The Effect of Organic and Inorganic Nutrient Sources on The Growth and Seed Yield of Bambara Nut (Vigna Subterranean (L) Verdc) Variety

Abstract

Bambara Groundnuts (Vignea subterranean), is an underutilized legume widely cultivated in SubSaharan Africa. Its center of origin is thought to be Bambara, near Timbuktu in Central Mali, West Africa hence its name Bambara Groundnut [1]. The crop has also been widely cultivated in tropical regions since the seventeenth century and was also domesticated in the semiarid zone of West Africa, probably around the headwaters of the Niger River, from where it spread in ancient times to Central Africa, and more recently to the Malagasy Republic [2]. It is the third most important crop after groundnuts and cowpeas, but it has low status as it is seen as a snack or food supplement but not a lucrative cash crop. It is an edible legume which serves as one of the main sources of income for small holder farmers. The seeds contain sufficient quantities of protein (19%), carbohydrate (63%), fat (6.5%) and essential amino acids such as lysine, cysteine and methionine [3,4]. Thus, the crop produces a balanced food, high protein content and source of plant protein for human [5]. Crop production in SubSaharan Africa is hindered by several factors such as drought, low soil fertility as well as restricted access to mineral fertilizers [1].