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Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 30520

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Dr. David Draper Munt

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Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Rua da Escola Politécnica 56/58, 1250-102 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: global change adaptation; crop wild relatives conservation; species conservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Isabel Marques

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Forest Research Centre (CEF), Higher Institute of Agronomy, Edificio Ferreira Lapa, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: evolution; agro-forestry; biomarkers; genomics; ecosystem services
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

There are at least 7000 plants which have at some point in human history been used as crop plants and were later forgotten. These orphan crops, also known as neglected and underutilized crops, have been overlooked and eclipsed by those in greater demand. Nevertheless, orphan crops are key components in the current context of food security, helping to increase the diversification of food production. They are uniquely adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions, retaining an untapped pool of genetic diversity that might help to enhance adaptation in our common crops. In addition to diversifying nutritional intake, these crops provide economic and social benefits, especially for women who traditionally cultivate them for subsistence purposes.

In this Special Issue of Agronomy, we focus on the potential of orphan crops to contribute to food security, discussing new genetic, ecological, and breeding programs for the uptake of these species in the future as new crops.

Dr. David Draper Munt
Dr. Isabel Marques
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

food security
crop wild relatives
ecological modelling
genes and proteins
transcriptome
proteome
metabolome
physiological/biochemical responses
selection and breeding

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security

by David Draper and Isabel Marques

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3138; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123138 - 10 Dec 2022

Viewed by 733

Abstract

World food production will need to increase by at least 50% to meet our future needs [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

21 pages, 1625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variance Components, Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis of Morpho-Physiological and Yield Related Traits in Spider Plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) under Water-Stress Conditions

by Tinashe Chatara, Cousin Musvosvi, Aristide Carlos Houdegbe and Julia Sibiya

Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030752 - 04 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1834

Abstract

Drought is the most complex abiotic stress for crop production at the global level. Therefore, developing new African spider plant genotypes tolerant to drought stress is one of the best approaches to achieving and optimizing high yield potential with water use efficiency. Advances in the selection of this crop can be determined by an understanding of genetic variability, heritability, and the associations that exist among different traits. The aim of this study was to gather information that will aid in the breeding of African spider plant cultivars with improved drought tolerance. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) experiment with eighteen genotypes and four replications was carried out across three water regimes: severe drought (30% field capacity), intermediate drought (50% field capacity), and well-watered (100% field capacity), in two seasons. Data on twelve morpho-physiological traits were recorded. The analysis of variance showed significant differences among genotypes (p < 0.05) in leaf yield and yield-related traits. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was greater than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all 12 traits evaluated. High to moderate heritability estimates combined with a high to moderate genetic advance were observed for number of leaves, leaf width, plant height and stem diameter under drought stress conditions, indicating that these traits are controlled by additive gene action. Because of their predominant additive gene effects, correlation with leaf yield and favorable direct and indirect effects via the other yield-attributing traits, number of leaves per plant, plant height, days to 50% flowering, relative water content, net photosynthesis and leaf length could be used as target traits to improve spider plant leaf yield under drought-stressed conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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16 pages, 2902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Analysis of Partial Sequences of the Flavonone 3 Hydroxylase Gene in Lupinus mutabilis Reveals Differential Expression of Two Paralogues Potentially Related to Seed Coat Colour

by Norberto Guilengue, Helena G. Azinheira, Sofia Alves, João Neves-Martins, Pedro Talhinhas and Leonor Morais-Cecílio

Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020450 - 11 Feb 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

