Underutilized Crop Research Articles

Starch and Protein Characteristics of Chestnut Flours and Their Applications in Gluten-Free Products.

In the context of valorizing underutilized crops, this study investigated the starch and protein characteristics of chestnut varieties (Balestrera and Rossera) and their potential for use at 15% and 25% in reformulating gluten-free baked snacks and fresh pasta. Chestnut varieties differ in protein and starch content (Balestrera > Rossera), as well as in amylose, dietary fiber, and lipids (Balestrera < Rossera). Differences in starch and amylose content affected starch gelatinization (Balestrera < Rossera), pasting and retrogradation properties, and water absorption capacity at 90 °C (Balestrera > Rossera). No differences in water and oil absorption capacity and mixing properties were observed, neither in the protein profile nor in the nature of protein aggregates. Both varieties exhibited a good aptitude for producing gluten-free baked snacks and fresh pasta, even at enrichment levels of 25%. Overall, this study could provide valuable information for the development of gluten-free products using sustainable, underutilized crops.

Genus Zingiber: A Review on Botanical, Major Bioactivities and Genetic Diversity

Zingiberaceae is a perennial plant family that is found across the tropics, particularly in Southeast Asia from low land to hill forests. In Peninsular Malaysia, it is believed that 160 ginger species are widely distributed belonging to 18 genera. Most of the Zingiber species in Peninsular Malaysia are less investigated and less understood taxonomically, thus remaining as under-utilized crops. The description of their morphologies in parallel with phytochemicals and molecular information are crucial to provide valuable information for further discovery of potent compounds, identification of potential new sources of genetic variation, as well as to provide insight into the domestication and breeding of ginger. The majority of Zingiber species are perennial herbs with a fragrant scent, an upright stem, and a fibrous rhizome. The presence of volatile components such as monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpenoids and some non-volatile compounds like gingerols, shagaols, and zingerone have contributed to the strong scent of the ginger oils. Among the dominant components of Zingiber are α-zingiberene, geranial, neral, camphene, neral, neric acid, α-curcumene, and zerumbone. The crude extracts and essential oils of Zingiber have proven to show some biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, insecticidal, larvicidal, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulceration, antioxidant, anti-fungal, immunomodulatory, and anti-nociceptive. Most Zingiber species are known to have 22 somatic chromosomes (2n=22) which is the lowest among genera in Zingiberaceae. This study underscores the crucial significance of breeding programs and germplasm conservation, specifically emphasizing the potential of common ginger as a prominent contributor.

Effect of Sowing Dates and Flower Pruning on Chemical Properties and Shelf Life of Yam Bean (Pachyrrhizus erosus L.) Tubers

Underutilized crops provide essential micro-nutrient and thus able to complement staple foods. The inhibitory effect of floral and fruit development may affect the tuber development. It is logical to assume that large amounts of nitrogen and other essential components are assimilated by the reproductive parts of plant, hence it is important to remove these reproductive parts as well as time of sowing also affect the shelf life and chemical properties of yam bean tubers which form the basis of an experiment on effect of sowing dates and flower pruning on chemical properties and shelf life of Yam bean tubers. An experiment was conducted at Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during the year 2023-24. Twelve treatments and 3 replications in Factorial Randomized Block Design Planting dates (D) i.e., D₁-1st week of June, D₂-3rd week of June, D3 -1st week of July, D4 -3rd week of July and Interval of reproductive pruning (P) i.e., P1 – Weekly, P2 – Fortnightly, P3 – No pruning. Chemical analysis of the tubers was done to analyse the starch, fiber, dry matter, TSS and shelf life of the tubers from various treatments. Investigation revealed that among the various chemical parameters and shelf life the effect of interaction on starch, fiber, dry matter and shelf life was significant whereas it was non-significant on TSS. The highest starch content was recorded in D3P1 (6.81%). The fiber content was analysed highest in D4P3 (0.69 %). The highest dry matter content was analysed in D1P3 (24.59 %). The highest TSS was recorded in D1P1 (6.40 °B) and highest shelf life was recorded in D1P1 (36.56 days). Considering its nutritional quality and sustainability in the region it can be an alternative crop with food security, nutritional security as well as economic sustainability [1].

