Foliar inputs from indigenous agroforestry tree/shrub provide organic matter and nutrients to sustain crop production in the West African Sahelian region. This study aims at monitoring the decomposition and nutrients release of leafy biomass of selected agroforestry tree and shrub species. In Mali and Burkina Faso, fresh leaves were collected from leguminous trees (Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev., Pterocarpus lucens Lepr.) and non-leguminous trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn., Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss.) and in Senegal, fresh leaves were obtained from leguminous trees (Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev., Pterocarpus lucens Lepr. and Piliostigma reticulatum (DC.) Hochst.) and the non-leguminous tree Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel. The leaf samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons were deployed for decomposition and nutrient release experiments using the litter bag technique. Average decomposition rate for this study was 0.23 k week− 1 whereby the rate of decomposition was 155

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) is a legume with an important source of proteins, grown in several tropical and subtropical regions. However, despite its great importance, especially in tropical regions facing food and nutritional insecurity, pigeon pea remains one of the oldest and least valued food crops in West Africa, particularly in Senegal. The aim of this study was to contribute to a better understanding of the diversity of rhizobia associated with three pigeon pea provenances in three regions of Senegal (Fatick, Nioro and Kaffrine), with a view to their exploitation as microbial biofertilizers. Soil samples were collected from rhizosphere of pigeon pea plants in the three regions. Shadehouse trials were carried out to determine the most probable number of bacteria (MPN), as well as the phenotypic and genetic diversity of rhizobia by trapping with pigeon pea seeds from the three provenances. The results revealed a variability in MPN between the three study sites. Bacterial isolation from root nodules determined that pigeon pea associates more with fast-growing bacteria. A collection of 87 isolates was obtained from the plant nodules cultivated in the three sites. Amplification of the rDNA ITS region, followed by enzymatic digestion, disclosed 35 genetic profiles, including 4 common to Fatick and Kaffrine, 2 to Fatick and Kaffrine, 1 to Nioro and Kaffrine, 8 specific to Fatick, 8 to Kaffrine and 5 to Nioro. At the end of the infectivity test with 56 bacterial isolates, considered under controlled conditions, only 29 re-infected the host-plant. A positive effect of inoculation with some bacterial isolates (F12p, N23, N22, N5, K3 and K16p) was noted for chlorophyll content and certain plant growth parameters (nodule number and weight, shoot and root dry weight). This study underlined that some of the bacterial strains may be potential candidates for improving growth and productivity of pigeon pea in Senegal.

In Senegal, agriculture is the primary source of employment, engaging nearly 70% of the active population. However, the sector faces challenges, such as high post-harvest losses and the degradation of natural resources, which hinder its performance. To promote sustainable development and enhance food and nutritional security, it is essential to encourage the cultivation of neglected and underutilized species with high nutritional value. This study aimed to assess the agromorphological characteristics of various tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) provenances grown under Senegalese environmental conditions. The plant material consisted of mature, dry tubers from ten ecotypes originating from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Senegal. The experiments were conducted in a net house over a period of four months, during which various morphological growth parameters were assessed every 15 days. After the growth period, the plants were harvested, and different agronomic traits were recorded. The findings revealed significant agromorphological variability among the different tiger nut provenances. All measured traits, including plant height, chlorophyll content, tiller number, and shoot and root dry biomass, as well as tuber number, weight, size, and shape, showed considerable differences. For instance, ecotypes 2MALI and 1NIGE had the highest and lowest tuber dry weights, respectively, at 63.75g and 7.02g. Principal component analysis further highlighted strong correlations between certain parameters, such as the number of tillers and tubers. Cluster analysis categorized the C. esculentus provenances into three groups based on phenotypic similarity: Group I (1BENI, 2BENI, 2NIGE), Group II (1NIGE), and Group III (1BURK, 1MALI, 2SENE, 2BURK, 2MALI, 1SENE). These results indicate a considerable level of agromorphological variability among tiger nut provenances, providing a valuable foundation for scaling up the cultivation of this neglected and underutilized crop in Senegal.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide host plants with water and nutrients. Here, we investigated the response of six rice varieties from two ecotypes (three irrigated and three rainfed upland varieties) to inoculation at five fertilizer levels, under continuous flooding (CF) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation in field conditions in two consecutive years. For both irrigated and upland rice, the application of AWD irrigation and reduction in NPK fertilizer levels resulted in significant yield losses, with a greater magnitude for irrigated rice. Under AWD irrigation, inoculation with AMF reduced relative yield losses with a more pronounced effect at half recommended dose of fertilizer. Under CF, the yield losses related to reduction in NPK fertilizer levels were often fully offset by inoculation with AMF. On the other hand, irrigation regime, fertilizer level and ecotype were identified as significant sources of variation in mycorrhizal inoculation effect for many yield-related traits including, total biomass, tiller number, panicle number, fertility and maturity dates. Our results suggest that inoculation with AMF could be associated with AWD irrigation and/or low NPK inputs to contribute to mineral fertilizer and water saving in both irrigated and upland rice production systems.

