Farmers' production constraints, preferred varietal traits and perceptions on sorghum grain mold in Senegal.

Improving sorghum adoption rates by developing adapted varieties that meet end-user preferences is a major challenge in West Africa. In this study, a participatory rural appraisal was undertaken to identify the main sorghum production constraints, farmers' preferred variety traits and their perceptions on sorghum grain mold. The study was conducted in four representative rural communities located in the main sorghum producing area of Senegal.

Quantitative trait loci and genomic prediction for grain sugar and mineral concentrations of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.].

Development of high yielding cowpea varieties coupled with good taste and rich in essential minerals can promote consumption and thus nutrition and profitability. The sweet taste of cowpea grain is determined by its sugar content, which comprises mainly sucrose and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) including raffinose and stachyose. However, GOS are indigestible and their fermentation in the colon can produce excess intestinal gas, causing undesirable bloating and flatulence.

Quantitative and population genomics suggest a broad role of stay-green loci in the drought adaptation of sorghum.

Drought is a major constraint on plant productivity globally. Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] landraces have evolved in drought-prone regions, but the genetics of their adaptation is poorly understood.

A genomics resource for genetics, physiology, and breeding of West African sorghum.

Local landrace and breeding germplasm is a useful source of genetic diversity for regional and global crop improvement initiatives. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) in western Africa (WA) has diversified across a mosaic of cultures and end uses and along steep precipitation and photoperiod gradients.

Phenotypic plasticity of plant traits contributing to grain and biomass yield of dual-purpose sorghum.

Plant traits of interest for sorghum breeders to develop dual-purpose varieties are stem diameter, flag leaf size, crop cycle, and number of grains per panicle. To develop dual-purpose varieties, breeders need to improve traits linked both to grain and biomass production. To identify these traits, we studied the phenotypic plasticity of eighteen traits and the performance of ten contrasting sorghum genotypes, used in West Africa.

Genomic signatures of adaptation to Sahelian and Soudanian climates in sorghum landraces of Senegal.

Uncovering the genomic basis of climate adaptation in traditional crop varieties can provide insight into plant evolution and facilitate breeding for climate resilience. In the African cereal sorghum ( L. [Moench]), the genomic basis of adaptation to the semiarid Sahelian zone versus the subhumid Soudanian zone is largely unknown.

The genetic basis of drought tolerance in the high oil crop Sesamum indicum.

Unlike most of the important food crops, sesame can survive drought but severe and repeated drought episodes, especially occurring during the reproductive stage, significantly curtail the productivity of this high oil crop. Genome-wide association study was conducted for traits related to drought tolerance using 400 diverse sesame accessions, including landraces and modern cultivars. Ten stable QTLs explaining more than 40% of the phenotypic variation and located on four linkage groups were significantly associated with drought tolerance related traits.

The contrasting response to drought and waterlogging is underpinned by divergent DNA methylation programs associated with transcript accumulation in sesame.

DNA methylation is a heritable epigenetic mechanism that participates in gene regulation under abiotic stresses in plants. Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is typically considered a drought-tolerant crop but highly susceptible to waterlogging, probably because of its origin in Africa or India. Understanding DNA methylation patterns under drought and waterlogging conditions can provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying sesame contrasting responses to these abiotic stresses.

Identification of QTL controlling domestication-related traits in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp).

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a warm-season legume with a genetically diverse gene-pool composed of wild and cultivated forms. Cowpea domestication involved considerable phenotypic changes from the wild progenitor, including reduction of pod shattering, increased organ size, and changes in flowering time.

A multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population for genetic analysis and improvement of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.).

Multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations are an emerging type of resource for dissecting the genetic structure of traits and improving breeding populations. We developed a MAGIC population for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.

Functional Characterization of the Versatile MYB Gene Family Uncovered Their Important Roles in Plant Development and Responses to Drought and Waterlogging in Sesame.

The gene family constitutes one of the largest transcription factors (TFs) modulating various biological processes in plants. Although genome-wide analysis of this gene family has been carried out in some species, only three members have been functionally characterized heretofore in sesame ( L.).