Phenolic and Anti-Nutrients Compositions of Selected Underutilized Seeds: African Oil Bean Seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla), Cashew Nut Seed (Anacardium occidentale), Cucumeropsis Seed (Cucurbita maxima), Groundnut Seed (Arachis hypogeal) and Soya Bean Seed (Glycine max)

The study aimed to assess the levels of anti- nutrients and phenolic compounds in under-utilized seeds such as African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla), cashew nut seed (Anacardium occidentale), cucumeropsis seed (Cucurbita maxima), groundnut seed (Arachis hypogeal), and soya bean seed (Glycine max). The goal was to understand the impact of these compounds on the nutritional value of the seeds and to identify potential preventive measures. Neglected and under-utilized crops are plant species that have historically been used for food, fiber, fodder, oil, or medicinal purposes but have diminished in importance over time due to specific supply and utilization constraints. These constraints may include poor shelf life, unrecognized nutritional value, low consumer awareness, and reputational issues (such as being considered famine food or "poor people’s food," often due to changes in agricultural practices). Anti- nutrients are substances commonly present in food that can be harmful to humans and can limit the availability of nutrients to the body. Sun-dried soya bean and groundnut seeds were ground, while African oil bean, cucumeropsis, and cashew nut seeds were mechanically dehulled and ground without heat. Oxalate and phytate levels were determined through titration, and carotenoid levels were determined spectrophotometrically. Various methods were used to determine the presence of tannins, trypsin inhibitors, cyanogenic glycosides, hemagglutinins, saponins, alkaloids, phenols, steroids, and flavonoids. It was found that African oil bean seed had higher concentrations of the analyzed anti-nutrients and phenolic compounds compared to the other seeds studied.

Extrusion pre-treatment of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) lignocellulosic sidestream to produce cellulose fibres.

Various agricultural sidestreams have been demonstrated as feedstock to produce cellulose. To the best of our knowledge, there is no research work on the potential of agricultural sidestream from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), a neglected and underutilised crop to produce cellulose fibres. Conventional methods to produce cellulose consume large amounts of chemicals (NaOH) and produce a high amount of effluent waste. Herein, we investigated extrusion pre-treatment without and with an alkali followed by bleaching as an alternative method to conventional alkaline pre-treatment followed by bleaching to produce cellulose fibres from cowpea sidestream. Cellulose extracted by extrusion without and with mild alkali followed by bleaching consumed about 20 times less NaOH compared to the conventional method and produced less effluent waste. Extrusion with mild alkali followed by bleaching resulted in higher cellulose yield, purity, and crystallinity compared to extrusion without an alkali followed by bleaching. However, the conventional method resulted in higher cellulose yield, purity and crystallinity compared to extrusion pre-treatment followed by bleaching. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that micro-sized cellulose fibres with an average diameter of 10-15 μm were extracted using both methods. Notably, cellulose fibres extracted using extrusion pre-treatment were shorter than those extracted using the conventional method. Extrusion pre-treatment is a promising continuous alternative to alkaline pre-treatment to produce micro-sized cellulose fibres from low-value, underutilised cowpea lignocellulosic sidestream, for potential use as a filler in composite plastics. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of maize‐based instant porridge flour formulated using sweet lupine, orange‐fleshed sweet potato, and moringa leaf powder

