Enoch Gbenato Achigan-Dako

• PhD
• Professor (Full) at University of Abomey-Calavi

The low adoption rate of biofortified crops, like orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), by farmers remains a major food security concern. Accurate forecasting models for OFSP adoption intention are essential for breeding and introduction projects. This study aims to (i) identify key predictors of OFSP adoption intention among farmers in Benin, inte...

The demand for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is growing in Benin, due to growing urban markets. However, its production faces many constraints, including bacterial wilt (BW) caused by Ralstonia solanacerum species complex (RSSC). The use of resistant rootstock in tomato grafting has been identified as an efficient management strategy to control the...

Background Fat content (FC) and fatty acids (FA) are the most important traits in shea tree breeding, controlled by several genes with relatively small effects. Therefore, determining the genes involved in the biosynthesis of such traits is crucial for improving oil quantity and quality and for the domestication process of the species. To identify...

Pineapple ( Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill) is among the main fruits produced in West Africa. This is also the case for the Republic of Benin, where pineapple fruit is regarded as an important crop for numerous producers in the Southern part of the country. However, crop production is constrained by various issues, the major one being poor yield cause...

Regularly consuming orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) is widely recognised as an effective way to treat vitamin A deficiency (VAD), particularly in low-income countries. Unfortunately, cultivars of OFSP are poorly disseminated in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where VAD is a major cause of blindness. This study was conducted to evaluate t...

Sesame cultivation was until recently restricted to the northwestern part of Benin. The yield is relatively low, as there are no improved varieties introduced and widely adopted so far. This study aimed to assess the molecular diversity, genetic differentiation, and the agronomic performance of a collection of local cultivars and introduced lines o...

Jute mallow is an important crop produced for its leaves and fiber. In Africa, it is mostly produced and consumed as a leafy green vegetable. We evaluated 32 qualitative and quantitative morphological traits at two locations to assess the genetic diversity among 283 accessions of Corchorus olitorius var. olitorius, Corchorus olitorius var. incisifo...

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the foremost cereal consumed in Benin but its production is constrained by the lack of access to high-quality seeds for intensification of the crop; hence, the continued cultivation of disease-susceptible, low-yielding, and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs). The study (i) evaluated the agronomic performance and heterosis of to...

Aphid-transmitted viruses cause significant losses in pepper production worldwide, negatively affecting yield and quality. The emergence of new aphid-transmitted viruses or development of variants as well as the occurrence in mixed infections make management a challenge. Here, we overview the current status of the distribution, incidence and phylog...

Jute mallow is an important crop produced for its leaves and fiber. In Africa, it is mostly produced and consumed as a leafy green vegetable. We evaluated thirty-two qualitative and quantitative morphological traits at two locations to assess the genetic diversity among two hundred and eighty-three accessions of Corchorus olitorius var. olitorius,...

Background The shea tree is a well-known carbon sink in Africa that requires a sustainable conservation of its gene pool. However, the genetic structure of its population is not well studied, especially in Côte d’Ivoire. In this study, 333 superior shea tree genotypes conserved in situ in Côte d’Ivoire were collected and genotyped with the aim of i...

If well integrated into the food systems of African countries, vegetables can contribute significantly to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, of zero hunger, no poverty, and climate action. But realizing this requires urgent investment and efforts to rescue, conserve and use African vegetable biodiversity. This is especially relevant in...

The effectiveness of agroecological management strategies (AEMS) in controlling bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) remains a critical question. A quantitative review was conducted based on publications reporting agroecological bacterial wilt management practices under on‐station or on‐farm field conditions in ele...

This review provides evidence on the genetic diversity, chemical constituents, and ecotoxicology of Mesosphaerum suaveolens ‘ essential oil. It emphasizes the agricultural benefits such as crop protection effectiveness of the plant and highlights the existing knowledge gaps and research perspectives to promote its utilization in agriculture. A syst...

Bacterial wilt (BW) is caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) and can lead to severe losses in a wide range of crops, including many traditional African vegetables (TAV). Given the critical role of TAV in African food security, investigations of BW incidence, distribution, and effective breeding strategies are needed to support pub...

Spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) is a traditional leafy vegetable with the potential to address malnutrition and food insecurity in Africa. To date, little is known about farmers’ perception and knowledge of pests and diseases affecting this plant species and their management practices in Africa. This study aimed at assessing farmers’ perceptio...

CONTEXT: Opportunity crops, also known as neglected and underutilized species (NUS), offer benefits to diversify food systems with nutritious and climate-resilient foods. A major limitation to incorporate these crops in farming systems is the lack of improved varieties impedes farmers accessing quality planting material of these crops. OBJECTIVES:...

Black plum (Vitex doniana Sweet) is a sub-Saharan African wild species of the family Lamiaceae that significantly contribute to improving local communities’ livelihoods, especially in women. It generated an average income of US$D 80 during the vegetable harvesting season, per individual seller. This species has numerous applications for not only ru...

Understanding genotype by environment interaction (GEI) represents a challenge in Kersting's groundnut [Macrotyloma geocarpum (Harms) Maréchal and Baudet] breeding for selecting high‐performing and stable lines across environments. Here, we investigated GEI and stability in Kersting's groundnut using factor analytic (FA) based linear mixed models a...

Vernonia amygdalina is an African traditional leafy vegetable which is a source of income for many households involved in its production in West and Central Africa. The species possesses several medicinal and nutritional properties. Despite its importance, there is limited information on farmers’ access to seed, seed production practices, seed trad...

Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii commonly known as Serendipity berry is one of the African indigenous fruits that has received poor attention from scientific research and funding even though it is a reservoir of many nutritional and medicinal potentials. In Nigeria, as well as in other African countries, Serendipity berry fruit is known as a tasty sweete...

Gender equity, quality education, and sanitation in rural and urban areas are widely considered development imperatives. Therefore, many developed countries have scientifically and technically developed norms for the calculation and the design of toilet and urinal needs of their students, which is not yet the case in most developing countries, incl...

The black sigatoka disease (BSD) is the most important foliar threat in banana production and breeding efforts against it should take advantage of genomic selection (GS) that has become one of the most explored tools to increase genetic gain, save time and reduce selection costs. In order to evaluate the potential of GS in banana for BSD, 210 tripl...

Fonio (Digitaria exilis), also called “acha” in Nigeria, is a staple food crop that plays an important role in food and nutritional security for millions of people in West Africa. However, in Nigeria, as in most African countries where it is consumed as a whole grain to enrich local diets, its utilization patterns are poorly documented. Thus, gener...

Pepper ( Capsicum spp.) is an important solanaceous cash crop in Benin; however, productivity is limited due to several key constraints, especially diseases caused by viruses. We sought to understand farmers’ perceptions of viral diseases, management strategies deployed, and to identify the virus population affecting pepper production in Benin. To...

Integrating farmers’ preferences into the breeding and dissemination of new genotypes is a effective approach to enhance their successful adoption by farmers. In the case of sweet potato, a staple crop in many parts of West Africa, there is a need for more research on the selection criteria used by farmers when choosing which varieties to grow. Thi...

Sweet fig (M. acuminata cv. Sotoumon) is an economically important dessert banana in Benin, with high nutritional, medicinal, and cultural values. Nevertheless, its productivity and yield are threatened by biotic and abiotic stresses. Relevant knowledge of the genetic diversity of this economically important crop is essential for germplasm conserva...

Synsepalum dulcificum is a valuable horticultural and lesser-known crop, famous for the uniqueness of its taste modifying properties, which is candidate for genetic improvement in West Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 100 respondents purposively selected to analyze the current production systems and constraints as well as to d...

Increasing production requires the development of high yielding cultivars adapted to various environments. Multi-environment trials (MET) remains the best approach to assess the performance of accessions across environments. The objective of this study was to select the best performing and stable accessions of sesame across different environments i...

The absence of information on the reproductive biology of some nutritive legumes has been an obstacle to their genetic improvement. Gathering information on reproductive biology contributes significantly to the interest of breeders to have adequate tools for initiating the improvement program through crosses among high performing genotypes. To cont...

