A

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

ON

THE EFFECT OF STORAGE TEMPERATURE

AND HUMIDITY ON THE GERMINATION
AND GROWTH OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN
(Sphenostylis stenocarpa)

BY

EKA, LYCLAH FELIX

MATRIC NO. 07/41025

SUPERVISOR: DR. A. N. OSUAGWU

COORDINATOR: PROF. E. A. BRISIBE

SUBMITTED TO

DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR
CALABAR, NIGERIA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

COURSE. GBT 4001: SEMINAR PRESENTATION

MARCH, 2011
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE - - - - - i

ABSTRACT - - - - - ii

TABLE OF CONTENT - - - - iii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND - - - - 1

1.2 BIOLOGY OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN - - 1

1.3 ORIGIN/DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN - 4

1.4 USES OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN - - - 5

1.5 JUSTIFICATION - - - - 6

1.6 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES - - - 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW - - 7

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 MATERIALS - - - - 13

3.2 EXPERIMENTAL SITE - - - - 13

3.3 METHOD - - - - - 13

3.4 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN - - - 13

3.5 DATA COLLECTION - - - - 15

3.6 DATA ANALYSIS - - - - 15

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION - - - 16

REFERENCES
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ABSTRACT

African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) is an indigenous

food crop legume in tropical Africa. The plant produces both

seeds and tubers which are the two major organs of economic

importance. Due to neglect and underutilization, African yam

bean is almost going extinct. The need for germplasm collection

characterization and conservation is therefore very important.

For maximum conservation, conditions such as the storage

temperature and humidity are exploited to ascertain the best

storage conditions that enhances maximum germination and

subsequent growth of the plant/crop.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

Increasing population, high prices of staple food items and

policy constraints on food importation are worsening the food

security in developing countries were protein deficiency and

malnutrition are predominant. In order to meet the increasing

gap in the provision of balanced food for the growing population

of developing countries, attention is now paid to lesser-known

crops that have played major roles in the livelihoods of

subsistent rural farming families. Among these crops is African

yam bean.

1.2 BIOLOGY OF THE PLANT

African Yam bean (AYB) Sphenostylis stenocarpa is also known

as Haricot in France, Girigiri in West Africa, Sese by the Yorubas

and Azama by the Ibos. It is a vigorous, herbaceous, climbing

vine, reaching 1.5-2 m in height, with trifoliate leaves, the

leaflets being up to 14 cm in length and 5 cm broad. The

conspicuous flowers are mauvish-pink, purple or greenish-white

in colour, about 2.5 cm in length and borne on stout auxiliary

peduncles. It has a glabrous seed pods which are linear, flat,

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with both margins raised, 25-30 cm long and 1-1.5 cm broad,

containing 20-30 seeds which may be ellipsoid, rounded or

truncated, and show considerable variation in size and colour;

the largest are usually about I cm long and 0.7 cm wide. Seed

colour may vary from creamy-white or brownish-yellow to dark

brown, sometimes with black marbling, and there appear to be a

number of 'types' according to seed colour. The plant produces

small spindle-shaped tubers, about 5-7.5 cm long. There is some

evidence that yields of seeds and tubers are inversely related

(Thomas et al 2005).

Fig. 1: A typical African Yam Bean Seeds of various species

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Fig. 2: A typical African Yam Bean tubers

Fig. 3: Matured African Yam Bean Plant with pods ready for harvest
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1.3 ORIGIN/DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN

African yam bean (AYB) is said to have originated in

Ethiopia. Both the wild and cultivated types now occur in tropical

Africa as far south as Zimbabwe. Throughout West Africa from

Guinea to southern Nigeria, being especially common in the

latter and in Togo and Cote d’ I’voire, and East Africa from

Northern Ethiopia to Mozambique including Tanzania (Potter,

1992). Okigbo (1973) first introduced AYB into Nigeria in a grain

legume workshop held in IITA, Ibadan.

