Fonio millets

Animasaun, David A.; Adedibu, Peter Adeolu; Olawepo, Gabriel K.; Oyedeji, Stephen

doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-90537-4.00028-4

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Three groups of fonio are identi ed by the traditional local farmers based on the growth cycle: precocious (early), intermediate and late maturing types (Animasaun et al, 2018). Fonio is one of the fastestmaturing cereals in the world (Vietmeyer et al 1996;Ibrahi, 2001; Adoukonou-Sagbadja 2010; Enyiukwu and Bassey 2020; Del, 2015; Animasaun et al 2023), which explains why it is sometimes referred to as "hungry rice" by some people in North Central Nigeria.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic characterisation and comparative non-targeted GC-MS-based metabolomic profiling of two contrasting seedling fonio millet (Digitaria exilis) accessions: an insight to drought tolerance in small millets

Animasaun,

Lawrence

2023

Preprint

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Fonio millet is an orphan crop with great economic and food security potential. However, drought negatively affects its production and yield in semi-arid and arid regions. This study compared the growth and metabolomic profiles of two contrasting fonio accessions (NGB02089 and NGB02082) in response to water stress at the seedling stage. The results showed variation in the morph-agronomic characters of the accessions. There were also significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations in the traits studied which means that the traits can be improved simultaneously. Chlorophyll content increased progressively with weeks after sowing (WAS) but decreased when seedlings were exposed to water stress. Biomass yield of NGB02082 was higher than that of NGB02089 although the latter grew more vigorously. However, NGB02089 had longer roots. The GC-MS analysis identified 12 significant metabolites that differed in composition between the fonio accessions, including sugars, fatty acids and siloxanes. The amount of siloxane decreased in NGB02082 with increasing drought duration increased but increased in NGB02089. Similarly, cis-13-octadecenoic acid was present in NGB02082 at 4 WAS but absent at 5 WAS, whereas NGB02089 produced more metabolites. Similarly, phthalimide, triacontane, vaccenic acids, and cholestane were produced in response to drought stress duration. The results of this study showed that NGB02089 and NGB02082 have different metabolomic responses to drought, which confers resistance to NGB02089 while NGB0282 is drought susceptible. The result of this study suggests that metabolic responses to drought may be useful in developing varieties with a better tolerance or adaptation to drought conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic characterisation and comparative non-targeted GC-MS-based metabolomic profiling of two contrasting seedling fonio millet (Digitaria exilis) accessions: an insight to drought tolerance in small millets

Animasaun,

Lawrence

2023

Preprint

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Landrace diversity and heritage of the indigenous millet crop fonio (Digitaria exilis): Socio‐cultural and climatic drivers of change in the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea

Burton,

Gori,

Camara

et al. 2024

Plants People Planet

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Societal Impact StatementWhite fonio (Digitaria exilis [Kippist] Stapf) is an understudied millet crop, indigenous to West Africa and cultivated in the region largely through traditional practices. This species is climate‐resilient, fast‐growing, nutritionally rich, and provides livelihoods and food security to rural communities. Through collaboration with smallholder farmers in the Fouta Djallon region, Guinea, this study investigates how the diversity and selection of fonio landraces has changed in living memory. This research provides insight into how climatic and socio‐cultural changes affect the cultivation of fonio varieties and other indigenous crops, and why they should be conserved and further involved in rural development programmes.Summary The millet crop white fonio (D. exilis) isa staple crop feeding thousands of people across West Africa. The Fouta Djallon highlands region of Guinea is a hotspot for its cultivation, with known high genetic diversity. Our study utilises data from ethnobotanic interviews and plant specimen and seed collections, working with farmers from 15 communities in this region with the aim to investigate the diversity of landraces and popularity of fonio within the current agricultural systems, in the present, and changes over the past 50 years. A total of 24 named varieties of fonio were recorded and described, along with other commonly cultivated food crops. This includes two lost varieties now no longer cultivated. We also describe the methods for cultivation, grain processing and food preparation. The priority and popularity of cultivated fonio landraces, and other crops, has changed, due to the consequences of social and environmental change in living memory. The diversity of fonio landraces are maintained as an adaptation to historical climatic changes, and there is an increasing preference towards varieties with a longer growing period and more reliable high yield to the detriment of early season varieties.

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