AbstractMalnutrition and food insecurity are major public health problems in developing countries including Ethiopia. Because of an economic issue and information gap, developing countries' survival depends on foods rich in carbohydrates but deficient in protein and micronutrients. However, it is paramount to mix ingredients that complement different nutritional profiles to alleviate the problem of malnutrition. Hence, in this research, maize, orange‐fleshed sweet potato, sweet lupine, and moringa leaf powder composites were used to develop nutritious instant porridge flour through extrusion cooking. Formulations containing powdered maize, orange‐fleshed sweet potato, sweet lupine, and moringa leaf were developed in the following ratios: 100:0:0:0, 50:35:10:5, 45:30:15:10, and 40:25:20:15, respectively. A completely randomized design was used to determine the blending effect on the functional properties, proximate composition, minerals, and beta‐carotene content of formulated instant porridge flour. Whereas, a randomized complete block design was used for the organoleptic characteristics data. Accordingly, the addition of orange‐fleshed sweet potato, sweet lupine, and moringa leaf powder to maize‐based porridge showed a significant (p &lt; .05) increase in bulk density (0.70 ± 0.02 to 0.74 ± 0.03), water solubility index (10.09 ± 0.08 to 14.16 ± 0.23), protein (9.00 ± 0.00 to 21.10 ± 0.02), ash (1.43 ± 0.07 to 3.36 ± 0.08), fiber (1.55 ± 0.05 to 3.21 ± 0.01), fat (3.37 ± 0.02 to 5.37 ± 0.07), energy (370.89 ± 0.70 to 400.53 ± 0.65), vitamin A (0.00 to 41.00 ± 1.55), iron (3.49 ± 0.02 to 9.58 ± 0.29), zinc (2.89 ± 0.01 to 3.62 ± 0.06), and calcium (40.49 ± 0.42 to 113.34 ± 0.52) contents. However, water absorption index (4.76 ± 0.01 to 3.84 ± 0.01), moisture (8.50 ± 0.08 to 5.60 ± 0.04), and carbohydrate (76.11 ± 0.22 to 66.94 ± 0.02) content were decreased as a result of blending proportion compared to maize porridge (control). Formulated instant maize‐based porridge prepared from 50% maize, 35% orange‐fleshed sweet potato, 10% sweet lupine, and 5% moringa leaf powder scored the highest (above 4 out of 5 in a 5‐point hedonic scale) in all sensory attributes. In conclusion, the addition of orange‐fleshed sweet potato, sweet lupine flour, and moringa leaf powder has improved both macro‐ and micronutrients. Therefore, the development of nutritious maize‐based instant porridge formulated from readily available and underutilized crops can be achieved by extrusion cooking that helps to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition and food insecurity.

Genome-wide assessment of population structure and association mapping for agronomic and grain nutritional traits in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)

Proso millet is an important but under-researched and underutilized crop with the potential to become a future smart crop because of its climate-resilient features and high nutrient content. Assessing diversity and marker-trait associations are essential to support the genomics-assisted improvement of proso millet. This study aimed to assess the population structure and diversity of a proso millet diversity panel and identify marker-trait associations for agronomic and grain nutrient traits. In this study, genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by mapping raw genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data onto the proso millet genome, resulting in 5621 quality-filtered SNPs in 160 diverse accessions. The modified Roger's Distance assessment indicated an average distance of 0.268 among accessions, with the race miliaceum exhibiting the highest diversity and ovatum the lowest. Proso millet germplasm diversity was structured according to geographic centers of origin and domestication. Genome-wide association mapping identified 40 marker-trait associations (MTAs), including 34 MTAs for agronomic traits and 6 for grain nutrients; 20 of these MTAs were located within genes. Favourable alleles and phenotypic values were estimated for all MTAs. This study provides valuable insights into the population structure and diversity of proso millet, identified marker-trait associations, and reported favourable alleles and their phenotypic values for supporting genomics-assisted improvement efforts in proso millet.

How does the decision to cultivate underutilized crops influence food and nutrition security in rural areas?

The neglect in the cultivation, utilization, and diverse edible indigenous crops (ICs) threatens food-nutrition security (FNS) and rural development. Here, we (i) profiled the socioeconomics, ethnobotanicals and factors influencing the decision to cultivate edible ICs among smallholder farmers and (ii) factors influencing the FNS status of the ICs farmers in rural communities in South Africa using descriptive statistics and Heckman's probit-selection model to evaluate the factors influencing the decision to cultivate ICs and FNS. In the study, the household dietary diversity score (HDDS) was 7.01 and the household's food insecurity access scores (HFIAS) was 4.40. In addition, the food security indicator shows that 40.60 % of the participants were food insecure. Taken together, these metrics shows a significant existence of food and nutrition insecurity among the participants. Additionally, the decisions to cultivate ICs among the participants was driven by the household size, access to seeds, produce market, perceived nutritional benefits of the ICs and proportion of land used for cultivation significantly affects FNS status of the participants. Overall, the cultivation of these ICs is important as their cultivation significantly contributed to the FNS of the rural communities. Policy interventions, targeted at improving the present land tenure pattern, awareness on the value of ICs and incentives for production as a means for stimulating wider acceptance, cultivation, and sustainability in South Africa was recommended.