The use of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in agrosystems is a potential solution to the challenges arising from global change. These species could contribute to the equitable diversification of agricultural systems. Providing knowledge on their genetic diversity and fostering access to data and results is essential for the development of...

Introduction Quality seed is essential to satisfy food demand. This is also true for neglected crops especially those that are economically valuable such as Kersting’s groundnut ( Macrotyloma geocarpum ), which holds the potential to improve farmers’ livelihoods. In this study, we assessed the attributes that drove Kersting groundnut farmers’ willi...

The current international context characterized by environment, and socio-political crises, and the related issue of instability of food supply and agricultural inputs, revives the need for agroecological transition of West African smallholders. This study aims to analyze the socio-psychological determinants of the adoption of crop rotation (CR) an...

Le présent manuel est élaboré dans le cadre du projet BMZ-Choose Grow Thrive : “utilisation de l’approche participative de la science citoyenne dans la promotion des légumes traditionnels africains pour lutter contre la malnutrition“ au Bénin et au Mali. Il s'agit d'un guide technique à l'usage des agents de vulgarisation pour le renforcement des c...

Fiche technique maïs

Fiche Technique maïs

Sesame is an oilseed crop and source of income for small-scale farmers, particularly in developing countries. In Benin, sesame production is poorly developed and the underlying reasons are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the sesame management practices, socio-demographic factors and ethnobotanical knowledge associated with sesame prod...

Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) is a sustainable and inexpensive source of vitamin A that contributes to food and nutritional security in developing countries. Its adoption is low due to unconformity of the variety with community food culture, limited cultivar selection and breeding studies. The current study aimed at breeding of promising OFSP g...

Despite the increasing number of stakeholders engaged in promoting agroecological transition initiative in West Africa, these initiatives are still struggling to scale it up. This study analyzes the potential for agroecological transition on farms in the Atacora and Houet regions of Benin and Burkina Faso respectively. To this end, a stepwise sampl...

As climate changes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Africa's "forgotten" food crops offer a wide range of options to diversify major staple production as a key measure toward achieving zero hunger and healthy diets. So far, however, these forgotten food crops have been neglected in SSA's climate-change adaptation strategies. Here, we quantified their c...

Gynandropsis gynandra (Cleomaceae) is a cosmopolitan leafy vegetable and medicinal plant, which has also been used as a model to study C4 photosynthesis due to its evolutionary proximity to C3 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we present the genome sequence of G. gynandra, anchored onto 17 main pseudo-molecules with a total length of 740 Mb...

Gynandropsis gynandra (Cleomaceae) is a cosmopolitan leafy vegetable and medicinal plant, which has also been used as a model to study C4 photosynthesis due to its evolutionary proximity to C3 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we present the genome sequence of G. gynandra, anchored onto 17 main pseudo-molecules with a total length of 740 Mb...

Although Synsepalum dulcificum is viewed as one of the most economically promising orphan tree crops worldwide, its genetic improvement and sustainable conservation are hindered by a lack of understanding of its evolutionary history and current population structure. Here, we report for the first time the application of genome‐wide single nucleotide...

In the perspective of investigating genomic selection (GS) among Musa genotypes in West and Central Africa, banana accessions were phenotyped under natural drought stress in Benin and genotyped using genotyping by sequencing. Sixty-one (61) accessions grouped into three major genomic groups AAA, AAB and ABB and those without genomic affiliation inf...

Fruit and vegetable species and varieties, their wild relatives, and pollinators and other associated organisms underpin diverse food production systems and contribute to worldwide health and nutrition. This biodiversity, however, is threatened, remains poorly conserved, and is largely undocumented. Its loss leads to a narrowing of new food options...

The FAO recently estimated that demand for food will increase by 70% by 2050. The challenge will not only be on increasing the food supply but also on improving its nutritional value under an accelerating rate of environmental and social changes. One solution would be the wider use of underutilized crops to diversify alimentation and develop sustai...

