Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a leguminous crop with high economic and nutritional value. However, increased production is hampered by Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) caused by Cercospora arachidicola and Cercosporidium personatum. Studies were conducted in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the efficacy of aqueous extracts of desert date seed (DDSE), neem seed (NSE), jatropha seed (JSE) and tobacco leaf (TLE) for the management of CLS. The antifungal activities of 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/l concentrations of each of the plant extracts was assessed in vitro on potato dextrose agar using the food poison technique. The field study was a factorial experiment consisting of 18 treatments laid in a Randomised Complete Block Design with four replications over two cropping seasons. The in vitro results revealed that all the botanicals at 100 g/l recorded the highest inhibition percentages. DDSE at 100 g/l significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited the highest mycelia growths compared to other levels of plant extracts used with inhibition percentages of 90.33 and 84.96% in C. arachidicola and C. personatum, respectively. Three out of the four aqueous extracts (DDSE, NSE and JSE) at 100 g/l significantly (P < 0.05) lowered disease incidence, severity and defoliation in the field and increased yield. Pod yield was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in plants treated with JSE, NSE, DDSE and Topsin-M, compared to those treated with TLE and the negative control plants. For most of the parameters, DDSE produced similar results as Topsin-M followed by NSE and JSE. Farmers can adopt DDSE, NSE and JSE as alternatives to fungicides leading to minimal effect on the environment since they are biodegradable. Key words: Cercospora leaf spot, plant extracts, groundnut, incidence, severity, aqueous.

The physical properties of agricultural materials are functional in solving many glitches associated with machine design during handling and mechanical processing. Physical properties of five groundnut varieties (“Obolo”, “Yenyawoso”, “CRI Nkatie”, “Agbeyeyie” and “Pion”) and their relations to the design of food processing equipment were studied. Obolo variety recorded the maximum axial dimensions, 1000 mass grain, angle of repose, unit volume, and porosity. However, the values of bulk and true densities for Obolo variety were minimal compared with the other four varieties. Data for the angle of repose for the groundnut varieties were 17.74° (Yenyawoso), 18.02° (Pion), 18.73° (Agbeyeyie), 18.71° (Cri-Nkatie), and 18.89° (Obolo). The porosity of the kernels ranged from 21.97 to 24.54%. The mean greatest porosity was found in Obolo (24.54%), followed by Yenyawoso (24.38%), while Agbeyeyie recorded the least mean porosity of 21.97%. The coefficient of friction was greater for the galvanized steel surface than the other experimental surfaces for all the groundnut varieties studied. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed varietal differences among some means of the physical attributes at p < 0.05. Except for the angle of repose, the geometric, gravimetric and frictional properties showed some significant differences at p < 0.05. Obolo variety was statistically different compared with the other four varieties for all the parameters studied. In selecting or designing equipment for processing, Obolo variety will require separate equipment different from that of the other four varieties. Additionally, the study provides pertinent data for use in the selection and designing of machines for processing groundnut kernels. Key words: Postharvest processing equipment, geometric mean diameter, bulk density, frictional properties, groundnut kernels, angle of repose.

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de diferentes sistemas de alimentação com amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi) sobre o desempenho e parasitismo de borregas Corriedale. Foram avaliados três sistemas de alimentação em pastejo contínuo com ajuste de carga: 1- animais mantidos exclusivamente em campo nativo; 2- animais mantidos em campo nativo e duas horas diárias de acesso a pastagem de amendoim forrageiro; 3- animais mantidos exclusivamente em pastagem de amendoim forrageiro. Os animais foram distribuídos em delineamento completamente casualizado com dez repetições. Foram mensurados: peso médio, índice de massa corporal, escore de condição corporal, nível de anemia pelo método Famacha©, nível de hematócrito e contagem de ovos por grama de fezes. Os sistemas de alimentação, graus de infestação parasitária e sua interação foram comparados, em dois anos experimentais, através de análise de variância, teste de Fisher e teste não paramétrico de Kruskall-Wallis. A infestação parasitária foi menor no primeiro ano, 2018, independentemente do sistema de alimentação. Os sistemas de alimentação com uso de amendoim forrageiro apresentaram desempenho animal superior e menor infestação parasitária das borregas. O uso de amendoim forrageiro sob pastejo pode ser uma ferramenta no controle estratégico da verminose em borregas, desde que integrado a outros métodos de controle parasitário. Devido as condições climáticas a infestação parasitária foi diferente nos dois anos experimentais, independentemente dos sistemas de alimentação, o que pode ser uma limitação do estudo.

