Citizen science mitigates the lack of distributional data on Nigerian birds.

Citizen science projects are expanding globally, with the African continent, particularly Nigeria, registering significant growth. Here, we document and analyse novel operations of the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NIBAP), 2015-2022. This project has employed the use of ornithologists, mainly trained at the A.

Adoption of improved soybean and gender differential productivity and revenue impacts: Evidence from Nigeria.

Despite the considerable soybean varietal improvement and dissemination efforts in Nigeria and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, empirical evidence on farm-level yield and revenue impacts of improved soybean varieties (ISVs) from a gender perspective are limited. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the adoption of ISVs on soybean yield and net revenue, and the associated gender differential effects in northern Nigeria. We use the endogenous and exogenous switching treatment effects regression frameworks to estimate the impacts.

Relationship between quality attributes of backslopped fermented gari and the sensory and instrumental texture profile of the cooked dough ().

Unlabelled: Knowledge is scarce on the drivers of textural characteristics of cooked dough prepared from gari (). To address this need, quality attributes of backslopped fermented gari (BFG) were correlated with the sensory texture profile analysis (STPA) and instrumental texture profile analysis (ITPA) of the eba produced from six cassava varieties. The results showed that a significant and negative correlation exists between the STPA mouldability of the eba and the sugar ( < .

End-user preferences for pounded yam and implications for food product profile development.

Pounded yam is a popular food in Nigeria. This study reports end-user preferences for pounded yam and implications for trait evaluation by breeding programme. The study was carried out in two pounded yam-consuming regions in Nigeria: south-east and south-west.

Understanding cassava varietal preferences through pairwise ranking of and prepared by local farmer-processors.

Within communities in Osun and Imo States of Nigeria, farmer-processors grew and processed a diverse set of improved and landrace cassava varieties into the locally popular foods, , and . Local and 15 main varieties were grown in a 'mother and baby trials' design in each state. Mother trials with three replications were processed by farmer-processors renown in their community for their processing skills.

Evaluation of cowpea mini core accessions for resistance to flower bud thrips Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

The flower bud thrips, Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is an economically important pest of cowpea in sub-Saharan Africa. Varietal resistance is the most preferred, environmentally friendly, cost-effective and sustainable option for controlling this pest. The objective of this study was to identify sources of resistance to among mini core accessions from the largest world cowpea germplasm collection maintained at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

Efficacy of chemotherapy and thermotherapy in elimination of from Tanzanian cassava landrace.

Cassava mosaic disease is caused by cassava mosaic begomoviruses (CMBs) and can result in crop losses up to 100% in cassava () in Tanzania. We investigated the efficacy of chemotherapy and thermotherapy for elimination of (EACMV) of Tanzanian cassava. In vitro plantlets from EACMV-infected plants obtained from coastal Tanzania were established in the greenhouse.

Evaluation of some quality parameters of cassava starch and soy protein isolate matrices during deep fat frying in soybean oil.

Snack industry is recently focused on the production of snacks with minimal oil content and enhanced quality attributes which prompted the need to study the changes in snack matrices produced from cassava starch processed from three varieties of cassava roots (TMS-950289, TME-419, and TMS-30572) and soy protein isolate blends fried in soybean oil. Effect of frying temperature (170-180°C), frying time (2-4 min), soy protein isolate inclusion level (5%-15%) on proximate composition, color changes, expansion, texture, and sensory attributes of the snacks was investigated. Optimization of process variables was carried out based on a factorial design (2 level by 3 factor) in the Design Expert version 6.

Nutritional composition and glycemic index analyses of vitamin A-biofortified maize in healthy subjects.

Besides being a veritable tool for easing the problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD), this study sought to explore another potential health benefit of vitamin A-biofortified maize (VABM). In the present study, the nutritional composition and glycemic index (GI) of tuwo masara (a nonfermented maize-based dumpling), made from VABM and the indigenous white maize (IWM) genotype, were evaluated. VABM showed significantly (<0.

Assessment of heavy metals and microbial contamination of from Liberia.

Cassava is a staple mostly eaten in the form of , after rice in Liberia. The local method of processing often leads to product contamination, thus, a study was done to assess the heavy metals and microbial contamination of gari in eight counties of the country. A total of sixty-one samples were collected and packaged in an airtight polyethylene bag for analyses, using standard methods.

