Black-eyed Pea Research Articles

Leaf growth, gas exchange and assimilation performance of cowpea varieties in response to Bradyrhizobium inoculation

Supplying nitrogen to crops through selecting high N fixing legumes and effective inoculant is one of the key strategies to improve crop productivity. However, studies related to the effect of Bradyrhizobial inoculation on leaf growth, its functioning in relation to photosynthesis, and transpiration efficiency (WUE) of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] varieties in the tropics were inadequate. A two-year field experiment was conducted at three sites to evaluate the effect of inoculation on leaf growth, gas exchanges and photosynthetic efficiency of cowpea varieties. The study treatments were composed of four varieties, Keti (IT99K-1122), TVU, Black eye bean, and White wonderer trailing and three levels of inoculation (non-inoculated or inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains CP-24 or CP-37). Gas exchange was measured on live plants at 67–77 days after sowing, between 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 14:00 to 16:00 p.m. Leaf growth parameters (leaf number and leaf area) were measured by destructive sampling, and the yield data was determined by harvesting plants in the three central rows at physiological maturity. Variety TVU performed best in terms of leaf number, photosynthesis rate, and WUE. Whereas, Black eye bean revealed superior performances for leaf area, leaf area index, and stomatal conductance compared with the rest two varieties. The effect of inoculation was significant with 14.0, 23.8, 13.7, and 11.0% advantage in leaf area, leaf area index, net photosynthesis, and WUE, respectively. Moreover, the performance of cowpea of the 2018 cropping season showed a relative advantage over 2019 in terms of leaf number, leaf area, leaf area index, net photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance. Therefore, inoculating cowpea varieties with effective Bradyrhizobium strain can be a viable alternative to enhance growth, gas exchange, photosynthetic efficiency, and grain yield.

Registration of aphid‐resistant ‘California Blackeye 77’ cowpea

Abstract‘California Blackeye 77’ (CB77) (Reg. no. CV‐344, PI 698656) is a blackeye‐type cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] cultivar developed by the University of California, Riverside. CB77 is distinguished from the industry standard cultivars, ‘California Blackeye 46’ (CB46) and ‘California Blackeye 5’ (CB5), by its ability to resist infestation caused by cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch), a destructive sap‐sucking insect pest prevalent in the Central Valley of California and warm‐to‐hot regions worldwide. CB77 was developed by introgression of two known quantitative trait loci for aphid resistance from the African cowpea breeding line IT97K‐556‐6 into CB46 through marker‐assisted backcrossing. Genotyping with 51,128 single nucleotide polymorphism markers reveals that CB77 is near‐isogenic to CB46 and carries two resistance haplotypes (∼4 Mb in total) from IT97K‐556‐6. On‐station and on‐farm trials with aphid infestations confirmed the inherent resistance in CB77 (aphids covered 0–10% of plant surface area without causing any crown damage, whereas check CB46 had aphids covering 60–70% of plant surface area and causing severe crown damage). Under protected conditions, CB77 showed grain yield, seed quality, and other agronomic characteristics equivalent to CB46 and better yield than CB5. CB77 could therefore be substituted for CB46 and CB5 in production regions where aphids are present. The near‐isogenic pair CB77 and CB46 are also useful materials for resistance gene discovery.

EFFECTS OF HEATING ON PHYTONUTRIENTS IN COOKED AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF VIGNA UNIGULCULATA (BLACK EYED BEAN)

