Vigna subterranea

Vigna subterranea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Vigna
Species:
V. subterranea
Binomial name
Vigna subterranea
(L.) Verdc.
Synonyms[1]
  • Arachis africana Burm. f.
  • Glycine subterranea L.
  • Voandzeia subterranea (L.) Thouars
  • Voandzeia subterranea (L.) DC.

Vigna subterranea (common names: Bambara groundnut, Bambara nut,[2] Bambara bean,[3] Congo goober,[2] earth pea,[4] ground-bean,[2] or hog-peanut[2]) is a member of the family Fabaceae. Its name is derived from the Bambara ethnic group.[5] The plant originated in West Africa. As a food and source of income, the Bambara groundnut is considered to be the third most important leguminous crop in those African countries where it is grown, after peanut and cowpea. The crop is mainly cultivated, sold and processed by women, and is, thus, particularly valuable for female subsistence farmers.[3][6]

Bambara groundnut represents the third most important grain legume in semi-arid Africa.[7] It is resistant to high temperatures and is suitable for marginal soils where other leguminous crops cannot be grown.[8] It is a low-impact crop.[9] The entire plant is known for soil improvement[10] because of nitrogen fixation.

Vigna subterranea is geocarpy which ripens its pods underground, much like the peanut (also called a groundnut). They can be eaten fresh or boiled after drying, and can be ground either fresh or dry to make puddings.

  1. ^ "Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc". The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species.
  2. ^ a b c d "Vigna subterranea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2006. p. 53. doi:10.17226/11763. ISBN 978-0-309-10333-6.
  4. ^ "Definition And Classification Of Commodities (Draft): 4. Pulses And Derived Products". Food and Agriculture Organization. 1994. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  5. ^ Mubaiwa, Juliet; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Chidewe, Cathrine; Linnemann, Anita R. (2017-03-04). "Hard-to-cook phenomenon in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) processing: Options to improve its role in providing food security". Food Reviews International. 33 (2): 167–194. doi:10.1080/87559129.2016.1149864. ISSN 8755-9129. S2CID 87980894.
  6. ^ Azman Halimi, Razlin; Barkla, Bronwyn J.; Mayes, Sean; King, Graham J. (2019-04-01). "The potential of the underutilized pulse bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) for nutritional food security". Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 77: 47–59. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2018.12.008. ISSN 0889-1575. S2CID 104447516.
  7. ^ Ocran, V. K (1998). Seed Management Manual for Ghana. Accra Ghana: MOFA.
  8. ^ Yamaguchi, M (1983). World Vegetables. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
  9. ^ Baryeh, E.A. (2001). "Physical properties of bambara groundnuts". Journal of Food Engineering. 47 (4): 321–326. doi:10.1016/s0260-8774(00)00136-9.
  10. ^ "Data sheet Vigna subterranea". Ecocrop. FAO. Retrieved 16 March 2011.