Angolan vegetable crops have unique genotypes of potential value for future breeding programmes

Abstract

HOW TO CITE:A survey was carried out in Angola with the aim of collecting vegetable crops. Collecting expeditions were conducted in Kwanza-Sul, Benguela, Huíla and Namibe Provinces and a total of 80 accessions belonging to 22 species was collected from farmers and local markets. Species belonging to the Solanaceae (37 accessions) and Cucurbitaceae (36 accessions) families were the most frequently found with pepper and eggplant being the predominant solanaceous crops collected. Peppers were sold in local markets as a mixture of different types, even different species: Capsicum chinense, C. baccatum, C. frutescens and C. pubescens. Most of the eggplant accessions collected belonged to Solanum aethiopicum L. Gilo Group, the so-called 'scarlet eggplant'. Cucurbita genus was better represented than the other cucurbit crops. A high morphological variation was present in the Cucurbita maxima and C. moschata accessions. A set of 22 Cucurbita accessions from Angola, along with 32 Cucurbita controls from a wide range of origins, was cultivated in Valencia, Spain and characterised based on morphology and molecularity using a set of 15 microsatellite markers. A strong dependence on latitude was found in most of the accessions and as a result, many accessions did not set fruit. The molecular analysis showed high molecular variability and uniqueness in the collected accessions, as shown by their segregation from the set of global controls. In summary, the material collected is quite valuable because of its uniqueness and the potential of the breeding characteristics it possesses.

Vegetable grafting: principles and practices

“…Many S. aethiopicum accessions carry resistance to Fusarium and bacterial wilt, as well as to fruit and shoot borers and spider mites (Kashyap et al, 2003;Toppino et al, 2008), and some display immunity against tobamoviruses (tobacco mosaic virus, tomato mosaic virus and pepper mild mottle virus) (Tzortzakakis et al, 2006). Gilo, Kumba and Shum are important cultivar groups for food in tropical Africa and can easily be found in markets (Domingos et al, 2016). There are also intermediate forms between them, as well as between S. aethiopicum and its wild ancestor Solanum anguivi, which is widely distributed in Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula.…”

Ethnobotanical Survey of Herbal Teas Consumed in Uíge Province, Angola: Part 1

“…For centuries, Angola's rich and fascinating floral and faunal biodiversity has attracted many national and foreign researchers to conduct ethnobotanical and zoological studies in the region. For examples Mawunu et al (2022a); Mawunu et al (2022b); Mawunu et al (2020); Mawunu et al (2019); Mawunu et al (2016); Kissanga et al (2021); Monizi et al (2021); Monizi et al (2018); Gonçalves et al (2019); Lautenschläger et al (2018), FAO (2017), Domingos et al (2016), and Urso et al (2015).…”