Objective: To investigate the effects of heating on phytonutrients of cooked Vigna unigulculata. Methods: The consequences of heating on V. unigulculata were investigated by phytochemical analysis (qualitatively and quantitatively), alongside analysis of proximate contents. Five phytochemicals were quantified and nutrient contents determined. Results: Results revealed that phytochemicals in raw sample were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked sample. Alkaloids, saponins and flavonoids in raw black-eyed bean (RBEB) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked black-eyed bean (CBEB). Meanwhile, apart from crude fat content, others (carbohydrate content, ash content, protein and fiber content) of CBEB V. unigulculata were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than RBEB V. unigulculata. Conclusions: Cooking by heating influenced a reduction of phytochemicals but an increase in proximate content in V. unigulculata. Peer Review History: Received 11 May 2021; Revised 18 June; Accepted 29 June, Available online 15 July 2021 Academic Editor: Dr. Asia Selman Abdullah, Al-Razi university, Department of Pharmacy, Yemen, asia_abdullah65@yahoo.com UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Dennis Amaechi, MrsFoluBabade Mini Estate , Flat 5 by Old Soldiers Quarter, Sabongari/Bwari, Abuja- Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. amaechitoexcel@yahoo.com Dr. Nagalingam Varnakulenthiren, Siddha Medicine, Unit of Siddha Medicine, Trincomalee Campus, EUSL, Sri Lanka, drvarnan@gmail.com Julie Ann S. Ng, Blk 18 Lot 6 Grandville 3 Subdivision Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Philippines. julieann_ng@yahoo.com Similar Articles: A REVIEW: EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE TO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND HCN LEVEL IN CASSAVA (MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZ) LEAVES HEATING EFFECT ON PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE CONTENTS OF COOKED AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS (KIDNEY BEANS)

Yield response of field‐grown cowpea varieties to Bradyrhizobium inoculation

AbstractCowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a widely cultivated crop for food and animal feed, with a high potential for alleviation of climate change effects on crop production due to its biological nitrogen fixing ability. However, its yields are low in Ethiopia partly due to poor agronomic practices such as lack of improved varieties, low soil fertility, and limited input use including bio‐inoculants. Field experiments were conducted in the cropping seasons 2018 and 2019 at three climate change and food insecurity vulnerable sites in Ethiopia (Boricha, Dore, and Hawassa) to determine yield responses of cowpea varieties to Bradyrhizobium inoculation. Four cowpea varieties, Keti (IT99K‐1122), TVU, Black eye bean, and White wonderer trailing in combination with three inoculation levels (un‐inoculated or inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains CP‐24 or CP‐37) were used in a factorial randomized complete block design with four replications. Results revealed significant varietal differences in crop yield and yield components over years and across sites. Averaged over the seasons, seed yield of TVU was higher by 52% compared to the low‐yielding Black eye bean variety. On average of the three sites, inoculation of cowpea with strain CP‐24 significantly increased seed yield (21%), pod number (16%), and 100‐seed weight (13%) relative to the control. Furthermore, the interaction between variety and inoculant resulted in a significant increase in seed yield and number of pods per plant of TVU × CP‐24 by 60 and 68%, respectively, as compared to the un‐inoculated treatment. Overall, inoculation of the cowpea varieties TVU and White wonderer trailing with Bradyrhizobium strains CP‐24 is recommended at all the three tested sites and similar agro‐ecological environments for improved productivity of cowpea.

The Young Age and Plant-Based Diet Hypothesis for Low SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that caused the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), in December 2019, the infection has spread around the globe. Some of the risk factors include social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing with soap, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and dysbiosis. Evidence has shown the incidence of total infection and death rates to be lower in sub-Saharan Africa when compared with North Africa, Europe and North America and many other parts of the world. The higher the metabolic syndrome rate, the higher the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Africa has a lower rate of metabolic syndrome risk than many other continents. This paradox has puzzled several in the biomedical and scientific communities. Published results of research have demonstrated the exciting correlation that the combination of young age of the population coupled with their native plant-based diet has lowered their risk factors. The plant-based diet include whole grains (millet, sorghum), legumes (black-eye peas, dry beans, soybean), vegetables, potato, sweet potato, yams, squash, banana, pumpkin seeds, and moringa leaves, and lower consumption of meat. The plant-based diet results in a different gut microbiota than of most of the rest of the world. This has a significant impact on the survival rate of other populations. The “plant-based diet” results in lower rates of obesity, diabetes and dysbiosis, which could contribute to lower and less severe infections. However, these hypotheses need to be supported by more clinical and biostatistics data.

