Bambara groundnut landraces response and tolerance to drought stress: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Drought stress severely limits agricultural productivity. Bambara groundnut, an underutilised legume, shows promise for its resilience to harsh environments, particularly drought. Drought duration and manipulation type have been used to evaluate the response of Bambara groundnut to drought stress. Although studies have explored the effects of drought duration and manipulation on Bambara groundnut, an understanding of the legume’s response to drought stress remains inadequate.

Aim: This meta-analysis assessed Bambara groundnut’s response to different drought durations (long-term, medium-term, short-term) and manipulation types (constant, dry-and-rewetting, intermittent).

Setting: The study integrates data from multiple independent studies to evaluate how various drought durations and manipulations affect Bambara groundnut.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining drought’s effects on Bambara groundnut were conducted. Data from qualifying studies were extracted and statistically analysed to quantify drought’s impact on various physiological and yield parameters.

Results: Drought stress significantly reduced yield (–10.22), stomatal conductance (–8.04), and pod number (–4.20). Short-term and medium-term droughts had a greater negative impact than long-term droughts. Intermittent drought did not affect biomass, plant height, leaf number, and chlorophyll content, while dry-and-rewetting cycles did not affect seed number.

Conclusion: Based on the meta-analysis, future drought scenarios are predicted to negatively impact Bambara groundnut productivity, surpassing the challenges posed by current drought conditions.

Contribution: This study emphasises the importance of developing strategies to enhance the resilience of indigenous crops, such as Bambara groundnut to drought, crucial for ensuring future food security in the face of changing climate patterns.