I am a plant geneticist with wealth of experience in plant tissue culture, plant-microbe interactions, bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques with a passion for enhancing food and nutrition security especially in sub Saharan Africa. I am open for research collaborations and consultancy Phone: +2358084827250
Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in... more Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in recent times. The effects of climate change, drought, and unpredictable rainfall patterns threaten food production and sustainable agriculture. More so, insurgency, youth restiveness, and politico-economic instability amidst a burgeoning population requiring a sufficient and healthy diet remain front-burner issues in the region. Overdependence on only a few major staple crops is increasingly promoting the near extinction of many crops, especially orphan legumes, which possess immense potentials as protein and nutritional security crops. The major staple crops are declining in yield partly to their inability to adapt to the continuously changing climatic conditions. Remarkably, the orphan legumes are climate-smart crops with enormous agronomic features which foster sustainable livelihood. Research efforts on these crops have not attained a reasonable comparative status with most commerci...
Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-b... more Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, u...
IntroductionMaize is a major staple cereal crop grown and consumed globally. However, due to clim... more IntroductionMaize is a major staple cereal crop grown and consumed globally. However, due to climate change, extreme heat and drought stresses are greatly affecting its production especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of a bio-based approach to mitigate drought stress is therefore suggested using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).MethodsThis study investigated the abilities of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase producing PGPR Pseudomonas sp. MRBP4, Pseudomonas sp. MRBP13 and Bacillus sp. MRBP10 isolated from maize rhizosphere soil, to ameliorate the effect of drought stress in maize genotypes MR44 and S0/8/W/I137TNW//CML550 under two water regimes; mild drought stress (50% FC) and well-watered conditions (100% FC). The rhizobacterial strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical tests, and evaluated for plant growth-promoting and abiotic stress tolerance traits.Results and discussionThe synergistic effect of the bacterial strains had a h...
African yam bean (AYB) is an “orphan” crop in Africa, despite its nutritional benefits and potent... more African yam bean (AYB) is an “orphan” crop in Africa, despite its nutritional benefits and potentials as a food security crop. It produces two valuable products, edible seeds and tubers. The tubers which are consumed in most parts of East and Central Africa have not been given much attention in West Africa. This study also evaluated 40 AYB accessions for tuberization and investigated the proximate, mineral and anti-nutritional composition of tubers of some AYB accessions harvested in the 2011/2012 cropping season. Tuberization occurred in 42.5 % of accessions investigated. Accession TSs 140 produced the highest number of tubers (6 tubers/plant) while AYB1 had the least (1 tuber). Three different tuber shapes were identified; ovate, spindle and irregular, with the spindle shape being the most dominant. Tuberization was more pronounced in 2012 with less rainfall (185.74mm) and sunshine hour (4.9 hr), compared to the 2011 season. The tubers were low in moisture content (10.3%) while cr...
The genetic diversity of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions was assessed using Amplified Fragme... more The genetic diversity of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions was assessed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Seeds of 40 accessions of AYB obtained from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan, Nigeria, were grown in a greenhouse and young leaves from two weeks old plants collected for DNA extraction. The four primer combinations used generated a total of 1730 amplification fragments across the AYB accessions used in this study of which 1647 were polymorphic (95.20%). The number of amplified polymorphic AFLP bands per primer pair varied from 360 to 520 with an average percentage polymorphism of 95.6%. E-AGC/M-CAG produced the highest number of polymorphic bands (520). Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.9447 to 0.9626. The highest level of polymorphism (100%) was recorded for two primer combinations (E-AAC/M-CAG and E-ACT/M-CAG). The results of clus...
Ploidy determination of germplasm is necessary before initiating breeding or genetic studies. Thi... more Ploidy determination of germplasm is necessary before initiating breeding or genetic studies. This research was conducted to determine the DNA ploidy level of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions using flow cytometry. Ploidy was assessed using a Partec PAS II Flow cytometer. TSs 5 was used as the external standard to run the analysis. A diploid ploidy level (2x) was obtained for all accessions studied. No variations were observed in the relative fluorescence intensity (Channel number) recorded in the ploidy level obtained as the test samples maintained the same Channel number (100) as the external standard TSs 5. Coefficient of variation values ranged from 1.30 to 3.43 which reflect the narrowness and accuracy of the peaks. The mean values ranged from 94.69 to 101.08. The peak means of the flow cytometric analysis of the 40 accessions of AYB were highly significant (P < .0001). Flow cytometry is faster and gives more accurate ploidy determination than root tip chromosome counting...