Determination of the effect of germination on the folate content of the seeds of some legumes using HPTLC-mass spectrometry-multivariate image analysis

Legumes are the main sources of folates which are not synthesized in the human body. The five folate species: 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, tetrahydrofolate, pteroyl glutamate, 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate and 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate were quantitatively determined in legumes seeds and sprouts by a newly developed and validated high performance thin layer chromatography method. High resolution plate imaging hyphenated to mass spectrometry was exploited for fingerprint analysis of tested samples. Results indicated that germination of all seeds resulted in a 2.5–4 fold increase in the content of total folates as well as the individual vitamers. The total amount of folate reached a maximum on the fifth day in the case of black-eyed peas (861 μg/100 g Fresh Weight), white beans (755 μg/100 g FW) and brown lentils (681 μg/100 g FW). 5-CH3-H4 folate was found to be the most dominating folate species reaching its maximum content in day 5 sprouts of black-eyed peas (490 μg/100 g FW).

Green Synthesis of Silver, Copper and Gold Nanoparticles Using Terminalia arjuna Bark and their Effect on Seed Germination

Background: Terminalia arjuna has many biological applications including synthesis of metal nanoparticles, which have no hazardous effect on the environment. We have demonstrated that metal nanoparticles synthesized using Terminalia arjuna bark can be used to enhance the germination of seeds. Methods: To evaluate the effect on germination, we treated Vigna unguiculata (black-eyed peas) seeds with copper, silver and gold nanoparticles synthesized by Terminalia arjuna bark. The synthesized metal nanoparticles were characterized by UV-spectroscopy and their size was confirmed by diffraction light scattering technique. Results: After incubation of 48 hours, the effects were observed. It was observed that Vigna unguiculata (black-eyed peas) seed showed 30% germination in silver nanoparticles solution and 70% in copper nanoparticles, whereas 0% germination was observed in gold nanoparticles. Conclusions: The results obtained in the study show that nanobiotechnology can be applied in agriculture to boost the production of crops.

Food Neophobia and Consumer Choices within Vietnamese Menu in a Polish Cohort Study.

One of the factors influencing consumer food choices is food neophobia (FN), described as a reluctance to try novel or unknown food products. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of FN on food choices in young Polish respondents through a web-based choice experiment with Vietnamese restaurant menu. The choice experiment was conducted using a Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method in a sample of 601 young adults, while using a developed Vietnamese restaurant menu. For the dishes, neophobic potential for a Polish population was defined, based on content of ingredients not typical for Polish diet. The FN was assessed using the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) by Pliner and Hobden. The neophobic potential was the determinant of choice of dishes (p < 0.05). The participants characterized by a high FN level less commonly than others chosen dishes characterized by neophobic potential as: starter (Nem quõn—non-fried spring rolls with shrimps) (p = 0.0003), soup (Mién gà—soup with cellophane noodles and nam huong mushrooms) (p < 0.0001), main course (Phở xào bò—rice noodles with soy sauce and fish sauce) (p < 0.0001) and dessert (Chè thập cãm—dessert of golden gram, black eye beans, Azuki beans and tapioca) than other options (p = 0.0007). It was stated that FN in young respondents may reduce the frequency of choosing dishes containing unfamiliar ingredients and, as a result, it may cause lower diversity of consumed dishes. Taking into account that not properly balanced diets resulting from rejecting some types of products are becoming a growing problem, the FN should be taken into account in the general public health policy.

Exploring New Sources of Viral Resistance in Cowpea Germplasm and Its Elaboration through Multivariate Analysis

