Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41830563›Full record

ArticleThe Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology2026

Scaling up orphan crop research: genebank genetics highlight geographic structure in cultivated cowpea from 10 617 global accessions.

Sofie Pearson, Adrian Hathorn, Shichao Sun, Alan Cruickshank, Tracey Shatte, Paulino Munisse, Mercy Macharia Wairimu, Joann Conner, Anna Koltunow, Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Sofie PearsonQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0353-3481
Adrian HathornQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6652-1421
Shichao SunShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China.ORCID 0000-0003-1449-645X
Alan Cruickshank *Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7982-1746
Tracey ShatteQueensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0009-0007-4396-3498
Paulino MunisseMozambique Institute of Agricultural Research, Maputo, Mozambique.
Mercy Macharia WairimuInstitute of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8698-8934
Joann ConnerDepartment of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, Georgia, 31793, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3825-0147
Anna KoltunowQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5016-7683
Jean-Philippe Vielle-CalzadaGrupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica Para la Biodiversidad, Cinvestav Irapuato, Guanajuato, CP36825, México.ORCID 0000-0002-3017-2490
Peggy Ozias-AkinsDepartment of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, Georgia, 31793, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8864-2766
Takayoshi IshiiInternational Platform for Dryland Research and Education (IPDRE), Tottori University, Tottori, 680-0001, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-6370-3289
Matteo Dell'AcquaInstitute of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5703-8382
Sally NortonAustralian Grains Genebank, Horsham, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2452-7275
Yongfu TaoShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9096-7407
David JordanQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8128-1304
Emma MaceQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, 4370, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5337-8168

Funding

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Hy-Gain INV-002955
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. is a dryland legume crop, providing essential food and nutritional security for millions of people across the semi-arid tropics, in Africa, Asia and Latin America. However, as a typical 'orphan crop', cowpea has long remained underrepresented in global genomic research to support crop improvement. Here, we conducted the largest genetic diversity analysis of cowpea to date, comprising 10 617 accessions sourced from seven international collections. Using genotyping-by-sequencing, we characterised the global patterns of genetic diversity, assessed redundancy within and across collections, and examined the geographic structure of the cowpea global allele pool. Our results revealed nine distinct genetic groups with clear geographic associations and fine-scale population differentiation, reflecting dispersal history, regional adaptation and the influence of modern breeding. Duplication across collections was detected, highlighting the need for improved curation and integration of germplasm resources. Landraces from sub-Saharan Africa do not fully capture the genetic diversity present in several other geographic regions, indicating the existence of abundant and untapped genetic resources worldwide. These findings not only provide insights into the genetic structure and evolutionary history of cowpea but also offer a valuable foundation for harnessing global germplasm diversity to enhance breeding potential and accelerate crop improvement.

Indexed as

Crops, AgriculturalGenetic VariationVignaDatabases, GeneticGenome, PlantGenotypeGeographyPhylogenySeed Bankbiogeographyduplicatesgenetic structuregeographic structuregermplasmlegume breedingopportunity croporphan cropphylogeneticspulse

Identifiers

PMID41830563
PMCPMC12988651

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.