CURRENT EFFORTS IN BAMBARA GROUNDNUT BREEDING IN GHANA

Abstract

Bambara is a good source of inexpensive vegetable protein and a food security crop in Ghana. Until recently, bambara groundnut attracted little research interest and funding. In recent times, there are efforts to improve upon the productivity of bambara groundnut. Studies were initiated into germplasm collection, characterization and evaluation for desirable agronomic characteristics. Other studies were conducted to increase the genetic variability of bambara groundnut using irradiation, to shorten the generation period for bambara groundnut using in vitro and in vivo systems and to advance F3 lines with the aim of selecting lines with farmer and consumer preferred characteristics. Results of these studies indicated that irradiation induced higher genetic variation of up to four times within the cultivars used in the study. In addition, in vitro and in vivo regeneration systems were efficient in shortening the regeneration period of bambara groundnut and thus obtaining more generations per year. Results from the evaluation of advanced populations of products from the first ever artificial hybridization in bambara groundnut yielded 14 lines that showed farmer and consumer preferred characteristics.