Sulfur dioxide is an acidifying gaseous pollutant. It contributes to the acidification of the environment. When emitted into the air and in the presence of water, sulfur dioxide forms sulfuric acid, which contributes to the phenomenon of acid rain. Acidifying substances disrupt the composition of air, surface water and soil. Sulphur dioxide (SOx) emissions are closely linked to the use of fuels containing sulphur, and the maximum permitted sulphur content is one of the most closely monitored fuel parameters. In this article, we determined the sulfur content of gasoline samples taken from four service stations belonging to the most representative groups in terms of light petroleum product distribution in Senegal. The aim is to assess the environmental impact of sulfur dioxide emissions resulting from the use of gasoline by vehicles, and to reduce upstream sulfur content.

Mineral deficiencies, especially iron and zinc, are still prevalent in urban as well as rural communities among women and children across Africa, including the Sahel. Here, effects of extrusion cooking in combination with food-to-food fortification (FtFF) with plant foods rich in minerals (moringa leaf powder) and their bioavailability enhancers, organic acids (baobab fruit) and β-carotene (carrots, mango, papaya) and additionally micronutrient premix fortification on iron, zinc and other mineral bioaccessibilities in wholegrain pearl millet-based porridges in comparison to their conventionally wet-cooked equivalents were investigated. Percentage bioaccessible iron in extrusion-cooked porridges FtFF with moringa+baobab+carrots+mango, baobab+carrots+papaya and together with micronutrient premix was generally similar to their conventionally cooked FtFF-porridge equivalents. However, the amount of bioaccessible iron in the extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges was some three times higher. Iron contamination through solubilization from the extruder parts was responsible. Percentage and amount of bioaccessible zinc of the extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges was substantially increased. This is likely due to phytate degradation during extrusion cooking, thereby reducing the phytate's mineral-chelating effects. Concerning calcium and magnesium, there was no positive effect of extrusion cooking on their bioaccessibility when compared to conventional cooking. However, FtFF substantially increased the amount of bioaccessible calcium and magnesium in the conventionally- and extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges because of their high contents in moringa and baobab. Consumption of extrusion-cooked ready-to-eat FtFF-porridges, especially when additionally conventionally fortified, is promising to significantly improve bioaccessible iron and zinc in the diet of at-risk African populations, particularly in urban communities.

Background Following WHO guidelines, microscopy is the gold standard for malaria diagnosis in endemic countries. The Parasitology-Mycology laboratory (LPM) is the National Reference Laboratory and is currently undergoing ISO 15189 accreditation. In this context, we assessed the performance of the laboratory by confirming the reliability and the accuracy of results obtained in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 15189 standards. This study aimed to verify the method of microscopic diagnosis of malaria at the LPM, in the Aristide Le Dantec hospital (HALD) in Dakar, Senegal. Methods This is a validation/verification study conducted from June to August 2020. Twenty (20) microscopic slides of thick/thin blood smear with known parasite densities (PD) selected from the Cheick Anta Diop University malaria slide bank in Dakar were used for this assessment. Six (6) were used to assess microscopists’ ability to determine PD and fourteen (14) slides were used for detection (positive vs negative) and identification of parasites. Four (4) LPM-HALD microscopists read and recorded their results on prepared sheets. Data analysis was done with Microsoft Excel 2010 software. Results A minimum threshold of 50% concordance was used for comparison. Of the twenty (20) slides read, 100% concordance was obtained on eight (8) detection (positive vs negative) slides. Four (4) out of the six (6) parasite density evaluation slides obtained a concordance of less than 50%. Thirteen (13) out of the fourteen (14) identification slides obtained a concordance greater than 50%. Only one (1) identification slide obtained zero agreement from the microscopists. For species identification a concordance greater than 80% was noted and the microscopists obtained scores between 0.20 and 0.4 on a scale of 0 to 1 for parasite density reading. The microscopists obtained 100% precision, sensitivity, specificity and both negative and positive predictive values. Conclusion This work demonstrated that the microscopic method of malaria diagnosis used in the LPM/HALD is in accordance with the requirements of WHO and ISO 15189. Further training of microscopists may be needed to maintain competency.