Background: Cowpea is a major food legume rich in protein but its production has been dwindling by several factors including viral infection due to various virus strains in all agro-ecological zones.Methods: Sixty eight cowpea genotypes were screened against qualitative traits (leaf shape, seed surface, twinning tendency, anthocynin pigment, plant type, fodder type and cream color) and four seed borne viruses viz. cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), cowpea aphid borne mosaic virus (CABMV), black eye cowpea mosaic virus (BlCMV) and bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) under both in situ and laboratory conditions using DAC-ELISA.Result: Based on in situ screening, 16 genotypes were found resistant to all the four viruses, whereas for ELISA, 13 genotypes (27005, 27041, 27075, 27141, 27145, 27146, 27147, 27158, 27160, 27167, 27172, IT85F-1380 and IT86D-719) were found resistant to all. Twelve clusters were obtained from UPGMA based on disease severity. Genotype 27008 (Pakistan) was present in cluster VI and was susceptible to all antisera CMV, CABMV, BICMV and BCMV. Whereas 13 genotypes were present in cluster VIII which were found resistant to all the four antisera applied. Therefore, 13 genotypes suggested for safe use in any breeding program at developing resistant cultivars. First two factors obtained through PCA with eigen-values greater than 1 contributed greater than 80 per cent variability. Twelve distinct groups were observed and these were in coordination with cluster analysis.

Southern Pea / Weed Field Image Dataset for Semantic Segmentation and Crop / Weed Classification using an Encoder-Decoder Network

Semantic Segmentation is one of the most popular deep learning technologies used for crop/weed classification. The dataset required for training a semantic segmentation model has to be manually annotated, i.e., each pixel of the image needs to be assigned a class label that the pixel belongs to. The common approach is to take a publicly available dataset or a dataset collected manually and then annotate that dataset by hand. A huge limitation for performing Semantic Segmentation, therefore, is the availability of an annotated dataset. This paper proposes a Cowpea dataset, commonly referred to as southern pea or black-eyed pea, which was collected from a farm field in Kerala, India, and also presents a crop/weed classification model using an encoder-decoder architecture trained on this dataset. The dataset comprises 150 images with annotations for 100 images. Currently, almost all the crop-weed datasets available to the public, including those that aren’t annotated, were taken from outside India and hence doesn’t contain the visual features of a typical farm field in India. By making our dataset public, we hope to stimulate research into developing computer vision models that are ready to use in a typical cowpea field in India, especially in south India.

Agro-morphological Characterization of Eight (08) Cowpea Accessions [(&lt;i&gt;Vigna unguiculata&lt;/i&gt; (L.) Walp.)] from Benin and Ghana Introduced in Center-Benin

The present study allowed to characterize at agro-morphological level, eight (08) traditional cowpea accessions from Benin and Ghana in order to identify the best performing ones. The test was installed in a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with four (04) repetitions in a station in Savè in Center-Benin. The parameters studied are the date of flowering and maturation, the numbers of stems and leaflets per plant, the height of plants, the port of the stem, the lengths of pods and petiole, the weights of pods, tops, seeds and of 100 seeds, the seed yield, the colors of flowers, pods and seeds, the shapes of leaflets and of seeds, the size and the appearance of seeds. Xlsat version 2018.6 software was used for multi-component analysis to categorize accessions by their significant variables. SAS 9.2 software was used for the analysis of variance and the comparison of the means of variables. The number of branches, the length of the petiole, the height of the plants, the number of leaves, the length of the pods, the weights of the pods and of the tops had a positive influence on the cowpea seeds yield. The accessions were classified into three groups. The first group is made up of three (03) high-performance accessions, Nketewade, Mung bean lens and Songotra, with a short cycle of 61 to 62 days and a high yield of between 1050 kg/ha and 1300 kg/ha. The second group is that of the Djetoko and black eye bean accessions of long-cycle from 80 to 88 days, with a yield of between 620 kg/ha and 800 kg/ha. The third group is made up of false Cassoulet, Ennepa and Nsroma accessions with a short cycle of 62 to 65 days and a low yield of between 175 kg/ha and 230 kg/ha. Multilocal tests and genetic molecular characterization must be considered for a good valuation of these cowpea accessions.

