RESEARCH ARTICLE
Agromorphological diversity of local Bambara groundnut
(Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) collected in Benin
A. A. Gbaguidi
.
A. Dansi
.
I. Dossou-Aminon
.
D. S. J. C. Gbemavo
.
A. Orobiyi
.
F. Sanoussi
.
H. Yedomonhan
Received: 23 July 2017 / Accepted: 14 December 2017 / Published online: 16 January 2018
Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea
(L.) Verdc.) is a neglected and less exploited species in
Benin. However, the rational use of the different
landraces available involves an appropriate knowl-
edge of their characteristics. This study examined the
characteristics of 52 local landraces of Bambara
groundnut traditionally cultivated in Benin based on
12 qualitative and 11 quantitative variables, in order to
expose those of good qualities. After a classification
based on the morphological variables of the seeds, the
experimental field was installed in a completely
randomized device of blocks repeated three times.
The collected data was analyzed with Statistica 7.1
and NTSYS PC 2.2. softwares using qualitative
characteristics (Growth’s type, Stem’s hairiness,
Flower’s colour, Leave’s shape etc.). As result, the
number of morphotypes increased from 18 (out of
classification) to 47. Therefore, it appears that the
Benin collection of Bambara groundnut is broad in
morphological variability. The analysis of the princi-
pal component of the quantitative variables revealed
three specific classes within the collection. The most
efficient variety which belonged to the second class,
had a high field yield per hectare ([ 1 t/ha). The
Souhouloumankpa variety yielded the earliest
(103 days after sowing) in addition to the high field
yield. The study also showed a positive relationship
between 100 seed’s weight, their length, the number of
seeds per plant and the seed’s field yield in kg/ha. For a
sustainable preservation and an improvement of the
available resources, a molecular characterization of
the Bambara groundnut landraces in Benin Republic
needs to be done.
Keywords Bambara groundnut Á Benin Á Diversity Á
Landraces Á Vigna subterranea Á Yield
A. A. Gbaguidi (&) Á A. Dansi Á I. Dossou-Aminon Á
A. Orobiyi Á F. Sanoussi
Biotechnology’s Laboratory, Genetics Resources and
Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of
Sciences and TechnologY (FAST) of Dassa Zoume,
National University of Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics, P.O. Box 14, Dassa-Zoume, Benin
e-mail: gbaguidianicet@yahoo.fr
D. S. J. C. Gbemavo
Unite
´
de Biostatistique et de Mode
´
lisation (UBM),
Faculte
´
des Sciences et Techniques (FAST), Universite
´
Nationale des Sciences, Technologies, Inge
´
nierie et
Mathe
´
matiques (UNSTIM), BP 14, Dassa-Zoume, Benin
D. S. J. C. Gbemavo
Laboratoire de Biomathe
´
matiques et d’Estimations
Forestie
`
res, Faculte
´
des Sciences Agronomiques,
Universite
´
d’Abomey-Calavi, 04 BP 1525 Cotonou, Benin
H. Yedomonhan
National Herbarium, Department of Botany and Plant
Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST),
University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), BP 526, Cotonou,
Benin
123
Genet Resour Crop Evol (2018) 65:1159–1171
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-017-0603-4
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