Optimizing protein content prediction in rice bean (Vigna umbellata L.) by integrating near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, MPLS, deep learning, and key wavelengths selection algorithms

Rice bean, a potential protein-rich underutilized crop, can serve as a valuable source for food and feed, contributing to sustainable food and nutrition security. However, traditional methods for measuring protein content are laborious, tedious, and expensive. This study evaluates the performance of Modified Partial Least Squares (MPLS) and 1D Convolutional Neural Network (1D CNN) models in predicting protein content in rice bean using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) data. Both models were validated with whole spectra, key wavelengths, and spectral segments derived from Genetic Algorithm (GA), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS). The 1D CNN model demonstrated superior predictive performance, with an 11 % increase in R² and an 18 % increase in RPD using the whole spectra compared to the MPLS model. Specifically, the 1D CNN model with CARS-selected wavelengths achieved an R² of 0.82 and an RPD of 2.15, while the MPLS model achieved an R² of 0.84 and an RPD of 2.25. The segmented spectra approach further enhanced the 1D CNN model's performance, achieving the highest R² of 0.84 and an RPD of 2.28 with CARS-selected segments. These results highlight that the 1D CNN model with CARS-selected wavelengths provides the best predictive performance for protein content in rice bean. The optimized method can lead to rapid early-phase breeding practices and improved quality assessments in leguminous crops, emphasizing the importance of integrating advanced modeling techniques with NIRS for agricultural applications.

Association mapping of important agronomic traits in Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.

BackgroundThe tropical legume Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. can meet three agricultural needs: low-cost protein, high-value medicines, and green manure or cover crops. But like other underutilized crops, it needs more modern breeding resources. Identifying marker-trait associations (MTAs) can facilitate marker-assisted breeding and crop improvement. Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of identifying MTAs using a small number of accessions (< 100). We have characterized a panel of 70 M. pruriens accessions across two consecutive years and performed association analysis for 16 phenotypic traits related to seed (seed length, seed width, seed thickness, seed yield per plant, hundred seed weight); pod (pod length, pod width, number of pods per cluster, number of pods per plant); inflorescence (inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, pedicel length), and biochemical attributes (L-DOPA, total protein, total carbohydrate), using 66 genic-microsatellite markers following mixed linear model.ResultsThe results showed significant phenotypic (P < 0.05) and genetic diversity (Shannon’s information index, I = 0.62) in our germplasm collection. Many tested traits were highly heritable (broad-sense heritability ranging from 42.86 to 99.93%). A total of 15 MTAs was detected at an adjusted significance level of P < 5.55 × 10− 3 for nine traits (seed length, seed thickness, seed width, hundred seed weight, seed yield per plant, inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, and petiole length), contributed by 10 SSR markers (MPU_19, MPU_42, MPU_54, MPU_57, MPU_58, MPU_83, MPU_89, MPU_108, MPU_111, and MPU_122.) with phenotypic variance explained (PVE) ranging from 14.7 to 31.1%. Out of the ten trait-associated markers, the BLAST analysis revealed putative functions of seven markers, except MPU_57, MPU_58, and MPU_83.ConclusionFifteen MTAs identified for important traits with phenotypic variance explained > 10% from mixed linear model offer a solid resource base for improving this crop. This is the first report on association mapping in M. pruriens and our results are expected to assist with marker-assisted breeding and identifying candidate genes in this promising legume.