Agar with embedded channels to study root growth

Agar have long been used as a growth media for plants. Here, we made agar media with embedded fluidic channels to study the effect of exposure to nutrient solution on root growth and pull-out force. Black Eye bean (Vigna Unguiculata) and Mung bean (Vigna Radiata) were used in this study due to their rapid root development. Agar media were fabricated using casting process with removable cores to form channels which were subsequently filled with nutrient solution. Upon germination, beans were transplanted onto the agar media and allowed to grow. Pull-out force was determined at 96, 120 and 144 h after germination by applying a force on the hypocotyl above the gel surface. The effect of nutrients was investigated by comparing corresponding data obtained from control plants which have not been exposed to nutrient solution. Pull-out force of Black Eye bean plantlets grown in agar with nutrient solution in channels was greater than those grown in gel without nutrients and was 110% greater after 144 h of germination. Pull-out force of Mung bean plantlets grown in agar with and without nutrient solution was similar. Tap root lengths of Black Eye bean and Mung Bean plantlets grown in agar with nutrient solution are shorter than those grown without nutrient.

Effect of thermal processing methods on flavonoid and isoflavone content of decorticated and whole pulses.

Legumes have always been consumed as a staple source of proteins, and they are the only dietary source of isoflavones, flavonoid class of secondary plant metabolites. Isoflavones impart physiological effects via estrogenic action in humans and hence, looked upon as potential replacement of hormone estrogen in its deficiency. Legumes are an integral part of the Indian staple diet. Legumes are processed by soaking, germination, and thermal cooking. These methods have been reported to modify the nutrient composition of legumes. The sample population was surveyed to determine the most commonly used household processing methods. Soaking or germination followed by pressure cooking (with or without direct contact of water) or open pan cooking was found to be commonly followed by cooking practice in Indian households. Amongst the decorticated pulses, the highest cooking time was taken by chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and lentil (Lens culinaris) was cooked in the least amount of time. The pressure-cooked decorticated chickpea showed a 63% decrease in TFC and isoflavone content while open pan cooking lowered TFC of chickpea up to 67% and isoflavone content up to 90%. TFC of pressure-cooked and open-pan cooked decorticated lentil was only reduced by 12-17%, while isoflavone content showed 60-80% depletion. TFC of whole legumes was reduced by 30-40% on pressure cooking as well as open pan cooking; however, isoflavone content was variably affected. The black-eyed pea and desi chickpea showed 40% reduced isoflavone content while the loss of isoflavone content was 70% for kidney bean. Germination of green gram significantly increased the TFC and isoflavones, which showed a decrease of 24% and 44%, respectively, on pressure cooking.

Determination of Soluble Mono, Di, and Oligosaccharide Content in 23 Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Beans provide a rich source of plant-based proteins and carbohydrates. It is well documented in the literature that the raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs: raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose) is linked with flatulence issues. In this study, the soluble sugar content of 23 dry beans was investigated using a newly developed and validated analytical method with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled to an amperometric pulse detection. All seven sugars (galactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose) showed good linearity (r2 ≥ 0.99) between 0.156 and 20 μg/mL. The limit of detection and quantification were determined as 0.01-0.11 μg/mL and 0.04-0.32 μg/mL, respectively. Significant variations in the profiles and concentrations of individual and total sugars were observed in 23 dry beans. Sucrose and stachyose were the two prominent soluble sugars combinedly representing an average of 86% of the total soluble sugars. Yellow split beans, large lima, and black eyed peas contained higher amounts of total soluble sugars (79.8-83.6 mg/g), whereas lower amounts were observed in speckled butter peas and lentils (53.6-56.6 mg/g). Garbanzo beans contained maximum levels of mono and disaccharides (MD), and yellow split beans showed the highest levels of RFOs. Based on the hierarchical cluster analysis of the total soluble sugars (TS), MD, RFOs, and MD/RFOs ratio, 23 beans can be classified into five groups. The average TS content and the MD/RFOs ratios of the five groups were determined as group 1 (TS = 55.1 mg/g and MD/RFOs = 0.30), group 2 (TS = 77.6 mg/g and MD/RFOs = 0.31), group 3 (TS = 78.3 mg/g and MD/RFOs = 0.51), group 4 (TS = 59.1 mg/g and MD/RFOs = 1.06), and group 5 (TS = 68.5 mg/g and MD/RFOs = 0.62). This information is useful for researchers, food industries, and consumers that are looking for plant-based protein source as an alternative to animal proteins with reduced flatulence problems.