It is still cultivated by some traditional farmers in certain

localities, mainly in the Cameroon, Cote d’ I’voire, Ghana,

Nigeria and Togo. In Ghana it is found in localized areas in the

Volta region, where it is grown by peasant farmers as a security

crop. In Nigeria, it is cultivated mainly in the southern part of the

country and Benue State (Middle belt) (Klu et al, 2001). The

plant is especially suited for lowland conditions, though it can be

grown up to 1800m, climates ranging from savannah to

rainforest are tolerated provided that there is a combination of

adequate rainfall (100cm or more during growing season) and

reasonable good drainage. Both seeds and tubers can be used

for propagation and the tubers are usually for harvesting 5 – 10

months after planting (Thomas, 2005).

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1.4 USES OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN

The seeds and tubers are the two organs of economic

importance providing food for both humans and livestock.

However, there is a cultural and regional preference for each;

West Africans prefer the seeds to the tubers, while tubers are

highly relished by the east and central Africans. This exceptional

nutritional pulse has a very significant link with African socio-

cultural life for instance, there are times in Ghana when they

prepare a special meal from African yam bean seeds during the

celebration of puberty rites in adolescent girls (Potter, 1992).

The seeds of AYB are cooked and eaten as food, however,

it is sometimes neglected in most Nigerian homes because of

long hours of cooking (4-6hrs) after tedious removal of skin coat

and soaking in water.

The tubers are cooked and eaten in the same manner as

potatoes which it resembles in flavour.

Extract of AYB also have medicinal values such as its ability

to inhibit hemoglobin polymerization and improve the Fe 2+/Fe3+

ratio of sickle cell blood (Nwaoguikpe & Uwakwe, 2005).

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1.5 JUSTIFICATION

The crop has not received adequate research attention up

till now, it is classified as a neglected underutilized species

(Bioversity, 2009). At present, AYB has been relegated to an

unimportant position as it is grown predominantly by the older

generation of farmers. The bulk of genetic resources of this crop

are in the hands of these farmers which threatens its survival.

There is therefore a need for germplasm collection,

characterization and conservation to prevent it from being

extinct.

1.6 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of this study include:

- To determine the amount of humidity needed for proper

storage of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa).

- To ascertain how storage temperature and humidity affect

the germination and growth of African Yam Bean.

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CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) belong to the

family, fabaceae, sub-family, papiloinoideae. Order, tabales and

genus; Sphenostylis. It originated in Ethiopia and was introduced

into Ghana from Togo and is now grown throughout tropical

Africa (Potter 1992).

A present investigation was taken to study the correlation

of seed water content and viability with its seed and seedling

vigour in the temperature treated seeds of green pea (Pisum

sativum) and soybean during the early stages of germination.

Seeds could withstand high temperature up to 70 oc for 10 days

continuously but high temperature treatment reduced the rate of

germination percentage, moisture content as well as seed and

seedling vigour. High temperature induced certain changes on

pea seeds and was not observed in the soybean seeds due to oil-

rich nature (Bewley and Black, 1994).

The occurrence of 3 different types of water has been

reported in dry seeds by various researchers (Bukken, 2001).

The physical state of water in seeds determines the physiological

manifestations connected with imbibitions and germination

(Bakker, 2001). When the seeds are subjected to higher

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temperature progressive removal of water occurs. Bound water

associated with macromolecules is lost. First resulting in

structural and functional deterioration of seeds (Bewley and

Black, 1994).

Seed viability denotes the degree to which a seed is alive,

metabolically active and possesses enzymes necessary for

catalyzing metabolic reactions needed for germination and

seedling growth (Basara et al, 2002).

There are many controversial reports regarding the

germinability of the seeds of winged bean on storage. It was

observed that there is a loss in germination potential of winged

bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) and study was conducted to

assess the loss of viability and found out methods of increasing

germination of stored seeds. Germination was found to be

decreasing from the first month of storage from 96% to 88%

after 1 month and 72% after 2 months, 52% after 3 months,

15% after 4 months and completely ceased after 6 months of

storage (Bourgeois, 2006).

The germination of four (4) months stored seeds normally

was 15%, but upon various treatment it could be increased.

Since the poor germination is attributed to the very hard seed

coat various chemical treatment at different temperature

 9

regimes were given to overcome the problem. Seeds stored for

more than six months could not germinate even after

scarification. Maximum seed germination of 100% was observed

when the seeds were treated in 0.5% KNO3 at 50oc and 90%

H2SO4 at 60oc (Hu et al, 1998).