Household food insecurity, coping strategies, and nutritional status of pregnant women in rural areas of Northern Ghana.

There is limited information on the magnitude and determinants of household food insecurity (HFI) and how it relates to the nutritional status of pregnant women in Northern Ghana. The magnitude, determinants of HFI, and how it relates to the nutritional status of pregnant women were evaluated in the Africa RISING West Africa project intervention communities in Northern Ghana. The prevalence of moderate and severe household hunger was 25.

Retention of iron and zinc in yam flour and boiled yam processed from white yam () varieties.

This study investigated the impact of processing on retention of iron and zinc in . Fresh tubers were processed into boiled yam and yam flour and analyzed for zinc, iron, and physicochemical properties. Percent true retention (%TR) was assessed using paired samples and a formula that compensated for loss or gain of moisture and soluble solids.

Combined Application of Biofertilizers and Inorganic Nutrients Improves Sweet Potato Yields.

Sweet potato [ (L) ] yields currently stand at 4.5 t ha on smallholder farms in Uganda, despite the attainable yield (45-48 t ha) of NASPOT 11 cultivar comparable to the potential yield (45 t ha) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). On-farm field experiments were conducted for two seasons in the Mt Elgon High Farmlands and Lake Victoria Crescent agro-ecological zones in Uganda to determine the potential of biofertilizers, specifically arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to increase sweet potato yields (NASPOT 11 cultivar).

Cowpea and Groundnut Haulms Fodder Trading and Its Lessons for Multidimensional Cowpea Improvement for Mixed Crop Livestock Systems in West Africa.

Cowpea is an important legume crop in Africa, valued highly for its grain and also haulms, which are a tradable commodity in fodder markets. Fodder market surveys in Northern Nigeria showed that groundnut haulms were priced higher than cowpea haulms, probably because of their superior nutritive value. The economic value of haulms has prompted cowpea breeders and livestock nutritionists to explore haulm fodder traits as additional selection and breeding criteria.

Using CERES-Maize and ENSO as Decision Support Tools to Evaluate Climate-Sensitive Farm Management Practices for Maize Production in the Northern Regions of Ghana.

Maize () has traditionally been a major cereal staple in southern Ghana. Through breeding and other crop improvement efforts, the zone of cultivation of maize has now extended to the northern regions of Ghana which, hitherto, were the home to sorghum and millet as the major cereals. Maize yield in the northern Ghana is hampered by three major biophysical constraints, namely, poor soil fertility, low soil water storage capacity and climate variability.

Inoculants Enhance Grain Yields of Soybean and Cowpea in Northern Ghana.

This study evaluated the symbiotic effectiveness and economic evaluation of inoculants with the objective of recommending the most effective inoculant strain for soybean and cowpea production in Northern Ghana. Field experiments were established in three locations using randomized complete block design with five blocks. A total of four treatments (Legumefix, Biofix, 100 kg N ha and uninoculated control for soybean and BR 3267, BR 3262, 100 kg N ha and uninoculated control for cowpea) were applied.

A Sex Pheromone Receptor in the Hessian Fly Mayetiola destructor (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae).

The Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor Say (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), is a pest of wheat and belongs to a group of gall-inducing herbivores. This species has a unique life history and several ecological features that differentiate it from other Diptera such as Drosophila melanogaster and blood-feeding mosquitoes. These features include a short, non-feeding adult life stage (1-2 days) and the use of a long-range sex pheromone produced and released by adult females.

Genomic Tools in Cowpea Breeding Programs: Status and Perspectives.

Cowpea is one of the most important grain legumes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It provides strong support to the livelihood of small-scale farmers through its contributions to their nutritional security, income generation and soil fertility enhancement. Worldwide about 6.

Application of genomics-assisted breeding for generation of climate resilient crops: progress and prospects.

Climate change affects agricultural productivity worldwide. Increased prices of food commodities are the initial indication of drastic edible yield loss, which is expected to increase further due to global warming. This situation has compelled plant scientists to develop climate change-resilient crops, which can withstand broad-spectrum stresses such as drought, heat, cold, salinity, flood, submergence and pests, thus helping to deliver increased productivity.