation, varietal diversity, pests, and implications for better production.

Background: The cultivated banana and plantain (Musa spp.) are valuable for nutritional and socio-economic security for millions of people worldwide. In Benin, banana and plantain are among the most produced, consumed, and traded commodities.

Folk taxonomy and traditional uses of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces by the sociolinguistic groups in the central region of the Republic of Benin.

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important grain legume crop grown in the central region of the Republic of Benin. However, its production declined in recent years to the extent that its diversity is being threatened with extinction.

Molecular diversity of populations from Benin, based on ITS1 rDNA and COI mtDNA.

In Benin, yam production continues to face numerous production constraints, including yield and quality reduction by . Implementation of efficient management techniques against this pest requires an improved understanding, including at the molecular level, of the pest. The current study aimed at identifying the spp.

Farmers' perception of termites in agriculture production and their indigenous utilization in Northwest Benin.

Background: Although termites are considered as agricultural pests, they play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem. Therefore, it matters to investigate the farmers' perception of the impacts of the termites on the agriculture and their indigenous utilization.

Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview 94 farmers through 10 villages of Atacora department, in the northwestern region of Benin, to obtain information for the development of successful strategies of termite management and conservation.

Molecular basis of African yam domestication: analyses of selection point to root development, starch biosynthesis, and photosynthesis related genes.

Background: After cereals, root and tuber crops are the main source of starch in the human diet. Starch biosynthesis was certainly a significant target for selection during the domestication of these crops. But domestication of these root and tubers crops is also associated with gigantism of storage organs and changes of habitat.

Diversity, Physicochemical and Technological Characterization of Elite Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Cultivars of Bantè, a District of Central Benin.

Cassava is one of the staple food crops contributing significantly to food and nutrition security in Benin. This study aimed to assess the diversity of the elite cassava cultivars of Bantè district, determine the physicochemical properties of the most preferred ones as well as the sensory attributes of their major derived products (gari and tapioca), and compare them with the farmers' and processors' perception on their technological qualities. The ethnobotanical investigation revealed existence of 40 cultivars including 9 elites that were further classified into three groups based on agronomics and technological and culinary properties.

Genetic divergence in northern Benin sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) landraces as revealed by agromorphological traits and selection of candidate genotypes.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important staple food crop in northern Benin. In order to assess its diversity in Benin, 142 accessions of landraces collected from Northern Benin were grown in Central Benin and characterised using 10 qualitative and 14 quantitative agromorphological traits.