The viability of groundnut seeds has also been studied

under range of storage conditions. It was observed that three

major factors affect the seed viability which are; moisture

content, temperature and oxygen concentration in the storage

environment (Sastry et al 2003).

In the studies, seeds of groundnut cultivar ICGSII from the

200 post rainy season at the International Crop Research

Institute for the Semi-Arid tropics (ICRISAT) Patancheru India,

with 5.0% initial moisture content (MC) and 100% germination

were used for the study. The effect of air and vacuum on seed

longevity was studied at five seed moisture levels: 1.7%, 3.4%,

4.45, 7.1% and 10.1% and two storage temperature 35 oc and

50oc in incubators. The result of the studies indicated that the

initial viability of test samples is generally high and ranged

between 98% and 100%. Upon storage, there was gradual loss

of the germinability of seeds in all the treatments. Seeds stored

at higher temperature (50oc) and MC (10.1%) deteriorated faster

 10

compared to other treatments and complete loss of viability

occurred within 10 days in both air and vacuum sealed

conditions (Sastry et al 2003).

Therefore, groundnut seeds dried up to 4% MC using

sorption type drier with secondary refrigeration (15 oc and 15%)

RH (relative humidity), retained viability considerably for longer

periods and replacing air with vacuum further enhanced seed

longevity. Seeds dried to very low MC (1.7% retained higher

viability levels for over two years of storage at 50 oc (Sastry et al

2003).

The chemical composition and nutritional values of AYB

have been studied. The crude protein level and quality of

tuberous roots determined by chemical methods showed that

AYB have crude protein levels ranging from 21 to 29% which is

lower than soybean (38%), but the amino acid analysis indicated

high level of methonine and lysine, equal to or better than those

of soybean and corresponding to WHO/FAO recommendation

(Evans et al, 1997), showed that the average composition of the

whole seeds are as follows: 20 – 50% protein, 8.25% fat, 59-

72% total carbohydrate, 3 – 26% total ash and 8 -10%

moisture.
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The result of the same study revealed that the whole seeds

were rich in potassium (649.49mg) and phosphorus (241.21mg).

Entomological studies at IITA, Ibadan, indicated that pods

and seeds of this edible legume maybe resistant to the major,

maruca viltrata and cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculates)

(Omitogun et al, 1995). Lectin, an albumin believed to be

responsible for this resistance was extracted from African Yam

bean and applied to cowpea leaves in high concentration showed

a considerable level of resistance to cowpea pod borer, while it

induced high larval mortility rate in low dosages in cowpea

weevil (Machuka et al, 2000).

Another study was undertaken by Olisa and Akande in 2010

to elucidate the role of imbibitions process in causing poor

germination of seed of two underutilized legumes pigeon pea

(Cajanus cajan) and African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa)

and whether scarification could improve germination percentage.

For AYB, 20 individual seeds were placed in numbered positions

in a germination tray and used to monitor the imbibition process.

Similarly, another set of seeds were used for standard

germination test in most sand a control for scarified seeds that

were tested in sand and paper substrata.

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The I and II imbibition process lasted for 6 – 24 hours in

AYB, threshold for water content was 80-84% in sand

substratum.

Scarified seeds imbibed significantly (p<0.05) more water

compared to the intact seeds. Germination percentage of

scarified seed as reduced respectively by 29.70%. Similarly,

germination of scarified seed in sand substratum was reduced by

27.64% compared with paper substratum.

Therefore, rapid imbibitions was a cause of reduced

germination and scarification is not necessary as it accelerated

imbibitions.

There is very little literature on the conservation/storage

method and conditions for African yam bean. This information

will be valuable for the rationalization of African yam bean

germination and growth. Hence, this study is conducted to

understand how storage temperature and humidity affect the

germination and growth of African yam bean.

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CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND PROCEDURE

3.1 MATERIALS

The following materials will be used for the experiment:

Seeds of African Yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa)

Refrigerator at 4oc

Oven at various temperatures

Desiccators

Hygrometer

Cutlass

Polythene bags

Experimental site

3.2 EXPERIMENTAL SITE

The experiment will be carried out behind the biological

science block, University of Calabar.

3.3 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Seven hundred and twenty (720) seeds of African Yam

bean (240 seeds per specie) will be obtained from Apiapum

market in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River state.