Genetic polymorphism amongst moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal) accessions evaluated using various molecular markers

This study presents genetic level diversity of 50 moth bean legume accessions (Vigna aconotifolia (Jacq.) Marechal). Despite seeds being a rich source of soluble nutritional proteins, it still remains an underutilized crop commercially. To assess the molecular diversity amongst accessions, RAPD, ISSR, DAMD, SCoT and SSR were employed as PCR markers. Of the total 5064 polymorphic bands shown with these makers, DAMD1 and SCoT1 presented higher levels of polymorphism with 407 and 262 polymorphic bands respectively. These genotypes revealed logical similarity and variation under UPGMA clustering. The PCA analysis of IC-258167, IC-415167, and IC-402286 present three highest eigen values, hence seem fit to be considered as parents for moth bean breeding programme. The polymorphic bands as produced by SCoT and DAMD primers can serve unique genotypic identifiers. This study seems to present a maiden report in labelling genetic marker based polymorphism amongst the accessions of moth bean.

Process Optimization, Fabrication, and Characterization of a Starch-Based Biodegradable Film Derived from an Underutilized Crop

Process Optimization, Fabrication, and Characterization of a Starch-Based Biodegradable Film Derived from an Underutilized Crop

Genetic Variability Studies for Morpho-Physiological and Yield-attributing Traits in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv.)

Foxtail millet is an underutilized crop which has high nutritional values and wide genetic resources, possessing the ability to tolerate several abiotic stresses efficiently. Those resources must be used in order to improve desired traits, primarily yield attributes. This investigation was carried out to assess the genetic parameters, such as variability, per se performance, heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean (GAM) for sixteen morpho-physiological, yield-attributing traits in fifty foxtail millet germplasm accessions at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal during Rabi, 2023-2024. The study revealed the wide range of variation for all studied traits and that the accessions SiA 3290, SiA 4345, and SiA 4391 had potential for most traits and a high grain yield per plant. Thus, after multilocation testing, these accessions might be exploited for commercial cultivation. The assessment revealed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was slightly greater than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), indicating the influence of the environment on the manifestation of these traits. It was also observed that the traits viz.., photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, abortive grain rate, and grain yield per plant had high PCV and GCV and these traits significantly contributed to the overall variability and scope for selection. High heritability in combination with high GAM was observed for photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, 1000-grain weight, fodder yield per plant and grain yield per plant. This indicates that, these traits are mostly governed by additive genes and thus making them suitable for simple direct selection to improve these traits and further breeding efforts focused on increasing yields.

Biofortified biscuits with indigenous plants: An innovative approach to prevent stunting in early childhood

Background: Increasing human living standards is directly proportional to demands for the quality of public health. Prevalence of stunting in Indonesia is ranked fifth in the world with a figure reaching 37.2%. Therefore, stunting is 1 of 5 health problems that the government is focusing on solving. This growth and development disorder is characterized by the body size of the baby/toddler below standard as well as delays in cognitive and psychomotor abilities. Stunting in children is the impact of nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of life. Important micronutrients that have the potential to reduce the risk of stunting are iron and folic acid. The majority of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with high school education or below tend not to pay attention to their intake of these 2 micronutrients, so deficiencies often occur. Pregnancy/breastfeeding supplements on the market are also expensive. Facts show that cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta) and winged bean seeds (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) are local agricultural resources that are rich in iron and folic acid. The production of biscuits to prevent stunting from these 2 vegetable sources is certainly very promising and worth developing. The aim of writing this scientific work is to determine the right biscuit formulation so that it is suitable to be used as a biscuit to prevent stunting for the wider community. Methods: Making biscuits needs to be preceded by making cassava leaf paste and winged bean seed flour and then determining various formulations. Variations in winged bean seed flour formulation: cassava leaf paste, namely F1 (20:10), F2 (25:15), F3 (30:10). Biscuits are made using the cream method, namely mixing sugar, skim milk, margarine and egg yolks until homogeneous then adding wheat flour, winged bean seed flour, cassava leaf paste, water and leavening agent. The dough is rolled, molded and baked at 170oC for 30 minutes. Finding: after carrying out organoleptic tests to measure product quality and determine the best formulation, it turned out that F2 was the biscuit formulation that the panelists liked most. Conclusion : The development of stunting prevention biscuits from cassava leaves and winged bean seeds is a potential solution. The next step is to disseminate this product as part of a stunting prevention strategy in the community. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The use of local agricultural resources, specifically winged bean seeds and cassava leaves, to develop a nutritious and affordable biscuit aimed at preventing stunting is an innovative approach that not only addresses the chronic malnutrition problem but also supports local economies by utilizing underutilized crops.