Kersting's groundnut [Macrotyloma geocarpum (Harms) Maréchal and Baudet] is a neglected and underutilized legume crop in Benin and is subject to several constraints, including diseases and pests, which constitute a bottleneck to its production. A randomized semi-structured interview and participant observation survey were conducted in September 202...

Introduction: Access to high-quality seeds remains a key constraint to the intensification of crop production in low-income countries. In this study, we analyzed maize seed production and distribution systems in Benin to identify leverage points for effective seed systems, a prerequisite for improving maize production. Methods: Semi-structured int...

Genomic selection (GS) in plant breeding is explored as a promising tool to solve the problems related to the biotic and abiotic threats. Polyploid plants like bananas (Musa spp.) face the problem of drought and black sigatoka disease (BSD) that restrict their production. The conventional plant breeding is experiencing difficulties, particularly ph...

Gynandropsis gynandra (spider plant) is an African traditional leafy vegetable rich in minerals, vitamins and health-promoting compounds with potential for health promotion, micronutrients supplementation and income generation for stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies. However, information on biomass productivity is limited and consequen...

Understanding the genetic variability within a plant species is paramount in implementing a successful breeding program. Spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) is an orphan leafy vegetable and an extraordinary source of vitamins, secondary metabolites and minerals, representing an important resource for combatting malnutrition. However, an evaluation...

Gynandropsis gynandra (Cleomaceae) is a cosmopolitan leafy vegetable and medicinal plant, which has also been used as a model to study C 4 photosynthesis due to its evolutionary proximity to Arabidopsis. Here, we present a high-quality genome sequence of G. gynandra , anchored onto 17 main super-scaffolds with a total length of 740 Mb, an N50 of 42...

Planetary health brings together intrinsically linked issues of human health and natural systems. This paper reviews evidence of how agrobiodiversity underpins dietary diversity for current human populations in the context of fruits and vegetables, and ways to maintain and improve these for future generations. Both the conservation and sustainable...

Spider plant ( Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq .) is among the most important African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) as a source of essential nutrients with the potential of contributing significantly to household food and nutritional security and mitigation of hidden hunger. Nevertheless, the vegetable is considered an orphan crop and its production is c...

Africa and Asia bear the greatest cases of vitamin A deficiency whereas Orange‐Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) as a possible solution to vitamin A deficiency, brings income, food and nutritional security for smallholders involved in its production. Reports indicated low adoption of OFSP in West Africa due to poor value chains and wide adoption of White‐...

Habanero (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) is widely grown and consumed in West and Central African countries, and viral diseases represent an important production challenge. Diagnosis of the viral species affecting habanero productivity in Benin is limited, and understanding this will enable more efficient host resistance breeding. During 2019 and 2020, w...

Orphan legume crops play an important role in smallholder farmers’ food systems. Though less documented, they have the potential to contribute to adequate nutrition in vulnerable communities. Unfortunately, data are scarce about the potential of those crops to withstand current and future climate variations. Using Macrotyloma geocarpum as an exampl...

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) is a nutritious and drought-tolerant crop that is native to Africa. Currently, it possesses a cosmopolitan distribution across the semi-arid agro-ecologies of Africa and its cultivation has extended to other regions, particularly in the drier parts of Asia and Indonesia. Due to historic neglect, rese...

Although Bobgunnia madagascariensis is an important tree species known in traditional medicinal with a well-recognized galactogenic properties, it remains poorly documented. In Benin, little information is available on this species which is highly threatened in its natural habitat. In this study, the morphological variability of 51 trees of B. mada...

Agroecological food production and commercialization remain a major challenge in West Africa. This research aims to analyse consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for agroecological tomatoes in Burkina Faso and Benin. For this, twelve Vickrey's second-best price auction sessions involving 360 consumers were organized. Based on their sociodemographic c...

Agroecological systems stand as an alternative for sustainable agricultural production. This leads the stakeholders in farming to evolve towards sustainable farming that preserves ecosystems. However, the conventional production oriented farming system generally uses imbalance and excessive chemical inputs that harm the environment and human health...

