*#Bambara* - Vigna subterranea (also known by its common names: Bambara nut, Boro (Yoruba), Bambara groundnut, Bambara-bean, Congo goober, earth pea, ground-bean, or hog-peanut) is a member of the family Fabaceae. The plant originated in West Africa.
Vigna subterranea ripens its pods underground, much like the peanut (also called a groundnut). They can be eaten fresh or boiled after drying.
The origin of the Bambara groundnut is West Africa and the region of cultivation is Sub-Saharan Africa's warm tropics.
Bambara nut grows well any where groundnut (peanut) grows and so is vastly present from Kwara state and throughout the northern parts of Nigeria.
Bambara groundnut represents the third most important grain legume in semi-arid Africa.
“It is resistant to high temperature and is suitable for marginal soils where other leguminous crops cannot be grown”.
In addition, it makes very little demand on the soil and has a high nutritive value with 65% carbohydrate and 18% protein content.
For these reasons it is not prone to the risk of total harvest failure even in low and uncertain rainfall regions.
"Due to its high protein value it is a very important crop for people in Africa Despite its nutritional value, it is still considered as one of the prioritized neglected and underutilized species in Benin.
*#Bambara_groundnut_milk* (BGNM) had been rated higher in acceptability than milk from other legumes like soybean and cowpea.
*#BGNM* can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious legume but also help in addressing
malnutrition.
1.) *#Reduces_danger_of_stomach_cancer*
The antioxidant properties of the fatty acids in the Bambara groundnuts have the capacity to suppress the production of carcinogenic substances in the stomach. Hence, it prevents from any damage to the mucus lining of the stomach, it prevents irritation caused to the same due to the carcinogenic substances and hence, it helps in lowering the risk of stomach cancer.
2.) *#Antimicrobial_action*
Bambara groundnut milk is more easily acceptable as compared to the milk from other legumes in its species. It is rich in probiotics. Probiotics are microorganisms, which have been claimed to provide health benefits to the humans and animals. When probiotics are delivered in appropriate amount, extend to a benefit of the health of the recipient. These benefits to the recipients are subduing the development and action of the microbes in infection such as:
1. IBS – irritable bowel syndrome
2. Diarrhea
3. IBD – inflammatory bowel disease.
3.) *#Rich_radix_of_lysine*
The human body cannot produce lysine; hence, it has to be dependent on external supplements of the same. Bambara groundnut is generously gifted with this essential amino acid, which is also a building block of proteins.
4.) *#Lowers_Cholesterol*
Lysine is an essential element helping in proper growth, and plays a very important pin the manufacturing of carnitine.
Carnitine is a nutrient accountable for breaking down of the fatty acids to provide energy to the body, thus it lowers the cholesterol levels in the blood.
5.) *#Maintains_Healthy_Bone*
Lysine also aids in the absorption of calcium for the proper growth of the bones in the body. It helps in the genesis of collagen, which is very essential for connective tissue formation, such as tendon, skin, cartilages and bones.
6.) *#Multi_health_benefits_of_Bambara_protein*
The Bambara groundnut flour is very high in protein. This essential nutrient is used to treat and cure a lot of disorders and diseases in several of the world as a traditional therapeutic treatment.
7.) *#Fights_Kwashiorkor*
Bamabara groundnut plays an important role to provide the protein nourishment in the rural areas of many continents for the children. This helps those children to defeat Kwashiokor
*#Bambara_Medicinal_Parts*
In medicines, seeds (also called nuts) are used for various health and nutritional benefits.
*#Medicinal_Properties*
Bambara groundnut has following healing properties.
Nutritious tonic
Anti-arthritic
Aphrodisiac
Probiotic
Therapeutic Indications
Bambara groundnut is helpful in following health conditions.
Malnutrition
Kwashiorkor
General debility
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Physical exhaustion
Insomnia
Low bone mineral density
Cancer
Irritable bowel syndrome & Diarrhea
Heavy or prolonged menstruation
Ulcer
Anemia
Osteoarthritis
*#Optimal_soils* for Bambara groundnut production are *#sandy_soils* to prevent waterlogging optimal soil depth is between 50 and 100 cm, with a light soil texture. soil fertility should be low and soil pH is best suited between 5 and 6.5 and should not be lower than 4.3 or higher than 7.
The production is best suited between a latitude of 20° - 30°, i.e. the tropical wet and dry (Aw) and the subtropical dry summer (Cs) climate zones.
Optimal temperature is between 19 °C and 30 °C.
Temperatures below 16 °C and above 38 °C are not suited for the production of bambara groundnut.
The bambara groundnut is very *#drought_resistant*
The minimal annual rainfall requirement is about 300 mm and optimal annual rainfall is between 750 mm and 1400 mm and should not exceed 3000 mm.
The cropping system is semi-permanent and the Bambara groundnut can be cultivated as single crop or as intercrop.
*#Best_suited_intercrops* are sorghum, millet, maize, groundnut, yams and cassava.
Bambara groundnut is mainly cultivated as intercrop, however the planting density varies between 6 and 29 plants per square meter.
For woodland savannas of Côte d'Ivoire the highest yield is attainable with a plant density of 25 plants per square meter.
Since Vigna subterranea is usually intercropped, no fertilizer is applied. A yield of 1000 kg seed and 925 kg leaves remove 55.7 kg N, 26.2 kg K, 25.1 kg C, 7.8 kg P and 6.6 kg Mg. Since Bambara groundnut is a legume, phosphor is the most important nutrient.
An application rate of 60 kg/ha of P2O5 is recommended for bambara groundnut.
World Production of Bambara in 2015 was 243610tonnes.
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