Moringa oleifera is an edible tree whose leaf powder is increasingly used as the main source of iron and other minerals such as zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. The objective of this present work was to determine the bioaccessibility of these minerals and their potentials contribution in Moringa oleifera Lam leaf powder (Mlp) from Senegal by Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry (ICP- AES). Minerals experiments were done in duplicate and analyzed twice. Bioaccessibility experiments were done in duplicate with three times for intestinal stage (each stage was performed two times). Mlp sample had the following mineral contents: iron (42.8 ± 2.97 mg/100g), zinc (1.88 ± 0.024 mg/100g), magnesium (506.28 ± 3.45 mg/100g), phosphorus (317.3 ± 2.04 mg/100g) and calcium (2273.39 ± 17.72 mg/100g). Mineral bioaccessibility (percentage) were respectively 9.04 ± 0.038, 66.32 ± 2.065, 87.64 ± 0.346, 69.44 ± 0.200 and 55.44 ± 0.316% for Fe, Zn, Mg, P and Ca. The total amount of bioaccessible minerals were respectively 3.87 ± 0.016, 1.25 ± 0.039, 443.71 ± 1.752, 220.34 ± 0.635, 1260.46 ± 7.176 mg/100g for Fe, Zn, Mg, P and Ca. These results show that Mlp is an excellent source of minerals except iron whose bioaccessibility is very low; they can well be used by target cells. A daily consumption of moringa leaf powder divided into number of intakes during the day can provide the required amount of mineral.

Peanut is a key component of Senegal’s predominantly cereal-based farming systems, but its production is challenged by low soil fertility. Rhizobial inoculation is a promising strategy to improve crop yield and reduce the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. The aim of this study was to isolate the most specific and effective bradyrhizobial strain for peanut, and to determine the degree of variability in the response of peanut cultivars to inoculation. The seeds of five cultivars: 55-437, Fleur 11, Sunu Gaal, Amoul Morom and Essamaay were inoculated individually with ten bradyrhizobial strains (LMG9283 and USDA3187, which are the reference strains; ISRA400, ISRA453, ISRA454, ISRA519, ISRA534 and ISRA538, isolated from Fleur 11 in Senegal, and ORS3640 and ORS3644, isolated from herbaceous species that are commonly found in Senegalese farmers’ fields). The plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in a mixture of sandy soil and vermiculite (1/1, v/v). The results obtained in terms of nodule formation, plant growth and yield parameters showed a positive effect of bradyrhizobial inoculation. However, these data indicated that the response of peanut to inoculation was cultivar dependent, with the traditional cultivars 55-437 and Fleur 11 showing the greatest increase in plant growth and yield parameters. Our results also highlighted the need for cultivar-specific selection of Bradyrhizobium to improve inoculation success in peanut, with the indigenous isolates being specifically more effective than the reference strains. According to this study, it would be beneficial to promote the use of native isolates that perform well with the peanut cultivars studied. Key words: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea), inoculation, indigenous and exotic Bradyrhizobium strains, nodulation, growth, yield parameters.

Small and micro food enterprises are critical implementation partners for fortification strategies that address the widespread micronutrient deficiencies in low-income countries. This paper describes the concept and practice of Entrepreneur-led Food Fortification (ElFF). It draws on the experience of a consortium of US and African food and nutrition R&D organizations, partnering with African small-scale food processors. ElFF can address major challenges faced by such enterprises by providing convincing value propositions, product distribution and marketing, and achieving business scale and nutritional impact. Through the example of entrepreneur-led production of food-to-food fortified grain-based instant porridge flour, we illustrate a framework for successful implementation of ElFF both in local markets and potential links to government nutrition strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies.

NOX emissions are a health hazard, and are increasingly regulated in cars. NOx also contributes to the formation of acid rain and the eutrophication of ecosystems. Nitrogen oxides are a family of molecules including nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These gases are formed in the engine during high-temperature fuel combustion, and play a role in the formation of fine particles in ambient air. In this article, the aim is to determine the nitrogen content of gasoline samples taken at four gasoline stations of the most representative groups in terms of distribution of light petroleum products in order to assess the environmental impact due to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of gasoline by vehicles and to reduce the nitrogen content in the form of nitrogen oxides NOx. After an introduction, we presented the material and the method used, followed by the results of our analyses and a discussion of the results obtained before concluding.