Comparative Evaluation of the Proximate Composition, Anti-Nutrients and Functional Properties of Some Underutilized Pulses

Comparative evaluation of nutritional, functional and anti-nutritional composition of black-eyed beans, black- turtle beans ( ak idi oji ) and brown turtle beans ( akidi uhie ). The moisture content of the samples ranged from 7.86% for black beans sample to 8.66% for black-eyed beans sample. Crude protein content of the samples ranged from 19.54% for black-eyed beans to 22.62% for black beans. The protein content of the beans samples were significantly different (p≤0.05). The black beans sample had the highest protein content. Fat content of the beans samples ranged from 9.71% for black-eyed beans to 12.62% for black beans, while brown beans flour was 10.26%.The fat content of the samples were significantly different (p≤ 0.05). The swelling index of the samples was significantly different at (P&gt;0.05). Saponin content of beans flour samples were 0.67mg/100g for black-eyed beans, 1.62mg/100g for black beans and 1.47mg/100g, for brown beans. The oven drying employed during processing led to the reduction of trypsin inhibitors. The alkaloid content of the beans flour samples were 0.27mg/100g for black-eyed beans, 0.34mg/100g for black beans and 0.22mg/100g for brown beans. The tannin content of the samples evaluated of the beans flour samples were 1.24mg/100g for black-eyed beans, 1.65mg/100g for black beans 1.47mg/100g for brown bean. The black beans sample had the highest value of proximate composition among the beans samples measured in terms of; protein, fat, ash and crude fiber contents. The research recommends increase in propagation and consumption of the black eyed beans. Keywords: Black eyed beans, Black and Brown turtle beans, anti-nutrient DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/95-08 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Development of pulse-based probiotics by fermentation using Fiti sachets for the developing world

PurposeThis study aims to determine the probiotic potential ofLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1 from Fiti sachets, in four widely consumed pulses, namely, black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea. The secondary objective was to determine the viability of the fermented pulses during 21 days of storage at 4°C.Design/methodology/approachEach pulse sample was mixed with a Fiti sachet (one gram of freeze-dried consortium ofLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1 andStreptococcus thermophilusC106) and fermented for up to 120 h. To assess the samples’ storage potential, they were refrigerated at 4°C for 21 days. Microbial enumerations and pH measurements were collected during fermentation and storage to determine the viability and fermentation potential ofLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1 and Fiti, respectively.FindingsThere was a significant (p= 0.01) difference in mean microbial counts in all pulse samples throughout fermentation. At 24 h of fermentation, the mean bacterial count ofLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1 in black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea were 1.32 × 109 ± 0.11, 1.01 × 109 ± 0.16, 1.52 × 109 ± 0.14 and 0.80 × 109 ± 0.05 CFU/mL, respectively. Fermentation of pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea at 48 h yielded the highest bacterial count forLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1 while black-eyed pea reached its highest bacterial count at 72 h of fermentation. The bacterial concentration of all pulse samples remained at around 109CFU/mL during the refrigeration period of 21 days at 4°C. Furthermore, the pH of all pulse samples were below 4.6 during both fermentation and refrigerated storage.Originality/valueSince 2004, the Fiti initiative has economically empowered hundreds of women in East Africa by teaching them how to produce and sell probiotic yogurt containingLactobacillus rhamnosusGR-1. As a result, Fiti probiotic yogurt was made accessible to vulnerable populations in East Africa who face malnutrition, infectious diseases and environmental toxins. Because of recent climatic changes, milk has become more expensive and inaccessible for local communities. Furthermore, this study found that black-eyed pea, pigeon pea, kabuli chickpea and desi chickpea can be viable and non-diary probiotic alternatives to the Fiti probiotic yogurt in Eastern Africa. This is also the first study of its kind to provide preliminary evidence showing pulses as non-dairy alternatives to Fiti probiotic yogurt.