Flavonone 3 hydroxylases (EC 1.14.11.9) are key enzymes in the synthesis of anthocyanins and other flavonoids. Such compounds are involved in seed coat colour and stem pigmentation. Lupinus mutabilis (tarwi) is a legume crop domesticated in the Andean region, valued for the high protein and oil content of its seeds. Tarwi accessions are being selected for cultivation in Europe under defined breeding criteria. Seed coat colour patterns are relevant breeding traits in tarwi, and these are conditioned by anthocyanin content. We identified and isolated part of the tarwi flavonone 3-hydroxylase gene (LmF3h) from two accessions with distinct seed coat colour patterns. Two partial LmF3h paralogues, with predicted 20% amino-acid changes but little predicted tertiary structure alterations, were identified in the coloured seed genotype, while only one was present in the white seed genotype. Upon selection and validation of appropriate reference genes, a RT-qPCR analysis showed that these paralogues have different levels of expression during seed development in both genotypes, although they follow the same expression patterns. DNA and transcription analyses enabled to highlight potential F3H paralogues relatable to seed coat pigmentation in tarwi and, upon biochemical and genetic confirmation, prompt marker-assisted breeding for relevant phenotypic traits associated with flavonoid synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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20 pages, 2212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Intercropping Tuber Crops with Teak in Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

by Dewi Maharani, Aris Sudomo, Dila Swestiani, Murniati, Gerhard E. Sabastian, James M. Roshetko and Rizki Ary Fambayun

Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020449 - 11 Feb 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4206

Abstract

The adoption of agroforestry system aims to combine food production enhancement to compensate population growth with the improvement of agricultural marketable products to increase household income. The diversification of food crop products requires more effective land use. In Gunungkidul, high-density teak (Tectona grandis) plantation has dominated many private forests. The area under the tree crown has received low light intensity, where only shade-resistant plants can survive. Tuber crops, i.e., arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), canna (Canna edulis) and yam (Dioscorea esculenta) are shade-tolerant crops, which were planted in tree understory for supplementary food production and income generation. The cultivation under teak stand has been overlooked due to uncertainty in tuber productivity. To address this knowledge gap, the effect of teak shade (5- and 7-year teak) on the growth and yield of the three tuber crops was examined. The results indicated that both teak trial areas (with RLI 45.13% and 38.76%) were suitable for canna production (LER > 1), while management options were recommended for enhancing arrowroot and yam production. The LER of intercropped three-tuber crops under 5 years’ teak were >1, while of those under 7 years’ teak, only canna reached >1. Canna is the preferred option to be mixed in teak agroforestry systems with low light intensity due to its consistent yields, whether planted in open area or under teak shade. Silvicultural management, pruning and thinning are recommended to increase the growing space and resource sharing for intercropped plants. Land optimization in private forest understory using shade-resistant tubers will offer medium-term benefits, provided that proper silvicultural procedures are applied. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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27 pages, 1407 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Understanding the Impact of Drought in Coffea Genotypes: Transcriptomic Analysis Supports a Common High Resilience to Moderate Water Deficit but a Genotype Dependent Sensitivity to Severe Water Deficit

by Isabel Fernandes, Isabel Marques, Octávio S. Paulo, Dora Batista, Fábio L. Partelli, Fernando C. Lidon, Fábio M. DaMatta, José C. Ramalho and Ana I. Ribeiro-Barros

Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2255; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112255 - 08 Nov 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2621

Abstract

Water scarcity is the most significant factor limiting coffee production, although some cultivars can still have important drought tolerance. This study analyzed leaf transcriptomes of two coffee cultivars with contrasting physiological responses, Coffea canephora cv. CL153 and Coffea. arabica cv. Icatu, subjected to moderate (MWD) or severe water deficits (SWD). We found that MWD had a low impact compared with SWD, where 10% of all genes in Icatu and 17% in CL153 reacted to drought, being mainly down-regulated upon stress. Drought triggered a genotype-specific response involving the up-regulation of reticuline oxidase genes in CL153 and heat shock proteins in Icatu. Responsiveness to drought also included desiccation protectant genes, but primarily, aspartic proteases, especially in CL153. A total of 83 Transcription Factors were found engaged in response to drought, mainly up-regulated, especially under SWD. Together with the enrollment of 49 phosphatases and 272 protein kinases, results suggest the involvement of ABA-signaling processes in drought acclimation. The integration of these findings with complementing physiological and biochemical studies reveals that both genotypes are more resilient to moderate drought than previously thought and suggests the existence of post-transcriptional mechanisms modulating the response to drought. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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20 pages, 1081 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Forage Potential of the Global Collection of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) Germplasm Conserved at the ICRISAT Genebank

by Chinnadurai Backiyalakshmi, Chakrapani Babu, Dagunapur Naresh Reddy, Varijakshapanicker Padmakumar, Kodukula V. S. V. Prasad, Vania Cristina Renno Azevedo and Mani Vetriventhan

Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1706; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091706 - 26 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3284

Abstract

Finger millet is an important drought-tolerant and grain-nutrient dense food crop grown in semi-arid regions in Asia and Africa. The forage is used as a source of dry roughage for feeding livestock. In this study, the finger millet diversity panel (310 accessions and four controls) representing the global collection of the finger millet germplasm conserved at the ICRISAT genebank was assessed for forage quality and diversity in the years 2018 and 2019. Results of the study suggested that finger millet can generate stover yield ranging from 2890 to 10,779 kg ha⁻¹. Finger millet forage contained 6.47% to 8.15% of crude protein, >90% of dry matter content, 11.47% to 14.17% of ash content, 62.36% to 67.73% of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 33.07% to 38.37% of acid detergent fiber (ADF), 3.95% to 4.80% of acid detergent lignin (ADL), 6.18% to 6.89% of metabolizable energy (ME) and 45.21% to 49.09% of in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) with the grain yield of 810 to 3698 kg ha⁻¹ at maturity stage. The per se performance between the races, regions, and biological status has been performed and differed significantly for important traits. The 314 accessions were grouped into five clusters based on the performance for food-feed traits. Except for crude protein, there was a positive relationship between forage quality-positive traits and grain yield, indicating that agronomic and forage quality traits could be improved simultaneously. The top 10 promising accessions for important forage quality traits and accessions with multiple forage quality traits were identified. This study provides a detailed understanding of the variability that exists in forage quality traits in crop residues and their association with agronomic traits in the finger millet germplasm. The identified top-performing accessions would be the key genetic resources for developing dual-purpose cultivars and the information from this study will be useful for future finger millet food-feed trait improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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16 pages, 1503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity of Leaf Stomatal Traits among Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner Genotypes

by Danielly Dubberstein, Marcos Góes Oliveira, Elisa Mitsuko Aoyama, José Henrique Guilhen, Adésio Ferreira, Isabel Marques, José C. Ramalho and Fábio Luiz Partelli

Agronomy 2021, 11(6), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061126 - 01 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2789

Abstract

Leaf morpho-anatomical characteristics directly reflect photosynthetic performance and the ability to adapt to different environmental conditions. The study of biometric traits is essential for the selection of promising plant materials for breeding purposes. To identify new varieties of coffee plants with desirable traits for genetic improvement programs, this study investigated the variability of leaf morpho-anatomical traits in 43 genotypes of Coffea canephora (as the species under study is hypostomatous). Seven leaf characteristics were used: epidermal cell density (ECD), stomatal length (SL), stomatal width (SW), stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS), stomatal index (SI), and stomatal length/width. Morphological traits (plant height, internodal distance, and leaf area) and grain production were also assessed. The data analyzed multivariate analysis of variance grouped by the unweighted pair group the arithmetic mean hierarchical method, and data were also subjected to a Pearson linear correlation and principal component analyses (PCAs). The results showed wide morphological variability reflecting six morphological groups, which is relevant for the genetic divergence analysis and for breeding purposes, as the results have the potential to identify superior genotypes. Within the groups, genotypes were mainly separated by the number of epidermal cells and the number and size of the stomata, reflecting a high genetic heterogeneity within genotypes. Positive and negative correlations were found, with levels of significance ranging from weak to strong among the analyzed traits. The highest correlation levels were found for SL × SS, SW × SS, and SI × SD. In addition, the PCA indicated that plant height, distance between nodes, and leaf area were positively correlated and associated. The greater the number and width of stomata, the higher the rate of gas exchange. Both characteristics are favorable for the development and production of coffee plants, explaining the positive correlation observed in this study. These results emphasize the usefulness of trait evaluations for the identification and breeding of genotypes to compose new C. canephora cultivars suitable for changing environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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12 pages, 3219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] Landraces in Mozambique: New Opportunities for Crop Improvement and Future Breeding Programs

by Ana Maria Figueira Gomes, David Draper, Nascimento Nhantumbo, Rafael Massinga, José C. Ramalho, Isabel Marques and Ana I. Ribeiro-Barros

Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050991 - 17 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3651

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a neglected crop native to Africa, with an outstanding potential to contribute to the major challenges in food and nutrition security, as well as in agricultural sustainability. Two major issues regarding cowpea research have been highlighted in recent years—the establishment of core collections and the characterization of landraces—as crucial to the implementation of environmentally resilient and nutrition-sensitive production systems. In this work, we have collected, mapped, and characterized the morphological attributes of 61 cowpea genotypes, from 10 landraces spanning across six agro-ecological zones and three provinces in Mozambique. Our results reveal that local landraces retain a high level of morphological diversity without a specific geographical pattern, suggesting the existence of gene flow. Nevertheless, accessions from one landrace, i.e., Maringué, seem to be the most promising in terms of yield and nutrition-related parameters, and could therefore be integrated into the ongoing conservation and breeding efforts in the region towards the production of elite varieties of cowpea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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16 pages, 984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yield Potential and Variability of Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) Germplasms under Intensive and Conventional Management Conditions

by Muluken Bayable, Atsushi Tsunekawa, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Getachew Alemayehu, Wataru Tsuji, Mitsuru Tsubo, Enyew Adgo, Asaminew Tassew, Takayoshi Ishii, Fekremariam Asaregew and Tsugiyuki Masunaga

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020220 - 24 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3054

Abstract

Teff is the most strategic cereal crop grown from high rainfall to drought prone areas of Ethiopia, where it covers nearly 30% of the land allotted for cereals. However, its productivity remains very low due to lack of knowledge and research interventions. To investigate the grain yield potential, estimate the genetic parameters, and the diversity, a pot experiment with intensive management and a field experiment with conventional management at two contrasting locations for two seasons using the same 317 genotypes and additional 3 improved cultivars in the field experiment were carried out. The results showed highly significant variation among the genotypes for grain yield, biomass, harvest index, and phenological traits under both experiments. The best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP)-adjusted grain yield performance of the genotypes ranged from 4.2 to 8.8 g/plant in the intensive management and 1.8 to 4.3 g/plant in the field growing condition with conventional management. Coefficient of genetic variation, heritability, and expected genetic advance for grain yield were the highest in both experiments. Among the phenological traits, the grain filling period in the intensive growing condition exceptionally showed the highest genetic coefficient of variation and genetic advance. The high grain yield performance and wider range of the harvest index observed under the intensive management condition with moderate to high heritability signifies the genetic potential of teff for further improvement through trait recombination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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Review

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20 pages, 1565 KiB

Open AccessReview

Taro in West Africa: Status, Challenges, and Opportunities

by Joy Jesumeda Oladimeji, P. Lava Kumar, Ayodeji Abe, Ramesh Raju Vetukuri and Ranjana Bhattacharjee

Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2094; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092094 - 01 Sep 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5004

Abstract

Taro is an ancient nutritional and medicinal crop woven into the fabric of the socio-economic life of those living in the tropics and sub-tropics. However, West Africa (WA), which has been a major producer of the crop for several decades, is experiencing a significant decline in production as a result of taro leaf blight (TLB), a disease caused by Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski. A lack of research on taro in WA means that available innovative technologies have not been fully utilized to provide solutions to inherent challenges and enhance the status of the crop. Improvement through plant breeding remains the most economically and environmentally sustainable means of increasing the productivity of taro in WA. With this review, we provide insights into the importance of the taro crop in WA, evaluate taro research to date, and suggest how to address research gaps in order to promote taro sustainability in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Untapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Species to Improve Food Security)

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