Vigna subterranea

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an underutilized legume crop that is widely grown in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and South America. It is highly adapted to arid and semi-arid regions with low rainfall, and can thrive in poor soils with low fertility.

Bambara groundnut is a highly nutritious crop, rich in protein, carbohydrates, and minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc. It is also an important source of income for smallholder farmers, who cultivate it for both domestic consumption and sale in local markets. The crop is usually planted in the rainy season and harvested after 3-5 months.

It has several uses, including human consumption as a food crop, animal feed, and in traditional medicine to treat a range of ailments. Bambara groundnut also has several advantages over other crops, including its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it a sustainable option for soil improvement and reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers.

Despite its many benefits, bambara groundnut cultivation is limited by several challenges, including low yields, pests and diseases, and the lack of high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties. Therefore, efforts are underway to improve the crop through breeding and selection of improved varieties and better crop management practices, to enhance its productivity, nutritional value, and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses.

A comprehensive strategy for the global conservation of Vigna has been developed through a survey of all genebanks around the world, taking into account bambara groundnut.