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the symbiotic performance of a collection of ten plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains on the growth and yield attributes of five groundnut varieties.The screening was conducted in the greenhouse using seeds of the varieties Essamay, Amoul Morom, 55-437, Fleur 11 and Sunu Gaal grown in 1.5 kg pots with Sangalkam soils.Leaf chlorophyll content, plant height, number of branches, biomass production, number and mass of pods were the parameters evaluated in response to groundnut inoculation.Overall, the results highlighted the effectiveness of inoculation with certain PGPRs on the growth and yield parameters.However, the effects of the inoculants were highly dependent on the variety used and the parameter studied.In particular, the strains RF8, SI12, SR6, SI16, SI27 and SS10 were the most efficient in improving the plant growth and yield attributes of the varieties Essamay, Amoul Morom and Sunu Gaal.In contrast, Fleur 11 and 55-437 were less responsive in terms of yield attributes, demonstrating that the response to groundnut inoculation is variety dependent.In addition, a significant increase in the estimated leaf chlorophyll content was only observed in Fleur 11 and Sunu Gaal, which was not expected and could be attributed to a lower N 2 fixation capacity of the indigenous rhizobia.Nevertheless, the increases in growth and yield parameters obtained in this study can be considered as a promising data for the use of bacterial biofertilisers in groundnut cultivation.

BackgroundRhizosphere microbial communities are important components of the soil-plant continuum in paddy field ecosystems. These rhizosphere communities contribute to nutrient cycling and rice productivity. The use of fertilizers is a common agricultural practice in rice paddy fields. However, the long-term impact of the fertilizers usage on the rhizosphere microbial communities at different rice developmental stages remains poorly investigated. Here, we examined the effects of long-term (27 years) N and NPK-fertilization on bacterial and archaeal community inhabiting the rice rhizosphere at three developmental stages (tillering, panicle initiation and booting) in the Senegal River Delta.ResultsWe found that the effect of long-term inorganic fertilization on rhizosphere microbial communities varied with the rice developmental stage, and between microbial communities in their response to N and NPK-fertilization. The microbial communities inhabiting the rice rhizosphere at panicle initiation appear to be more sensitive to long-term inorganic fertilization than those at tillering and booting stages. However, the effect of developmental stage on microbial sensitivity to long-term inorganic fertilization was more pronounced for bacterial than archaeal community. Furthermore, our data reveal dynamics of bacteria and archaea co-occurrence patterns in the rice rhizosphere, with differentiated bacterial and archaeal pivotal roles in the microbial inter-kingdom networks across developmental stages.ConclusionsOur study brings new insights on rhizosphere bacteria and archaea co-occurrence and the long-term inorganic fertilization impact on these communities across developmental stages in field-grown rice. It would help in developing strategies for the successful manipulation of microbial communities to improve rice yields.

Aims:Umbilical hernia (UH) is common in African and African-descent children. In high-income countries (HICs), it is considered benign, which is not the case in Sub-Saharan ones. Through this study, we aimed to share our experience.Materials and Methods:A descriptive review was conducted from January 01, 2012 to December 31, 2017 at Albert Royer National Children's Hospital Center. Among the 2499 patients, 2146 cases were included in the review.Results:UH had a frequency of 6.5%, with patients having a mean age of 2.6 years, with a male preponderance of 63%. Emergency consultation occurred in 37.1%. The symptomatic hernia was present in 90.9%. The congenital type was found in 96%, a history of painful episodes was reported in 46%, and medical and surgical comorbidities were found in 30.1% and 16.4%, respectively. Multimodal anesthesia was used in 93.1%. A lower umbilical crease incision was made in 83.2%, the sac was not empty in 16.3%, and additional umbilicoplasty was performed in 16.3%. During a 14-month follow-up, a complication occurred in 6.5% and mortality in 0.05%.Conclusion:In our region, the pediatric UH was predominantly symptomatic, with its natural evolution leading to more complications than in HICs. Its management carried acceptable morbidity.

