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Harnessing genetic resources and progress in plant genomics for fonio (Digitaria spp.) improvement

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Abstract

Fonio plays an important role in food security and in income generation, in drought prone areas of West Africa. This review aimed at highlighting fonio production constraints, breeding objectives and available genetic resources for fonio improvement. Lack of institutional support to research, lack of improved seeds, parasitic weed infestation, grain shattering, lodging and toilsome of the post-harvest handling are the major constraints limiting fonio production. These factors lead to negligence of the crop notwithstanding its high nutritional and market values. Breeding programs on fonio should first focus on solving these problems to improve overall yield. We explored the potential of mutation breeding, somaclonal variation, somatic hybridization, molecular markers, comparative genomics, individualized targeting induced local lesions in genomes (iTILLING), genotype by sequencing and genomic selection to develop improved fonio varieties. Determination of ploidy level, wide collection and characterization of fonio genetic resources, definition of core reference set collection, and exploitation of heterosis are some key research areas that would be of great interest in fonio improvement. However, this can only be achieved with adequate funding and institutional support.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP/PPAAO 2A CERA 58 ID06) for funding research activities of KFO and Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) for grants awarded to KFO. We are grateful to Alcade C. Segnon for designing the map and Dr. Moussa D. Sanogo of Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER), Mali for his worthful discussions. We also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. Our warmest gratitude goes to our respective institutions for facilitating access to information during the course of this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 30, Legon, Ghana

    Mathieu Anatole Tele Ayenan

  2. Laboratory of Applied Ecology, University of Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP 526, Cotonou, Benin

    Kpedetin Ariel Frejus Sodedji

  3. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda

    Kpedetin Ariel Frejus Sodedji & Mahulé Elysé Boris Alladassi

  4. Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff Str. 27, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Charles Ikenna Nwankwo

  5. Laboratoire National de Recherche sur les Productions Végétales (LNRPV/ISRA), BP 31200, Route des hydrocarbures, Bel-Air, Dakar, Sénégal

    Katina Floride Olodo

  6. UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Montpellier II, 34394, Montpellier, France

    Katina Floride Olodo

  7. Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et microorganismes associés aux Stress Environnementaux (LMI LAPSE), Centre de recherche de Bel-Air, Dakar, Sénégal

    Katina Floride Olodo

  8. Centre d’Etudes Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la sécheresse (CERAAS), BP 3320, Route de Khombole, Thiès, Sénégal

    Katina Floride Olodo

  9. Université Cheikh Anta Diop, BP 5005, Dakar-Fann, Dakar, Sénégal

    Katina Floride Olodo

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  1. Mathieu Anatole Tele Ayenan
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Correspondence to Mahulé Elysé Boris Alladassi.

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Ayenan, M.A.T., Sodedji, K.A.F., Nwankwo, C.I. et al. Harnessing genetic resources and progress in plant genomics for fonio (Digitaria spp.) improvement. Genet Resour Crop Evol 65, 373–386 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-017-0565-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-017-0565-6

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