Search Results (114)

Amid growing concerns about climate change and its potential impacts on food security and malnutrition, there is a need for climate-smart crops to help mitigate these challenges. African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) are considered climate-smart neglected or underutilised species (NUS) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These legumes are rich in nutrients, comprising fats, carbohydrates, and protein, as well as essential micronutrients. However, their use is constrained by the presence of antinutritive factors (ANFs) such as oxalates, tannins, and phytates, which reduces mineral bioaccessibility and protein digestibility. Fermentation provides a cost-effective means of effectively reducing these antinutrients, thereby making these crops more mainstream due to their enhanced bioavailability and bioactivity. This review summarises the impact of diverse microbes and fermentation techniques on the bioavailability of essential nutrients in Bambara groundnut and African yam bean. The importance of pre-treatment steps such as soaking, germination, dehulling, and thermal treatment will also be discussed. By synthesising recent studies, the review explores the mechanisms by which fermentation degrades the ANFs, enhances nutrient bioavailability and improves protein digestibility from these crops. This review explores the pivotal roles of fermenting microbes, such as species of Lactobacillus and Bacillus, during the process of biotransformation. Full article

Climate-driven droughts pose major threats to rainfed farming worldwide. To address these impacts, smart agricultural approaches focusing on conservation practices (CPs) have been widely recommended by institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), among others. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on CPs for climate-driven drought adaptation and the barriers to their adoption in southern Mozambique, where drought is predominant. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search across four academic databases retrieved 595 records (2000–April 2025), of which 23 were peer-reviewed studies. Data was extracted and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 365 and NVivo 15. As a result, five major CPs were identified: (i) Minimum tillage; (ii) Mulching and residue retention; (iii) Maize–legume (cowpea, groundnuts, pigeon pea, and soybeans) intercropping and crop rotation; (iv) Drought-tolerant maize varieties; and (v) indigenous practices. The systematic review has shown that minimum tillage was associated with 89–90% increase in maize and legume yields; Mulching expands maize yields by 24–59%; intercropping increases maize and legume yields by more than 30%; drought tolerant maize varieties expand yields by 26–46%; and local practices support farming continuity and contribute to resilience, although quantitative yield effects were not reported, with adoption ranging from 75–100%. These findings suggest that minimum tillage and intercropping/crop rotation are the most effective CPs in enhancing yield and resilience. Despite their potential, the adoption is generally low (average around 40%, with some as low as 7–16% for minimum tillage). Reasons for limited uptake include economic, cultural, institutional, biophysical, and technological barriers. These findings highlight the need for integrated policy approaches that combine climate-smart agriculture with indigenous knowledge in southern Mozambique. Full article

Seed priming studies commonly emphasize growth and physiological responses, yet ionomic regulation and tissue-specific nutrient allocation under salinity stress remain poorly explored, particularly in underutilized crops such as Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.). This study investigated whether Mg(NO₃)₂ seed priming, previously shown to enhance salt tolerance, is associated with consistent ionomic patterns in contrasting Bambara groundnut genotypes (BGN-14 and BGN-25). Seeds were primed with 0.03% Mg(NO₃)₂ and grown under control or saline conditions (200 mM NaCl) for five weeks. Shoot and root tissues were analyzed for macro- and micronutrient composition using ICP-OES. In BGN-14, salinity caused a marked reduction in shoot fresh weight (−49.5%, p < 0.05), whereas Mg(NO₃)₂ priming largely mitigated this effect under salinity (−0.4%, p > 0.05). Root fresh weight declined numerically under salt stress (−70.1%) and primed + salt conditions (−45.5%), but these changes were not statistically significant. Shoot dry weight increased significantly in primed plants (+83.5%, p < 0.05), while salinity reduced SDW (−58.4%); primed + salt plants maintained SDW near control levels (+2.6%). In BGN-25, root biomass was unaffected by treatments, whereas salinity significantly reduced shoot biomass relative to primed plants, with a consistent trend of primed > control > primed + salt > salt. Salinity increased the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, particularly in roots. In BGN-14, the root Na⁺/K⁺ ratio increased significantly from 1.07 to 4.49 (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced Na⁺ accumulation, while shoot ratios increased non-significantly. BGN-25 showed a more moderate increase in shoot ratios and a pronounced rise in root ratios. Principal component analysis revealed distinct nutrient clustering, with Na, Fe, and Al loading strongly under salinity, while Ca, K, Mg, and Cu aligned with improved physiological performance. Although differences between salt and primed + salt treatments were often not statistically significant, several ion ratios and nutrient relationships were numerically enhanced under Mg(NO₃)₂ priming. This study builds upon earlier physiological findings (where BGN-14 consistently exhibited a stronger positive response to Mg(NO₃)₂ priming, outperforming BGN-25 under salt stress) and provides exploratory, hypothesis-generating evidence that Mg(NO₃)₂ priming may contribute to salinity tolerance through coordinated ionomic adjustments, including altered Na⁺ allocation and improved nutrient balance, rather than complete Na⁺ exclusion. These findings highlight the relevance of ionomic responses in understanding stress adaptation in underutilized legume crops. Full article