Edges, Fringes, Frontiers: Integral Ecology, Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability in Guyana by Thomas Henfrey

Reviewed by: Edges, Fringes, Frontiers: Integral Ecology, Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability in Guyana by Thomas Henfrey William Balée Thomas Henfrey Edges, Fringes, Frontiers: Integral Ecology, Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability in Guyana. New York: Berghahn, 2018. xii + 256 pp. Maps, diagrams, tables, notes, references, index. $120.00 cloth (ISBN 978-1-78533-988-2); $34.95 electronic (ISBN 978-1-78533-989-9) This well-conceived and deeply researched treatise on people and the environment is an extended thought-piece of a philosophical and theoretical sort that seeks to introduce an ecology that goes beyond isolated modes, or what the author calls structures, of thought and action concerning landscape and resource management. The structures are magical, mythical, and mental. They interact with intersocietal conditions and states, namely edges, fringes, and frontiers. Edges are intersocietal and interenvironmental meeting grounds wherein the opposite sides to an encounter are not much affected; fringes involve intersocietal communication but not necessarily domination by either group; frontiers are usually the ugly meeting ground of Babylon (i.e., Western science, capitalism, developmentalism) and traditional or indigenous society, knowledge, and outlook. They imply subordination, poverty, and domination of indigenous (or traditional) locals. The book is ostensibly concerned with Amazonia; it displays an indigenous subtext of Wapishana environmental knowledge and how that unfolds over time, leading one to appreciate their wisdom in shepherding a sustainable future for themselves and their lands in Guyana. The Wapishana, the author avers, have retained their language and culture, even though specific changes are afoot, such as differences of religion (some are Christian, some are not), differences of observation of traditional (magical) practices, such as restrictions attendant upon the Wapishana couvade, and a loss of classificatory (Dravidian-type) kinship and marriage regulations. Apart from that, most of the subsistence strategies in agriculture, hunting, and fishing are intact, according to the author's data from about twenty years ago—and he collected a substantial amount of field data, much of which he has published elsewhere. Mental structures need not negate magical or mythical ones. "Every Wapishana farmer can rationally explain that black-eyed beans attract red brocket deer … At the same time, the characterization of black-eyed bans as a bina [what I would call, and I think the author agrees, a 'fetish'] for this species assimilates this observation to a distinctive expression of the magic structure" (p. 181). Henfrey's argument in this book is much [End Page 363] more wide-ranging than Guyana or Amazonia. About three-quarters of the book addresses theory and research programs in environmental anthropology, and more generally explains how science can be transcended if linked to indigenous or traditional ecological knowledge. Integral ecology, which the author notes is on the academic fringe, seems to be the way to do that. It derives from integral theory, which is more or less a theory about how to approach everything cognitively, coming mostly from K. Wilber's integral psychology (e.g., A Theory of Everything, 2000) and with judicious (and carefully selected) borrowings from J. Gebser (The Ever-Present Origin, 1985), and the author's own creative synthesis of all that with a range of concepts found in sustainability and resilience theory (much of it centered around the fine work on traditional resource management by F. Berkes and his numerous collaborators, including resilience guru C.S. Hollings). The book makes for difficult reading—"amply demonstrated by the arduous and tangled nature of academic treatises (like this one) …" (p. 180)—especially if one is not familiar with the background sources, and the associated metalanguages found therein. Indeed, the author would have well included a glossary—that's for a second edition! These terms from metalanguages are not yet in the principal canon of environmental anthropology. In spite of the difficulty with the prose—which is not bad writing actually, and I find no logical or organizational flaws in it—the volume conveys a solid introduction to a new model of thinking and for action as to how indigenous knowledge can be more widely incorporated into policy that impacts the diversity and sustainability of landscapes. The author shows considerable erudition in every relevant genre of environmental anthropology and ethnobiology (and indeed...

