Biology Prof. Michael Timko, along with a team of international scientists and students, is currently conducting research for the Cowpea Genomics Initiative, a project that seeks to dramatically improve the lives of millions living in Central and Western Africa.
The cowpea, better known as the black-eyed pea in the United States, is a significant source of food and fodder in West and Central Africa, Timko said. According to a CGI poster, countries including Senegal, Mali, Niger, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire produce nearly 80 percent of the world's cowpeas.The legume, which contains a number of proteins and carbohydrates, is a major source of nutrition and is the bean of choice for many Western and Central Africans, especially those living in more impoverished regions, said molecular biology graduate student Mohammed Sagir, who calls Nigeria home.?
"Their livelihood really depends on the cowpea," Sagir said.
The plant, however, is highly susceptible to insects, fungal and bacterial pathogens, as well as parasitic weeds and nematodes, according to Timko. Limited rainfall also can have detrimental effects on cowpea production.
"If infestation and drought are bad enough, you can lose all your crops," said biology graduate student Agyemang Danquah?, who is also conducting research in Timko's lab.
This vulnerability can endanger the millions who rely on the crop, Timko said, and for this reason, he and his team are currently researching ways to "improve" the cowpea.
Using a technique called marker-assisted breeding, Timko said he hopes to be able to speed up the process of generating parasite and disease resistant cowpea varieties. Using this tool in conjunction with previous research and by collaborating with University students as well as scientists in Africa, Timko said he may be able to identify target genes that make the plant less susceptible to certain parasites and pathogens.
Asst. Microbiology Prof. Xianfeng Chen, who also has worked on the cowpea research, said Timko and fellow researchers successfully decoded portions of the cowpea DNA nearly six months ago. This research has and will continue to aid the group's efforts, Timko said, as it helps identify the markers that control the crop's nutrition content and resistance to disease, drought and other potentially damaging factors.
Timko, who recently returned from Nigeria and will visit Uganda during Spring Break, said many farmers are already making use of previously enhanced cowpeas, much like his own.
"It's an ongoing process and we're just trying to continually improve it," he said.
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