Objective: This study aims to characterize and assess the variability within the ginger accessions growing in Burkina Faso for morphometric and agronomic traits in order to identify appropriate strategies for the future breeding program. Methodology and Results: The experiment was conducted with 56 accessions in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. Moderate diversity was observed for morphometric and agronomic characters. The linear Pearson's correlations between rhizome yield and rhizome weight per plant were significantly positives with the other characters, except days taken to maturity, which were negatives. Plant height was strongly associated with number of leaves, leaf length and rhizome width. The accessions gathering into two groups is not made according to their origin, but mainly on the basis of the characters such as rhizome yield, rhizome weight per plant, rhizome length, and plant height. Conclusion and application: The ginger germplasm characterization is useful and has made it possible to understand the basic information for development of a scientific strategy for the efficient conservation of ginger. Strong associations between yield components and plant seize are important selection indices of rhizome yield and may be emphasized in the breeding programs for genetic improvement. Moreover, the model of clustering of the accessions can be used as a base for the choice of genotypes with interesting agro-morphological characteristics for the improvement of ginger productivity.

Objective: This study aims to update the database of fungi associated to Bambara groundnut foliar diseases in Burkina Faso using both molecular and morphological identification approaches. Methodology and Results: In this study, molecular approach based on the sequencing of ITS (Internal Transcripted Spacer) region of fungi and morphological approach were used to identify the main fungi associated to Bambara groundnut foliar diseases. The study was performed with universal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer ITS1/ITS4. BlastN comparisons between 19 fungal isolates contigs of the 16 major fungi were produced by their DNA sequences assembly and GenBank sequences yielded identity scores of 99 to 100 % with all of them. The degrees of similarity between these contigs and the loci sequences of classified fungi in GenBank indicate that our fungal isolates are the same species with those in Genbank, particularly the first of the list show after the blastN. It is the first report of molecular characterization of the main fungi infecting Bambara groundnut in Burkina Faso. Conclusion and Application of results: Nineteen fungi associated to Bambara groundnut foliar diseases were identified and can be taken as targets in varietal improvement of Bambara groundnut for resistance to fungal diseases in Burkina Faso.

Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdcourt specie is a traditional African legume, grown in all parts of Burkina Faso. It plays a huge role in the resilience of poor people to food and nutritional insecurity. In order to contribute to the safeguarding of the genetic resources of this specie and to better valorize it in the selection and varietal improvement programs, a study on the phenotypic variability based on the coloration of the seed coat and the nomenclature of the local varieties within certain ethnic groups has been realized. Prospecting and collection of bambara groundnut accessions has made in several localities across the three agro-climatic zones of Burkina Faso. Accessions collected were identified on the basis of seed coat colouring and local names within some ethnic groups. Frequency calculations of the accessions collected according to the staining of tegument were performed. From a total of 138 seed samples collected 322 accessions were obtained with a breakdown into 22 groups of accessions according to the coloration of their tegument. This important phenotypic variability can be exploited in the breeding and varietal breeding programs of bambara groundnut. Knowing the local names of the accessions can also be useful in the nomenclature of the selected varieties and can help in facilitating their adoption by the producers.

No abstract