Legumes And Oil Seed Research

Legumes And Oil Seed Research

Prof. Uthman Lucky Arunah

Prof. Uthman Lucky Arunah is a seasoned Agronomist at the Department of Agronomy, Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, currently serving as the Programme Leader for the Legumes and Oil Seeds Research Programme. With over 18 years of academic research experience, he holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy (farming systems), alongside an M.Sc. and a B. Agric. from ABU. His research expertise encompasses soil fertility management, crop production systems, and organic agriculture, demonstrated by numerous publications in reputable scientific journals.

Prof. Arunah has taken on pivotal roles in several research projects aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa while actively participating in training workshops and international conferences. As an educator, he teaches a diverse range of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, mentoring future agronomists and supervising numerous theses and dissertations.

In addition to his academic and research commitments, Prof. Arunah has held significant administrative positions within the university and contributes to community service initiatives focusing on sustainable agricultural practices. His dedication to agriculture and education is further underscored by his passion for mentoring students and facilitating agricultural development programs. In his free time, he enjoys reading and playing volleyball.

INTRODUCTION

The Legumes and Oilseeds Programme’s research looks at her five mandate crops: groundnut, sunflower, cowpea, castor and Jatropha.  The programme is responsible for the genetic and agronomic improvement of this crops which play major role in the food and economic security of both small holder small scale farmers who are the pivot of agricultural development of Nigeria and the emerging large scale agriculturalist.

Justification for the Programme

Legumes and oilseeds are highly vulnerable to various biotic (e.g., pests, diseases) and abiotic (e.g., drought, soil infertility) stresses that significantly reduce yields. Developing breeding lines and varieties with resistance to these stresses ensures higher productivity, stability across seasons, and better adaptation to climate variability. Maximizing the genetic potential of improved varieties requires appropriate agronomic practices. Research into nutritional, physiological, and management factors enables the identification of optimal planting techniques, fertilizer regimes, and crop management practices that enhance crop performance. This leads to increased yields, improved resource use efficiency, and more environmentally sustainable production systems.

Overreliance on chemical pesticides poses environmental and health risks and leads to resistance build-up. Integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) offers a holistic approach by combining biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemical methods. Effective IPDM strategies ensure more sustainable production while preserving environmental integrity and minimizing losses. To ensure real-world relevance and adoption, research outputs must be validated under actual farming conditions. On-farm trials provide essential feedback on performance, adaptability, and farmer preferences. Additionally, identifying and addressing socio-economic barriers (e.g., access to credit, markets, inputs) is key to scaling up innovations and ensuring equitable benefits across farming communities. Generating knowledge alone is insufficient without effective communication to end-users. The development of content for extension and dissemination is essential to bridge the gap between research and practice. It ensures that farmers, extension agents, and stakeholders are informed and empowered to adopt proven innovations, thereby amplifying the impact of the research programme.

Goal of the Research Programme

The goal of the research programme is to sustainably increase the productivity of the mandate crops for food and energy security, improve rural livelihoods and their resilience through a multidisciplinary research approach, that is environmentally sustainable, socially acceptable and alleviates poverty of Nigerians.

Values of the Research Programme

a.         Commitment to scientific advancement through the development of improved crop varieties.
Building agricultural systems that can withstand environmental and biological stresses thus promoting long-term productivity and food security.

b.      Pursuit of best agronomic practices for optimal crop performance, promoting continuous learning and training among farmers and stakeholders by encouraging eco-friendly and resource-efficient farming methods.

c.         Protecting human health and the environment from excessive chemical exposure. Integrating multiple control strategies for holistic pest and disease management and using science to promote responsible, evidence-based interventions.

d.     Ensuring research solutions are practical and responsive to real-world conditions by reducing losses and improving availability of food and marketable produce. Maintaining and enhancing the nutritional and market value of crops.

e.    Staying responsive to new challenges and emerging trends. Anticipating future issues and preparing early interventions, maintaining the program's alignment with national and global priorities.

f.      Ensuring research outcomes reach and benefit end-users and also engaging stakeholders in knowledge transfer and adoption.

Structure and Organogram

Programmme Achievements

i.     In the maximum yields trials in 2021 at Samaru, Minjibir and Mokowa, it was found that reducing groundnut spacing to 10 cm from the usual 23 cm and application of 50 kg NPK 20:10:10/ha and 150kg SSP/ha gave the highest pod and haulm yields of groundnut.

ii.            400 cowpea germplasm were maintained at IAR farm during 2021 season and their grain yield ranged from 56 to 1, 632 kg/ha.

iii.              All research activities earmarked for the year under review have been successful conducted.

iv.     We have now multiplied the seeds of the first castor variety released by IAR in the last 100 years of history (SAMCAS 1) and the release of SAMCAS 2 is in the pipe line.

v.         A total of 12,000 single plants representing 10 families (targeting high yield, tolerance to striga, pod borer insect, aphid resistant etc) were advanced from F2 to F3; F3 to F4. We also generated BC4F1 and BC3F2 derived from a cross between SAMPEA-15 x 709A and SAMPEA-17 X 709A targeting two varieties brown and white seeded with pod borer resistant gene. The grain yield of the two populations varied from 160.23 kg/ha to 2904 kg/ha.

vi.       IAR introduced sunflower germplasm for genetic improvement, as part of the IAR’s efforts to address sunflower stakeholders’ needs (growers, processors) at both locally and international markets.

vii.         The Programme in collaboration with NSUNGMAN organized and co-sponsored a training for sunflower growers on the best agronomic practices, pests, and disease management of sunflower production in 2022.

viii.  The Programme facilitated allocation of Office Space/Lab for three of our crops (Castor, Sunflower and Jatropha), these crops have not been house in a befitting space for a very long time in 2022.

PARTICIPATING RESEARCH STAFF