The Use of Agricultural Databases for Crop Modeling: A Scoping Review

There is growing interest in promoting neglected and underutilized crop species to enhance agrobiodiversity and contribute to food systems transformation under climate change. A lack of available measured data has hindered the mainstreaming of these crops and limited the ability of agricultural databases to be used for calibrating and validating crop models. This study conducts a systematic scoping review and bibliometric analysis to assess the use of agricultural databases for crop modeling. The Biblioshiny App v4.1.2 and VOSviewer software v1.6.20 were used to analyze 51 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science. Key findings from this review were that agricultural databases have been used for estimating crop yield, assessing soil conditions, and fertilizer management and are invaluable for developing decision support tools. The main challenges include the need for high-quality datasets for developing agricultural databases and more expertise and financial resources to develop and apply crop and machine learning models. From the bibliometric dataset, only one study used modeled data to develop a crop database despite such data having a level of uncertainty. This presents an opportunity for future research to improve models to minimize their uncertainty level and provide reliable data for crop database development.

Proximate, Physical and Sensory Characteristics of Enriched Cake Produced from Wheat and Tiger Nut Flour Blends

Consumers’ attention is shifting towards dietary fiber as more information about its health benefits is unfolding. In Nigeria, owing to the high level of dietary fibre and other inherent nutrients of tigernut, it has been identified as one of the underutilized crops which could be incorporated into cake production. In this study, the effect of substituting tigernut flour for wheat flour on the proximate, physical and sensory properties of cake quality were evaluated. The proximate composition increased with increasing levels of tigernut flour. Crude fibre increased from 1.04 to 2.25%, ashfrom 2.03 to 3.22, crude fat from 4.17 to 7.21 and protein from 10.02-14.53% resulting in a nutritious cake. The physical properties of the cake from the composite flour blends were affected significantly (P ≤0.05) by tigernut substitution. The hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, weight and volume of cakes decreased with increasing tigernut level substitution. Suitable composite cakes which could reduce the incidence of protein-energy malnutrition can be made with up to 20% tigernut flour substitution.

Amaranthus crop for food security and sustainable food systems.

This review ascertains amaranth grains as a potent crop for food security and sustainable food systems by highlighting its agricultural advantages, health benefits and applications in the food, packaging, and brewing industry. The global population surge and rapidly transitioning climatic conditions necessitate the maximization of nutritional crop yield to mitigate malnutrition resulting from food and nutrition insecurity. The modern agricultural practices adopted to maximize the yield of the conventional staple crops are heavily contingent on the depleting natural resources and are contributing extensively to the contamination of these natural resources. Furthermore, these agricultural practices are also causing detrimental effects on the environment like rising emission of greenhouse gasses and increased water footprints. To address these challenges while ensuring sustainable nutrient-rich crop production, it is imperative to utilize underutilized crops like Amaranthus. Amaranth grains are gluten-free pseudo-cereals that are gaining much prominence owing to their abundance in vital nutrients and bio-active components, potential health benefits, resilience to adverse climatic and soil conditions, minimum agricultural input requirements, potential of generating income for small holder farmers as well as various applications across the sustainable value chain. However, due to the limited awareness of these potential benefits of the amaranth grains among the consumers, researchers, and policymakers, they have remained untapped. This review paper enunciates the nutritional composition and potential health benefits of the grains while briefly discussing their various applications in food and beverage industries and accentuating the need to explore further possibilities of valorizing amaranth grains to maximize their utilization along the value chain.