Background: Nigeria faces a severe child malnutrition crisis, with approximately 1 million severe cases reported for 2025. This burden positions Nigeria among the top countries globally for stunting and wasting in under-fives, exacerbated by factors like food insecurity, flooding, and conflict—particularly in the northern part. This study investigated the development and assessment of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) produced from locally sourced ingredients in Kano State, Nigeria, targeting child malnutrition. Methods: Three distinct RUTF formulations were prepared using rice, wheat, groundnut, and soybean, with raw materials purchased from local markets and processed into blends. Proximate, vitamin (A, C, and E), and mineral (zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium) compositions were measured following the Association of Official Analytical Chemists’ (AOAC) standard procedures. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale assessed taste, aroma, flavour, appearance, and overall acceptability. Results: Notable variations were observed among the samples. Blend A exhibited the highest energy (563.08 kcal/100 g), carbohydrate (46.57%), fat (35.84%), and vitamin E (9.29 mg/100 g) content. Blend B was highest in protein (16.71%), iron (2.40 mg/100 g), calcium (21.05 mg/100 g), and vitamin A (15.89 µM). Blend C contained the most potassium (61.65 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (11.70 mg/100 g), with moderate levels of other nutrients. Sensory ratings showed no significant (p < 0.05) differences among the parameters. Conclusions: The nutrient composition and acceptability of RUTF blends suggest that affordable, effective dietary solutions can be produced using local crops. These findings support the potential for locally formulated RUTFs to contribute to reducing child malnutrition in low-resource settings with further enhancements. Full article

Virus diseases are among the major constraints in the production of food legumes in Africa, causing substantial crop losses. Common bean mosaic and black root, cowpea mosaic, chickpea stunt, faba bean necrotic yellows and stunt, groundnut rosette, and soybean mosaic are the six diseases considered economically significant in Africa. Past research enabled the description of the main characteristics of the causal viruses, including particle and genome properties, modes of transmission, host range, and virus–vector relationships. Such information in many cases assisted in developing effective diagnostics and disease management methods such as host resistance, chemical vector control, and cultural practices. Integrating two or more of these approaches is usually more effective. The major challenge, however, remains ensuring the adoption of such recommendations at a sufficiently large scale by many farmers to have an impact over wider geographical areas. Future work should focus on scaling up the adoption of available control technologies and generating new information, including epidemiological data, to support future management decisions. Furthermore, since the occurrence and significance of viruses on food legumes in many African countries are still not studied, large-scale surveys to identify viruses, establish their distribution and impact, and working out suitable control measures are required. Full article