ABSTRACT Intraspecific variabilities in 40 accessions of African yam bean (AYB) were assessed thr... more ABSTRACT Intraspecific variabilities in 40 accessions of African yam bean (AYB) were assessed through characterization of 48 agromorphological traits for two cropping seasons between June and December 2011 and 2012. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis (Semi-partial R squared method). The accessions showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05, P ≤ 0.01, P ≤ 0.0001) in 16 reproductive traits. Accessions TSs 66 (144.50 days), TSs 51 (144.67 days) and TSs 154 (144.67 days) were identified as early maturing accessions. The first five principal component axes explained 69.7% of the total variation with PC1 and PC2 contributing 38.9% to the total variation. Correlation coefficients were high and significant for yield traits. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.99***) was observed between seed yield (kg ha-1) and weight of total pods per plant. Tubers were produced from 42.5% of the accessions. The accessions of AYB were meaningfully grouped into five clusters at the R-squared distance of 0.04 similarity index. Phenotypically, AYB 57 and TSs 123 were the most similar accessions with the closest distance of 0.0071. Four seed shapes were identified; oval (82.5%), globular/round (5%), oblong (10%), and rhomboid (2.5%). In order to improve the yield of AYB, the number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant, weight of total seeds per pod, and weight of total seed per plant are important determinant factors. The genetic variabilities observed in the traits studied could be utilised for improvement of AYB.
Abiotic stresses arising from climate change negates crop growth and yield, leading to food insec... more Abiotic stresses arising from climate change negates crop growth and yield, leading to food insecurity. Drought causes oxidative stress on plants, arising from excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to inadequate CO 2 , which disrupts the photosynthetic machinery of plants. The use of conventional methods for the development of drought-tolerant crops is time-consuming, and the full adoption of modern biotechnology for crop enhancement is still regarded with prudence. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could be used as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly approach for enhancing crop growth under environmental stress. The various direct and indirect mechanisms used for plant growth enhancement by PGPR were discussed. Synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane−1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase enhances plant nutrient uptake by breaking down plant ACC, thereby preventing ethylene accumulation, and enable plants to tolerate water stress. The exopolysaccharides produced also improves the ability of the soil to withhold water. PGPR enhances osmolyte production, which is effective in reducing the detrimental effects of ROS. Multifaceted PGPRs are potential candidates for biofertilizer production to lessen the detrimental effects of drought stress on crops cultivated in arid regions. This review proffered ways of augmenting their efficacy as bio-inoculants under field conditions and highlighted future prospects for sustainable agricultural productivity.
Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in... more Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in recent times. The effects of climate change, drought, and unpredictable rainfall patterns threaten food production and sustainable agriculture. More so, insurgency, youth restiveness, and politico-economic instability amidst a burgeoning population requiring a sufficient and healthy diet remain front-burner issues in the region. Overdependence on only a few major staple crops is increasingly promoting the near extinction of many crops, especially orphan legumes, which possess immense potentials as protein and nutritional security crops. The major staple crops are declining in yield partly to their inability to adapt to the continuously changing climatic conditions. Remarkably, the orphan legumes are climate-smart crops with enormous agronomic features which foster sustainable livelihood. Research efforts on these crops have not attained a reasonable comparative status with most commerci...
Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-b... more Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, u...
IntroductionMaize is a major staple cereal crop grown and consumed globally. However, due to clim... more IntroductionMaize is a major staple cereal crop grown and consumed globally. However, due to climate change, extreme heat and drought stresses are greatly affecting its production especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of a bio-based approach to mitigate drought stress is therefore suggested using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).MethodsThis study investigated the abilities of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase producing PGPR Pseudomonas sp. MRBP4, Pseudomonas sp. MRBP13 and Bacillus sp. MRBP10 isolated from maize rhizosphere soil, to ameliorate the effect of drought stress in maize genotypes MR44 and S0/8/W/I137TNW//CML550 under two water regimes; mild drought stress (50% FC) and well-watered conditions (100% FC). The rhizobacterial strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical tests, and evaluated for plant growth-promoting and abiotic stress tolerance traits.Results and discussionThe synergistic effect of the bacterial strains had a h...
African yam bean (AYB) is an “orphan” crop in Africa, despite its nutritional benefits and potent... more African yam bean (AYB) is an “orphan” crop in Africa, despite its nutritional benefits and potentials as a food security crop. It produces two valuable products, edible seeds and tubers. The tubers which are consumed in most parts of East and Central Africa have not been given much attention in West Africa. This study also evaluated 40 AYB accessions for tuberization and investigated the proximate, mineral and anti-nutritional composition of tubers of some AYB accessions harvested in the 2011/2012 cropping season. Tuberization occurred in 42.5 % of accessions investigated. Accession TSs 140 produced the highest number of tubers (6 tubers/plant) while AYB1 had the least (1 tuber). Three different tuber shapes were identified; ovate, spindle and irregular, with the spindle shape being the most dominant. Tuberization was more pronounced in 2012 with less rainfall (185.74mm) and sunshine hour (4.9 hr), compared to the 2011 season. The tubers were low in moisture content (10.3%) while cr...