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15 seeds from each species will be collected and planted

randomly in polythene bags filled with soil obtained from the

same location, each bag will contain 5 seeds and this will serve

as control group. 5 desiccators will then be obtained from botany

laboratory in University of Calabar. Forty-five (45) seeds each of

the three species (the black, the speckled and the grey species),

135 seeds in total of AYB from the remaining stock will be put

into each desiccator and stored at 5 different temperatures - 4 oc,

27oC, 37oc, 40oc and 450c respectively.

After 2 weeks of storage, 15 seeds per specie will be taken

from each desiccator and the humidity will be measured using

hygrometer. The seeds will then be planted randomly on the

polythene bags filled with soil at the experimental site. Each bag

will contain 5 seeds, then the percentage germination and

growth rate will be measured and recorded.

After 4 weeks of storage, another 15 seeds per specie will

be taken from each desiccator and the humidity will again be

measured using hygrometer and recorded. The seeds will then

be planted randomly on the polythene bags at the experimental

site. Each bag will contain 5 seeds, then the percentage

germination and growth rate will be measured and recorded

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After 6 weeks of storage, the remaining 15 seeds per

specie will be collected from each of the desiccator and the

humidity will be measured, the seeds will then be planted

randomly on polythene bags on the experimental site. Each bag

will contain 5 seeds and then the percentage germination and

growth rates will be measured and recorded.

3.4 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in a 4 by 3

factorial set up.

3.5 DATA COLLECTION

Data will be collected on the following parameters:

Temperature of storage (oc)

Absolute Humidity (grain per pound of air - ppm)

Percentage germination (%)

Storage period in weeks (0, 2, 4, 6wks) for each of the 3

species of AYB.

3.6 DATA ANALYSIS

The data obtained from the experiment will be subjected to

descriptive analysis as well as Analysis of variance (ANOVA).

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CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSION

At the end of this study, the effect of storage temperature

and humidity on the germination and growth of the different

species of African yam bean will be determine and the best

storage temperature and humidity that enhances maximum

germination and growth for each of the species of Africa yam

bean will be ascertained.

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REFERENCES

Akande, S. R. (2009), Germplasm Characterization of African

Yam Bean.

Bourgeuis, R. and Susila, W. (2006). Underutilized Species: An

Alternative for poverty Alleviation. CGPRT Flash 4 (1)

Cabrera, E. & Lansakara, H. (1995). Open Storage of Soybean

Seed. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment
Station. Technical Bulletin 204.

Copeland, L. and McDonald, M. (1995). Principle of science and

technology. 3rd ed. Chapman and Hall.

Ellis, R. H. (1998). Longevity of Seeds Stored Hermetically at

Low Moisture Content. Seed Science Research Supplement
1, 9 – 10.

Klu, G. Y. P. (2000). Induced Mutations for Accelerated

Domestication: A Case Study of Winged Bean
(Psophocarpus tetragonolobus). West African Journal of
Applied Ecology 1, 47 – 52.

Nutile, G. C. (1964). Effect of Desiccation on Viability of Seeds.

Crop Science 4, 325-328.

Nwaoguikpe, R. N. and Uwakwe, A. A. (2005). The Anti-sickling

Effect of Dried Fish (Tilapia) and Dried Prawn (Astacus red).
Journal of Applied Science and Environmental Management
9 (3), 115-119.

Okigbo, B. N. (1973). Introducing the Yam Bean (Sphenostylis

stenocarpa); Hoschct Ex. A. Rich-Harms). In: Proceedings
of the First IITA Grain Legume Improvement Workshop.
29th Oct. – 2nd Nov. pp. 224 – 238

Potter, D. and Doyle J. J. (1992). Origin of the African Yam Bean

(Sphenostylis stenocarpa): Evidence from Morphology,
Isozymes, Chloroplast DNA and Linguistics. Economic
Botany 46, 276-292.

Saka, J. O. et al (2004). Survey of Underutilized Grain Legume

Production Systems in South West Agricultural Zone of
 18

Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Food Information 6, 93-

108.

Vertucci, C. W. and Leopold, A. C. (1984). Bound Water in

Soybean Seed and its Relations to Respiration and
Imbibition Damage. Plant Physiol. 75 114 – 117.