Improvement of Marama Bean (Tylosema esculentum (Burch.) Schreiber) an Under-utilized grain and tuber producing Legume for Southern Africa.

PROPOSAL: ICA4-2000-30010 ACRONYM MARAMA
AREA: FP5 - INCO2, 5/ unknown KeyAction Call number / date: -
PROJECT TYPE: Shared Cost EU CONTRIBUTION: 775,129
STARTING DATE: 2000-11-01 DURATION: 36 months

Coordinator: Dr. D. Miller, University of Cape Town, Department Of Botany, Private Bag, RSF -7701, Rondenbosch, South Africa, Republic, Email: ? readem@bremner.uct.ac.za

Project Description:
Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum L. ) , an under-utilised, perennial legume of poor,arid soils of southern Africa, produces protein- and oil-rich, edible seeds (harvested wild) and extremely large (up to 200 kg) tubers, containing protein and carbohydrate: Its foliage provides fodder. This project will assess the potential of marama as a low-input, sustainable crop for subsistence agriculture in dry areas. Distribution in the wild and biodiversity will be assessed. Agronomic trials with varying water and nitrogen will assess growth, yield and quality of grain, tubers and foliage in relation to environmental conditions. Scientific understanding of the mechanisms by which marama accumulates nitrogen and carbon, partitions assimilates to organs and withstands stresses, particularly watercress, will come from physiological and biochemical analysis of plants in experiments. The project will foster the use of mararna and its agronomy.

Project URL: not known

Consortium:
Co-ordinator: Contact Person: Miller, Duncan (Dr) Department: Department Of Botany Organisation: University of Cape Town Private Bag 7701 Rondenbosch SOUTH AFRICA Tel: +27-21-6503842 Fax: +27-21-6897781 readem@bremner.uct.ac.za Participants Contact Person: KATJAVIV, Peter (Professor) Department: FACULTY OF SCIENCE Organisation: University of Namibia 13301 Private Bag 13301 NAMIBIA Contact Person: KEMSLEY, Edward (Mr) Department: CROP SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Organisation: Botswana College of Agriculture Private Bag 0027, Content Farms, Sebele BOTSWANA Contact Person: THOMAS, Peter (Mr) Department: BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT Organisation: IACR - Rothamsted Experimental Station West Common AL5 2JQ HARPENDEN UNITED KINGDOM Contact Person: PAPOUTSOGLOU, Sofronios (Professor) Department: LABORATORY OF CROP PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT OF CROP SCIENCES Organisation: Anotati Geoponiki Scholi Athinon Iera Odos 75 11855 ATHENS GREECE


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