The genetic diversity of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions was assessed using Amplified Fragme... more The genetic diversity of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions was assessed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Seeds of 40 accessions of AYB obtained from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan, Nigeria, were grown in a greenhouse and young leaves from two weeks old plants collected for DNA extraction. The four primer combinations used generated a total of 1730 amplification fragments across the AYB accessions used in this study of which 1647 were polymorphic (95.20%). The number of amplified polymorphic AFLP bands per primer pair varied from 360 to 520 with an average percentage polymorphism of 95.6%. E-AGC/M-CAG produced the highest number of polymorphic bands (520). Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.9447 to 0.9626. The highest level of polymorphism (100%) was recorded for two primer combinations (E-AAC/M-CAG and E-ACT/M-CAG). The results of clus...
Ploidy determination of germplasm is necessary before initiating breeding or genetic studies. Thi... more Ploidy determination of germplasm is necessary before initiating breeding or genetic studies. This research was conducted to determine the DNA ploidy level of 40 African yam bean (AYB) accessions using flow cytometry. Ploidy was assessed using a Partec PAS II Flow cytometer. TSs 5 was used as the external standard to run the analysis. A diploid ploidy level (2x) was obtained for all accessions studied. No variations were observed in the relative fluorescence intensity (Channel number) recorded in the ploidy level obtained as the test samples maintained the same Channel number (100) as the external standard TSs 5. Coefficient of variation values ranged from 1.30 to 3.43 which reflect the narrowness and accuracy of the peaks. The mean values ranged from 94.69 to 101.08. The peak means of the flow cytometric analysis of the 40 accessions of AYB were highly significant (P < .0001). Flow cytometry is faster and gives more accurate ploidy determination than root tip chromosome counting...
ABSTRACT Intraspecific variabilities in 40 accessions of African yam bean (AYB) were assessed thr... more ABSTRACT Intraspecific variabilities in 40 accessions of African yam bean (AYB) were assessed through characterization of 48 agromorphological traits for two cropping seasons between June and December 2011 and 2012. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis (Semi-partial R squared method). The accessions showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05, P ≤ 0.01, P ≤ 0.0001) in 16 reproductive traits. Accessions TSs 66 (144.50 days), TSs 51 (144.67 days) and TSs 154 (144.67 days) were identified as early maturing accessions. The first five principal component axes explained 69.7% of the total variation with PC1 and PC2 contributing 38.9% to the total variation. Correlation coefficients were high and significant for yield traits. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.99***) was observed between seed yield (kg ha-1) and weight of total pods per plant. Tubers were produced from 42.5% of the accessions. The accessions of AYB were meaningfully grouped into five clusters at the R-squared distance of 0.04 similarity index. Phenotypically, AYB 57 and TSs 123 were the most similar accessions with the closest distance of 0.0071. Four seed shapes were identified; oval (82.5%), globular/round (5%), oblong (10%), and rhomboid (2.5%). In order to improve the yield of AYB, the number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant, weight of total seeds per pod, and weight of total seed per plant are important determinant factors. The genetic variabilities observed in the traits studied could be utilised for improvement of AYB.
Abiotic stresses arising from climate change negates crop growth and yield, leading to food insec... more Abiotic stresses arising from climate change negates crop growth and yield, leading to food insecurity. Drought causes oxidative stress on plants, arising from excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to inadequate CO 2 , which disrupts the photosynthetic machinery of plants. The use of conventional methods for the development of drought-tolerant crops is time-consuming, and the full adoption of modern biotechnology for crop enhancement is still regarded with prudence. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could be used as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly approach for enhancing crop growth under environmental stress. The various direct and indirect mechanisms used for plant growth enhancement by PGPR were discussed. Synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane−1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase enhances plant nutrient uptake by breaking down plant ACC, thereby preventing ethylene accumulation, and enable plants to tolerate water stress. The exopolysaccharides produced also improves the ability of the soil to withhold water. PGPR enhances osmolyte production, which is effective in reducing the detrimental effects of ROS. Multifaceted PGPRs are potential candidates for biofertilizer production to lessen the detrimental effects of drought stress on crops cultivated in arid regions. This review proffered ways of augmenting their efficacy as bio-inoculants under field conditions and highlighted future prospects for sustainable agricultural productivity.
Uploads
Papers by Omena B E R N A R D Ojuederie