To study the impacts of implementing a gender-sensitive value chain development (VCD) initiative in the agri-food sector, we conducted a mixed-methods study of a woman-owned food processing business and its associated value chain in Touba, Senegal. As a result of partnering with a USAID-funded project, the business began producing instant fortified flours, an innovative, higher-value product compared to traditional porridge, using extrusion and fortification techniques. Drawing on Senegalese women’s association networks, the business connected with local women who could work as processors and retailers. Our study’s goal was to explore how the project’s support of this food processing value chain has affected the lives of women processors and retailers, farmers, and medical personnel along the value chain. Particularly relevant to our study is the general lack of opportunities for women to earn their own incomes in the study region, especially outside of the home, and provide for their families. Through surveys, interviews, observations, and novel participatory focus group activities, our study provides qualitative and quantitative evidence of the perceived impacts of value chain development on women’s empowerment, income, and nutrition by key stakeholders in the value chain. We find an often cited barrier to women’s empowerment is the husband’s lack of understanding and limitations placed on women’s mobility, yet we also find perceptions of women’s empowerment in this conservative religious context. Our findings and discussion highlight the need for more research into VCD projects on the complex and, at times, contradictory processes of women’s empowerment. The women in our study expressed a desire for freedom to work outside of the home, and they expressed a need for childcare and contraception. Notably, the women discussed positive community changes, such as infrastructure and the creation of a childcare center, that implicate women’s collective empowerment. We also highlight a promising research opportunity in Senegal to explore the subnational variation in women’s empowerment through VCD.

Fungal communities associated with roots play a key role in nutrient uptake and in mitigating the abiotic and biotic stress of their host. In this study, we characterized the roots mycobiome of wild and cultivated pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br., synonym: Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone] in three agro-ecological areas of Senegal following a rainfall gradient. We hypothesized that wild pearl millet could serve as a reservoir of endophytes for cultivated pearl millet. We therefore analyzed the soil factors influencing fungal community structure and whether cultivated and wild millet shared the same fungal communities. The fungal communities associated with pearl millet were significantly structured according to sites and plant type (wild vs cultivated). Besides, soil pH and phosphorus were the main factors influencing the fungal community structure. We observed a higher fungal diversity in cultivated compared to wild pearl millet. Interestingly, we detected higher relative abundance of putative pathotrophs, especially plant pathogen, in cultivated than in wild millet in semi-arid and semi-humid zones, and higher relative abundance of saprotrophs in wild millet in arid and semi-humid zones. A network analysis based on taxa co-occurrence patterns in the core mycobiome revealed that cultivated millet and wild relatives had dissimilar groups of hub taxa. The identification of the core mycobiome and hub taxa of cultivated and wild pearl millet could be an important step in developing microbiome engineering approaches for more sustainable management practices in pearl millet agroecosystems.

Historically, local milk production in Senegal has struggled to keep up with the demands of consumers, so there has been a heavy reliance on imported milk and milk products. More recently, efforts have been made to improve local dairy production by establishing large, organized dairies that collect milk from rural production areas and developing small-scale processing units, such as mini dairies. The local dairy value chain in Senegal consists of (1) informal collection systems where farmers commonly deliver milk directly to dairies; (2) traditional and artisanal processing using simple equipment and techniques; and (3) short local marketing and sale circuits. Most West African dairy sectors are dominated by raw, unpasteurized milk or traditional, spontaneously fermented milk products, such as lait caillé in Senegal, sold through small-scale channels without a cold chain, so the risk of food safety hazards may be increased. Microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards have been found in milk and milk products across West Africa. There is a need to educate milk producers, small-scale processors, and vendors on the importance of refrigerating milk immediately after milking as well as maintaining the cold chain until the milk is heat treated and, subsequently, until the milk is marketed to the consumer. However, without assistance, obtaining the equipment necessary for cold storage and processing of milk can be challenging.

The present study is devoted to "the characterization of fodder resources in the transhumance terroirs of the Upper Senegal River Valley".It was conducted in the Pastoral Unit of Malandou which straddles the Valley and the Ferlo and in eleven (11) sites of the ISRA Program, all located in the regions of Matam and Tamba (North-East of Senegal).It focused on the characterization of the herbaceous stratum based on grasses of the genus Aristida spp., Chloris spp., Schoenefeldia... and that of woody whose most fodder species, are acacia albida and seyal, pterocarpus érinaceus ... Grassproduction has been linked to the rainfall recorded and it has been found that the most representative herbaceous species are annual grasses such as Aristida spp.; Chloris spp.; Schoenefeldia gracilis; Cenchrus spp, with a carpet that can be sparse or continuous, a height of 50 -60 cm and a covering that can vary, depending on the levelof rainfall, from 10 to 8 As for woody fodder, namely, trees, shrubs and bushes, the floristic composition is characterized by the relatively large presence of woody, some of which are, Acacia seyal, Ziziphus mauritiana, Balanites aegyptiaca, Adansonia digitata... , are fodder and has more than twenty (20) species of trees and more than twenty species of shrubs and bushes inventoried.The landscape has a lower and lower density of woody trees as we move north.The counts and calculations made show average densities over all sites, about 41 trees/ha and 209 shrubs/ha, with variations of 20 to 82 trees/ha and 22 to 334 bushes and shrubs per ha,