Modeling of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Yield and Control Insecticide Exposure in a Semi-Arid Region

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Landraces from Portugal and Mozambique

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is currently a legume crop of minor importance in Europe but a highly relevant staple crop in Africa and the second most cultivated legume in Mozambique. In Portugal and Mozambique, cowpea's phenotypic and genetic variation has been maintained locally by farmers in some areas. We used the molecular markers SSR, SilicoDArT and SNP to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of 97 cowpea accessions, mainly from Portugal (Southern Europe) and Mozambique (Southern Africa). As far as we know, this is the first time that the genetic variation and the relationship between cowpea landraces collected in Portugal with those originated in Mozambique is reported. Despite the shared historical past, the Portuguese landraces did not share a common genetic background with those from Mozambique, and two different gene pools were revealed. Knowledge of the genetic structure of cowpea landraces offers an opportunity for individual selection within landraces adapted to particular eco-physiological conditions and suggests the existence of a valuable gene pool for exploitation in future Portugal-PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African countries) cowpea breeding programs.

Revisiting the Domestication Process of African Vigna Species (Fabaceae): Background, Perspectives and Challenges

Legumes are one of the most economically important and biodiverse families in plants recognised as the basis to develop functional foods. Among these, the Vigna genus stands out as a good representative because of its relatively recent African origin as well as its outstanding potential. Africa is a great biodiversity centre in which a great number of species are spread, but only three of them, Vigna unguiculata, Vigna subterranea and Vigna vexillata, were successfully domesticated. This review aims at analysing and valorising these species by considering the perspective of human activity and what effects it exerts. For each species, we revised the origin history and gave a focus on where, when and how many times domestication occurred. We provided a brief summary of bioactive compounds naturally occurring in these species that are fundamental for human wellbeing. The great number of wild lineages is a key point to improve landraces since the domestication process caused a loss of gene diversity. Their genomes hide a precious gene pool yet mostly unexplored, and genes lost during human activity can be recovered from the wild lineages and reintroduced in cultivated forms through modern technologies. Finally, we describe how all this information is game-changing to the design of future crops by domesticating de novo.