Reproductive Biology and Evidence of Diapause in the Cowpea Curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Chalcodermus aeneus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been the most destructive insect pest of black-eyed peas or cowpeas, Vigna unguiculata L. (Fabales: Fabaceae), over the last century in the southeastern United States. The historical distribution of this semitropical pest suggests the likelihood that diapause plays a key role in the overwintering success in parts of the United States. However, this report is the first to document biological evidence for diapause in C. aeneus. Our study assessed larval emergence from cowpea pods in the summer to fall growing seasons, egg development in female adults over the first (summer) and second (fall) generations, and adult emergence from infested soil after the first and second generations. There was a clear reduction in larval emergence from summer to fall. Egg and follicle development in female C. aeneus dropped off dramatically by September of each year. There was an extended emergence pattern of weevil adults from the soil in the fall as compared to the summer generation. Any future regional management of cowpea curculio will have to take into account the ability of this insect to diapause, thereby increasing its capacity to overwinter in regions where the cowpea crop, a warm-season, semitropical plant, is terminated with winter freezing temperatures.

Perception des technologies selon le genre. Le cas de la production du niébé au Bénins

La contrainte majeure de la production du niebe est la forte pression parasitaire des ravageurs et des maladies, ce qui amene les producteurs a faire usage, de maniere abusive, des pesticides chimiques. Pour pallier les consequences nefastes des pesticides chimiques, la recherche agricole a mis au point et promu la technologie des extraits aqueux de neem au Benin. Cette etude evalue, avec une perspective axee sur le genre, les perceptions des producteurs de niebe face aux caracteristiques de ces extraits aqueux de neem, au sud-ouest du Benin. La recherche s’est appuyee sur des focus groupes et sur une enquete approfondie concernant un cas d’etude. L’etude part d’une analyse en termes de genre, couplee a la theorie de l’action raisonnee, afin de determiner les perceptions de 96 producteurs et de 144 productrices de niebe. Les contraintes et les opportunites des producteurs de niebe ont ete identifiees en tenant compte du genre. Les perceptions des producteurs, concernant les extraits aqueux de neem, ont ete analysees a travers le calcul d’indices de perception (indice de demande, d’offre et de realisation). Les resultats ont fait ressortir des contraintes et des opportunites directement liees au genre. Les producteurs ont identifie cinq criteres d’appreciation des produits phytosanitaires. Les indices de perception ont mis en evidence des differences de perceptions entre les hommes et les femmes, principalement dues aux contraintes et opportunites differenciees selon le genre.

Sustainability Perspectives of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. Cultivation under No Tillage and Water Stress Conditions.

Nowadays, agriculture is facing the great challenge of climate change which puts the productivity of the crops in peril due to unpredictable rain patterns and water shortages, especially in the developing world. Besides productivity, nutritional values of the yields of these crops may also be affected, especially under low mechanization and the low water availability conditions of the developing world. Conservation agriculture (CA) is a topic of emerging interest due to the provision of adequate yields and reduced environmental impact, such as greenhouse gas emissions, by being based on three main principles: minimum soil disturbance (reduced or no tillage), cover crop maintenance, and crop rotation. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of CA management on the growth performance and the nutritional profile of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp), a pulse of African origin, commonly known as black eye bean under field conditions. A field experiment was designed to assess the effect of conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) combined with the usage of a set of cover crops, coupled to normal and deficient water regimes. Cowpea was revealed to be able to grow and yield comparably at each level of the treatment tested, with a better ability to face water exhaustion under CA management. After a faster initial growth phase in CT plots, the level of adaptability of this legume to NT was such that growth performances improved significantly with respect to CT plots. The flowering rate was higher and earlier in CT conditions, while in NT it was slower but longer-lasting. The leafy photosynthetic rate and the nutritional profile of beans were slightly influenced by tillage management: only total starch content was negatively affected in NT and watered plots while proteins and aminoacids did not show any significant variation. Furthermore, significantly higher carbon and nitrogen concentration occurred in NT soils especially at the topmost (0–5 cm) soil horizon. These findings confirm the capability of CA to enrich soil superficial horizons and highlight that cowpea is a suitable crop to be grown under sustainable CA management. This practice could be pivotal to preserve soils and to save agronomical costs without losing a panel of nutrients that are important to the human diet. Due to its great protein and aminoacidic composition, V. unguiculata is a good candidate for further cultivation in regions of the word facing deficiencies in the intake of such nutrients, such as the Mediterranean basins and Sub-Saharan countries.