Background: Plants in the genus Arachis produce flowers aerially that develop into gynophores that grow into the ground, where they develop into fruits. Although some aerial gynophores develop into pods aboveground, embryo or seed abortion occurs in these individuals. During pod development, the shell wall initially comprises the majority of the fruit volume, but then the seeds expand up to the total pod volume. Expansins are plant cell wall-loosening proteins involved in cell enlargement and a variety of other developmental processes in which cell-wall modification occurs.Methods: In this study, we analyzed the expansin genes during seed development using RNA-seq data by bioinformatic approaches.Results: We identified five expansin genes exhibited up-regulated expression, while four genes were down-regulated expression using Arachis duranensis RAN-seq data. Multiple transcription factors regulate AdEXPs throughout seed development. Genes co-expressed with AdEXPs are involved in metabolic processes throughout pod development into seed development, reframing the current understanding of the novel subterranean peanut fruits.

Production of groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Western Kenya is mainly constrained by groundnut rosette disease (GRD) which cause up to 100% yield loss. This disease expresses different symptoms as a result of variations in the groundnut rosette virus (GRV) associated satellite-ribonucleic acid (GRV Sat-RNA). Over the past 20 years, no work had been done to document the status of the disease in Kenya. Additionally, no sequences of any of the GRD associated viruses were available in the GeneBank from Kenya. This study determined the distribution of GRD and the genetic diversity of GRV Sat-RNA. Sampling was done in main groundnut growing areas of Western Kenya during the long and short rain seasons in 2016/2017. Total RNA was extracted from the leafy samples collected using RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturers’ protocol and used for double stranded cDNA synthesis using the SuperScript II kit. DNA libraries were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform (Illumina). Reads were used for de novo assembly and contigs aligned to the viral genomes database using CLC Genomics Workbench 10.1.2. The assembled contigs were subjected to a BLASTn search against the GenBank database. Average GRD incidence was 53 and 41% in the short and long rain seasons, respectively. Chlorotic rosette was the dominant symptom followed by green rosette and mosaic. Nucleotide sequences of Sat-RNA revealed identities of 88 to 100% between the Kenyan isolates and those from Malawi, Nigeria and Ghana. All Kenya isolates clustered closest with green rosette variants of Malawi except one which clustered with chlorotic/yellow blotch variants. Rosette is widely distributed in Western Kenya and occurs wherever groundnuts are grown. The variations of GRD symptoms in Western Kenya could be due to the existence of different variants of Sat-RNA or other agents. Key words: Groundnuts, satellite-ribonucleic acid (Sat-RNA), diversity, Western Kenya.

Macrophomina phaseolina (Botryosphaeriaceae) is an important soil- and seed-borne pathogen. This pathogen has a broad geographic distribution, and a large host range. The aim of the present study was to determine the genetic variation among a global set of 189 isolates of M. phaseolina, isolated from 23 hosts and 30 soil samples in 15 countries. To achieve this goal a multi-gene DNA analysis was conducted for the following five loci, ITS, TEF, ACT, CAL and TUB. Based on these results two well-defined clusters could be delineated, one corresponding to M. phaseolina s. str., for which a suitable epitype is designated. The second clade corresponds to M. pseudophaseolina, a novel species occurring on Abelmoschus esculentus, Arachis hypogaea, Hibiscus sabdarifa and Vigna unguiculata in Senegal. No consistent correlation was found among genotype, host and geographic location, and both species could even occur on the same host at the same location. Although M. pseudophaseolina is presently only known from Senegal, further research is required to determine its virulence compared to M. phaseolina, and its geographic distribution.