Conservation and Promotion of Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species in West Africa: Policy and Governance

Neglected and underutilized crop species (NUCS/NUS) are claimed to contribute to sustainable development. However, many scholars argue that enabling policies and appropriate governance are needed to operationalize such a potential contribution. Therefore, this systematic review analyzes the literature dealing with the relationships between policy and governance aspects and the promotion of NUS in West Africa. It draws upon 45 eligible articles identified through a search conducted on the Web of Science in December 2023. The existing literature focuses on Nigeria and a few NUS, especially cassava. The addressed policy domains include biodiversity conservation; subsidies; seed systems; food security, self-sufficiency and sovereignty; trade and import substitution; food safety and health; climate change and energy; land use; research, innovation and development; and support and assistance systems. Meanwhile, the main governance domains are (1) inclusiveness and participation and (2) institutional capacity. The analysis suggests that NUS development is also affected by sectoral policy coherence and consistency as well as the policy–governance interplay. Future studies should widen the scope in terms of geographical coverage in West Africa and NUS addressed to allow for more comparisons. Furthermore, there is a need for further research to understand the synergies and trade-offs between sectoral policies affecting NUS promotion and development.

Polyploidy in maize: from evolution to breeding.

Polyploidy played an important role in the evolution of the three most important crops: wheat, maize and rice, each of them providing a unique model for studying allopolyploidy, segmental alloploidy or paleopolyploidy. However, its genetic and evolutionary role is still vague. The undelying mechanisms and consequences of polyploidy remain fundamental objectives in the study of eukaryotes. Maize is one of the underutilized crops at the polyploid level. This species has no stable natural polyploids, the existing ones being artificially obtained. From the experimental polyploid series of maize, only the tetraploid forms (4n = 40) are of interest. They are characterized by some valuable morphological, physiological and biochemical features, superior to the diploid forms from which they originated, but also by some drawbacks such as: reduced fertility, slower development, longer vegetation period, low productivity and adaptedness. Due to these barriers to using tetraploids in field production, maize tetraploids primarily found utility in scientific studies regarding genetic variability, inbreeding, heterosis and gene dosage effect. Since the first mention of a triploid maize plant to present, many scientists and schools, devoted their efforts to capitalize on the use of polyploidy in maize. Despite its common disadvantages as a crop, significant progress in developing tetraploid maize with good agronomic performance was achieved leading to registered tetraploid maize varieties. In this review we summarize and discuss the different aspects of polyploidy in maize, such as evolutionary context, methods of induction, morphology, fertility issue, inheritance patterns, gene expression and potential use.

Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Evaluation of Flour Made from an Under-Utilized Food Crop Buckwheat

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is widely regarded as a pseudo-cereal among economically significant yet underutilized crops. Nutritionally, it is comparable to or even superior to major cereals such as rice, wheat, and maize, particularly in terms of protective nutrients. Buckwheat is a gluten-free pseudo-cereal known for its high nutritional content and numerous scientifically proven health benefits. Its nutritional appeal lies in its high lysine content, absence of gluten due to lack of prolamin, and substantial protein levels. For processing buckwheat, seeds from a local variety were sourced from Roing, located in the Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh (Latitude: 28.17194, Longitude: 95.82454). The physico-chemical properties of the seeds were analyzed by measuring parameters such as length, width, bulk density, thousand kernel weight, moisture, crude protein, total fat, total ash, crude fiber, and in vitro protein digestibility. The study reported that buckwheat is an excellent source of protein, fiber, dietary fiber, and minerals. The nutritional content of buckwheat flour was determined as follows: moisture, 12.08%; ash, 2.33%; fat, 0.89%; protein, 12.84%; carbohydrates, 66.54%; energy content, 325.53 Kcal/100g; crude fiber, 5.38 g/100g; dietary fiber, 18.28 g/100g; protein digestibility, 74.38%; and carbohydrate digestibility, found to be low. The sodium and potassium contents were 3.7 mg/kg and 66.2 mg/kg, respectively. These findings highlight the nutritional benefits of buckwheat, showcasing its potential as a valuable food source, especially for those needing a gluten-free diet and seeking high-protein, high-fiber alternatives to traditional cereals.