Trait diversity is crucial in undertaking the domestication of useful species such as Vitellaria paradoxa which makes a significant contribution to the rural household economy in Africa. This study aims to document the criteria farmers use to distinguish shea trees; how they vary according to age, education level and sociolinguistic group; and thei...

Kersting’s groundnut [Macrotyloma geocarpum (Harms.) Maréchal and Baudet], Fabaceae, is an important source of protein and essential amino acids. As a grain legume species, it also contributes to improving soil fertility through symbiotic nitrogen fixation. However, the crop is characterized by a relatively low yield (≤500 kg/ha), and limited progr...

The economic importance of the maize streak virus disease to the African maize production dynamic is to be appreciated now more than ever due to the preponderant influence of a changing climate. Continued dependence on a single major-effect quantitative trait locus (QTL) called Msv1 on Chromosome 1 of Maize (Zea mays L.) is not guaranteed to ensure...

Despite the growing interest in the miracle plant worldwide due to its numerous applications, the threats and the wild harvest of the species hamper its sustainable utilisation. Moreover, traditional knowledge so far documented on the species is limited to a narrow geographical coverage of its natural distribution range, which is West and Central A...

Semi-Arid Regions (SARs) of West Africa are considered climate change “hotspots” where strong ecological, economic and social impacts converge to make socio-ecological systems particularly vulnerable. While both climatic and non-climatic drivers interact across scales to influence vulnerability, traditionally, this inter-connectedness has received...

Increased public awareness of healthy foods and healthy living, coupled with escalating medicinal costs and recent advances in research and technology, has sparked a paradigm shift to nutraceuticals, which guarantee human health and disease prevention. Spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) contains dietary phytochemicals with high nutritional and me...

This article reveals progress and gaps in spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra Syn. Cleome gynandra) research to date. It synthesises the current knowledge in systematics and botany, geographical distribution, nutrient content, and health values as well as the agronomic practices related to the species. This article further presents the germplasm av...

Assessing cassava clones performance in the breeding scheme of Kiyaka breeding program to identify winner clones in both upland savannah and valley forest ecologies

White fonio (Digitaria exilis) is a staple food for millions of people in arid and semi-arid areas of West Africa. Knowledge about nutritional and health benefits, insights into morphological diversity, and the recent development of genomic resources call for a better understanding of the genetic structure of the extant germplasm gathered throughou...

Finding sources of resistance to bacterial wilt (BW) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex is a crucial step toward the development of improved bacterial wilt-resistant tomato varieties. Here, we evaluated new sources of bacterial wilt-tolerant/resistant tomato lines and identified associated phylotype/sequevar of R. solanacearum strains...

Orphan legume crops play an important role in smallholder farmers’ food systems. Though less documented, they have the potential to contribute to adequate nutrition in vulnerable communities. Unfortunately, data are scarce about the potential of those crops to withstand current and future climate variations. Using Macrotyloma geocarpum as an exampl...

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a popular orphan crop used for its nutritional properties in various parts of the world. It is considered one of the richest terrestrial sources of omega-3 and omega-6-fatty acids (ω-3 and 6-FAs) suggesting its importance for human health. This ethnomedicinal plant is also an important part of traditional healing...

Background: Local knowledge and perception are crucial to undertake the domestication of useful species such as Vitellaria paradoxa that makes significant contribution to rural household economy in Africa. This study aims to document shea morphotypes diversity based on folk knowledge especially the main criteria farmers used to distinguish shea tre...

Background Understanding end-users’ preferred breeding traits and plant management practices is fundamental in defining sound breeding objectives and implementing a successful plant improvement programme. Since such knowledge is lacking for Synsepalum dulcificum , a worldwide promising orphan fruit tree species, we assessed the interrelationships a...

Pineapple fruit quality, shelf life and yield are important attributes for producers and customers in the pineapple value chains of Benin, where poor quality, short shelf life and low yield are main constraints. We quantified the effects of planting density and K2O: N fertilizer ratio on pineapple yield, external quality and perceived shelf life in...