Groundnut is an important crop in the farmers’ cropping systems of Benin and one of the selected crops to be promoted by Benin Government. The aim of the present study is to analyze the traditional groundnut cropping systems in Benin. Farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, cropping practices, farmers’ perceptions of climate change manifestations on groundnut were information collected using an open ended questionnaire. In total, 382 farmers in three agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Benin Republic were selected according to 121 farmers in the cotton zone of the northern Benin (AEZ 2), 159 farmers in the cotton zone of central Benin (AEZ 5) and 102 farmers in the “terre de barre” zone (AEZ 6) in the south. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze data collected. Groundnut cultivation is mainly carried out by women in the AEZ 2, while in the two other AEZ, men are strengthly involved in the production. In the AEZ 5 and 6, groundnut is becoming nowadays a cash crop. Groundnut cultivation occupied less than 10% of the area owned by farmers in the AEZ 2 while it occupied more than half of the total area in the AEZ 5 and 6. Pod blank, pod attack by the termites were the main farmers’ perceptions of the climate change effect on groundnut cultivation which is related to soil drought. In general, the sex of the farmers, supply of mineral fertilizer, crop rotation, crop residues management and supply of household waste have a significant and positive effects on the groundnut yield level. The study suggested that, balanced plant nutrition could be a challenge for enhancing groundnut production in Benin. Key words: Source of income, farmer perception, soil fertility, climate change, crop nutritional balance, crop residues management.

Bioinformatic analysis of globulin gene family in Arachis duranensis

A study was carried out to estimate the parent-offspring regression and correlation and, to determine genetic advance of yield and drought related traits of groundnut at early segregating populations. All the experiments were conducted in the dry season 2015/2016 at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics ICRISAT Samanko, Mali under full irrigation and drought stress conditions. The data were collected on plot basis on both water-stressed and fully irrigated plots in the F1, F2 and F2:3 generations of two populations. Data collected included chlorophyll concentration (SCMR), Specific Leaf Area (SLA) (cm2/g) and Pod Yield (PY)(kg/ha). Results of the parent offspring regression for the two populations evaluated both water regimes were low and revealed importance of non-genetic effects. Consequently, the genetic advances for the two crosses were mostly low to moderate irrespective of the generation and environment under study. Selection at early generation in groundnut could be slow under drought. Based on the findings, selection for drought tolerance would be inefficient to identify high yield and drought tolerant lines at early generation in groundnut. The highest heritability estimates for F1:F2 were 42% for SCMR 60 DAS and at 80 DAS under well-watered conditions, 20% ± 0.20 for SLA at 60 DAS and at 80 DAS under drought stressed conditions. The highest heritability estimates for F2:F3 progenies were observed from SCMR 60 DAS (22% ± 0.09) under well-watered conditions and SLA 60 DAS (22% ± 0.08) under water-stressed conditions. Key words: Groundnut, heritability, drought stress, breeding.

Ecological effects of three phenolic acids on formation of continuous cropping obstacle in peanut（Arachis hypogaea L.）

Cloning and functional analysis of AhFAE1 and its promoter from Arachis hypogaea L.