Development of Highly Informative Genome-Wide Single Sequence Repeat Markers for Breeding Applications in Sesame and Construction of a Web Resource: SisatBase.

The sequencing of the full nuclear genome of sesame ( L.) provides the platform for functional analyses of genome components and their application in breeding programs. Although the importance of microsatellites markers or simple sequence repeats (SSR) in crop genotyping, genetics, and breeding applications is well established, only a little information exist concerning SSRs at the whole genome level in sesame.

Transcriptomic, biochemical and physio-anatomical investigations shed more light on responses to drought stress in two contrasting sesame genotypes.

Sesame is an important oilseed crop with a high oil quality. It is prone to drought stress in the arid and semi-arid areas where it is widely grown. This study aims to decipher the response of tolerant (DT) and sensitive (DS) genotypes to progressive drought based on transcriptome, biochemical and physio-anatomical characterizations.

The Emerging Oilseed Crop Enters the "Omics" Era.

Sesame ( L.) is one of the oldest oilseed crops widely grown in Africa and Asia for its high-quality nutritional seeds. It is well adapted to harsh environments and constitutes an alternative cash crop for smallholders in developing countries.

Dynamic transcriptome landscape of sesame ( L.) under progressive drought and after rewatering.

Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses that impair sesame ( L.) productivity mainly when it occurs at flowering stage. However up to now, very few studies have attempted to investigate the molecular responses of sesame to drought stress.

Genome-Wide Investigation of Hsf Genes in Sesame Reveals Their Segmental Duplication Expansion and Their Active Role in Drought Stress Response.

Sesame is a survivor crop cultivated for ages in arid areas under high temperatures and limited water conditions. Since its entire genome has been sequenced, revealing evolution, and functional characterization of its abiotic stress genes became a hot topic. In this study, we performed a whole-genome identification and analysis of Hsf gene family in sesame.

Genome resources for climate-resilient cowpea, an essential crop for food security.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is a legume crop that is resilient to hot and drought-prone climates, and a primary source of protein in sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the developing world.

Insight into the AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily in sesame and expression profiling of DREB subfamily under drought stress.

Background: Sesame is an important oilseed crop mainly grown in inclement areas with high temperatures and frequent drought. Thus, drought constitutes one of the major constraints of its production. The AP2/ERF is a large family of transcription factors known to play significant roles in various plant processes including biotic and abiotic stress responses.

Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Sesame Accessions from Africa and Asia as Major Centers of Its Cultivation.

Sesame is an important oil crop widely cultivated in Africa and Asia. Understanding the genetic diversity of accessions from these continents is critical to designing breeding methods and for additional collection of sesame germplasm. To determine the genetic diversity in relation to geographical regions, 96 sesame accessions collected from 22 countries distributed over six geographic regions in Africa and Asia were genotyped using 33 polymorphic SSR markers.

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.

Two in one sweep: aluminum tolerance and grain yield in P-limited soils are associated to the same genomic region in West African sorghum.

Background: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) productivity is severely impeded by low phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) toxic soils in sub-Saharan Africa and especially West Africa (WA). Improving productivity of this staple crop under these harsh conditions is crucial to improve food security and farmer's incomes in WA.

Genetic architecture of delayed senescence, biomass, and grain yield under drought stress in cowpea.

The stay-green phenomenon is a key plant trait with wide usage in managing crop production under limited water conditions. This trait enhances delayed senescence, biomass, and grain yield under drought stress. In this study we sought to identify QTLs in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) consistent across experiments conducted in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, and the United States of America under limited water conditions.

Association Studies and Legume Synteny Reveal Haplotypes Determining Seed Size in Vigna unguiculata.

Highly specific seed market classes for cowpea and other grain legumes exist because grain is most commonly cooked and consumed whole. Size, shape, color, and texture are critical features of these market classes and breeders target development of cultivars for market acceptance. Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses that are absent from elite breeding material are often introgressed through crosses to landraces or wild relatives.