Reponse de l'arachide (Arachis hypogaea L.) a l'engrais phosphate et a la gestion des mauvaises herbes dans la zone de savane guineenne au Ghana Des essais ont ete menes pendant les saisons culturales de 2013 et 2014 a la station experimentale de l'Institut de recherche agricole de la savane CSIR-, Nyankpala, pour evaluer la reponse de l'arachide a l'engrais phosphate et au desherbage manuel. Un dispositif en bloc completement randomise, avec trois repetitions par traitement, a ete utilise. Douze traitements dont quatre doses de phosphore (0, 15, 30 et 45 kg.ha-1) et trois methodes de desherbage [presence de mauvaises herbes, absence de mauvaises herbes, et desherbage a 3 et 6 semaines apres le semis (SES)]. Les resultats ont montre une interaction entre le regime de desherbage et les doses de phosphore. Des differences significatives ont ete observees pendant les deux saisons pour differents parametres: la largeur de la canopee, la nodulation effective, les poids frais et sec des gousses, la biomasse des mauvaises herbes, le poids de 100 graines, le poids des fanes et la densite et les dommages causes par les arthropodes ravageurs du sol. Le desherbage a 3 et 6 SES plus 30 ou 45 kg.ha-1 de phosphore ont reduit l'activite des arthropodes dans le sol, au meme niveau que celui des parcelles exemptes de mauvaises herbes. Ces traitements ont ameliore tous les parametres de rendement. La largeur de la canopee, la nodulation effective et le rendement des gousses sont positivement correles (r = 0,72 a 0,95) au poids des fanes pendant les deux saisons. Malgre qu'une croissance et un developpement similaire ont ete observes dans les parcelles sans mauvaises herbes et ceux avec desherbage a 3 et 6 SES, pour des raisons de main-d'œuvre et de couts dans la pratique de l'agriculture sans mauvaises herbes, le desherbage a 3 et 6 SES et l'application de 45 kg P.ha-1 sont recommandes pour maximiser la production de l'arachide dans le nord du Ghana.

Fil: Cesari, Adriana Belen. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biologia Molecular. Seccion Quimica Biologica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina

The present study described the influence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CTC12 (KT633845) and Burkholderia cepacia KHD08 (KT717633) incombination withinorganic Pfertilizer (SSP) onthe inorganicPfractions (Ca-P andnon occluded Al-P and Fe-P) in an acid agricultural soil. Though not significant but the highest available phosphorus was found with the combined application of 75 per cent P as SSP and inoculum KHD08 at 75 days after sowing (DAS) and harvest. Nonoccluded Al-P and Fe-P accounted for maximum inorganic P fraction. Plots receiving 100 per cent single super phosphate (SSP) eithersole or in combination with PSB recorded maximum non occluded Al-P and Fe-P and Ca-P. Sole application of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CTC12 or Burkholderia cepacia KHD08 reduced the concentration of non occluded Al-P and Fe-P as well as Ca-P. The application of P solubilizing bacteria least influenced soil pH and organic carbon. However, combined application of P solubilizing bacteria and single super phosphate positively influenced pod yield and kernel P uptake. The beneficial effect of these rhizo-bacteriacan be effectively used asbioinoculants combined with lower doses of inorganic P fertilizer in problematic acid agricultural soils in order to enhance crop productivity and soil available P.

Com o aumento da população urbana mundial, problemas urbanos passam a ser recorrentes, como por exemplo, as inundações em decorrência da precipitação. Ações que minimizem os impactos ambientais do processo de urbanização passam a ser necessárias, uma dessas ações é a aplicação de telhados verdes, que devido as suas propriedades retém parte da água da chuva e ainda retardam o escoamento dessa água. Alguns estudos demonstram a capacidade de retenção dos telhados verdes, entretanto, sem vincular ao tipo de vegetação. O objetivo da presente pesquisa é verificar a influência da espécie vegetal, utilizada em telhados verdes, na retenção e água de chuva na cidade de Curitiba. Através do estudo em seis espécies vegetais diferentes Bulbine frutescens, Tradescantia zebrina variação Purpusii, Sedum mexicanum, Callisia repens, Arachis Repens e Zoysia tenuifolia. Com esta análise pode-se perceber que existe uma variação de retenção significativa em função da espécie vegetal, sendo que a espécie Bulbine frutescens apresentou o melhor desempenho entre as espécies analisadas.

Effects of salt and drought cross stress on peanut (Arachis hypogaea) growth and physiological characteristics

Effects of different calcium fertilizer gradients and film mulching on root morphological development and yield of peanut（Arachis hypogaca L.）in red soil under calcium deficiency

Cloning and functional analysis of a novel early embryo-specific expressed AhDGAT3 promoter from Arachis hypogaea L.

Effects of exogenous chemicals on induced resistance to early leaf spot disease and web blotch disease in peanut (Arachis hypogaea)

Fil: Dolce, Natalia Raquel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botanica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botanica del Nordeste; Argentina