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an underutilized leguminous crop, with its grains consumed differently, especially in developing countries. Bambara groundnut (BGN) is the cheapest source of protein and a rich source of dietary fiber, carbohydrates, amino acids, and minerals. It also contains a variety of non-nutritional components known as phytochemicals. The phytochemicals in BGN include polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, phytic acid, oxalate, and trypsin inhibitors. Nevertheless, some phytochemicals are classified as antinutrients because they impair nutrient absorption. Bambara groundnut also contains metabolites, such as epicatechin, catechin, procyanidin, esters, and citric acid. Bioprocessing, such as dehulling, germination, malting, fermentation, ultrasonication, micronization, and others, reduces BGN flour’s antinutrients. However, bioprocessing may increase or decrease the levels of metabolites in BGN flour. For example, fermentation increases esters, whereas malting decreases them. Various studies have reported the use of BGN flour in bakery products, meat products, non-alcoholic beverages, pasta, and others. Thus, this study aimed to review the influence of bioprocessing on the nutritional quality, antinutrients, functional characteristics, and metabolites of BGN flour and its potential food applications. This study will explore the health benefits of bioprocessed BGN flour and promote its use in various food products. Full article

Reducing the use of chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) in agriculture while maintaining crop productivity is the main challenge facing sub-Saharan African family farming systems. The use of effective microorganisms (EM) is among the various innovative approaches for minimizing chemical inputs and the environmental impact of agricultural production and protecting soil health while enhancing crop yields and improving food security. This study sought to characterize the microbial biodiversity of local beneficial microorganisms (BMs) products from locally fermented forest litter and investigate their ability to enhance tomato plant growth and development. Beneficial microorganisms (BMs) were obtained by anaerobic fermentation of forest litter collected in four agroecological regions of Senegal mixed with sugarcane molasses and various types of carbon sources (groundnut shells, millet stovers, and rice bran in different proportions). The microbial community composition was analyzed using next-generation rDNA sequencing, and their effects on tomato growth traits were tested in greenhouse experiments. Results show that regardless of the litter geographical collection site, the dominant bacterial taxa in the BMs belonged to the phyla Firmicutes (27.75–97.06%) and Proteobacteria (2.93–72.24%). Within these groups, the most prevalent classes were Bacilli (14.41–89.82%), α-proteobacteria (2.83–72.09%), and Clostridia (0.024–13.34%). Key genera included Lactobacillus (13–65.83%), Acetobacter (8.91–72.09%), Sporolactobacillus (1.40–43.35%), and Clostridium (0.08–13.34%). Fungal taxa were dominated by the classes Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes, with a prevalence of the acidophilic genus Acidea. Although microbial diversity is relatively uniform across samples, the relative abundance of microbial taxa is influenced by the litter’s origin. This is illustrated by the PCoA analysis, which clusters microbial communities based on their litter source. Greenhouse experiments revealed that five BMs (DK-M, DK-G, DK-GM, NB-R, and NB-M) significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced tomato growth traits, including plant height (+10.75% for DK-G and +9.44% for NB-R), root length (+56.84–62.20%), root volume (+84.32–97.35%), root surface area (+53.16–56.72%), and both fresh and dry shoot biomass when compared to untreated controls. This study revealed that forest-fermented litter products (BMs), produced using litter collected from various regions in Senegal, contain beneficial microorganisms known as plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), which enhanced tomato growth. These findings highlight the potential of locally produced BMs as an agroecological alternative to inorganic inputs, particularly within Senegal’s family farming systems. Full article

Groundnut bud necrosis orthotospovirus (GBNV), a tripartite single-stranded RNA virus, poses a significant threat to United States agriculture. GBNV is a quarantine pathogen, and its introduction could lead to severe damage to economically important crops, such as groundnuts, tomatoes, potatoes, peas, and soybeans. For the rapid and accurate detection of GBNV at points of entry, TaqMan reverse transcriptase–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays were developed and the results validated using conventional reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Sanger sequencing. These assays target highly conserved regions of the nucleocapsid (NP) and movement (MP) proteins within the viral genome. Multiplex GBNV detection assays targeting the NP and MP genes, as well as an internal control plant gene, ACT11, showed efficiency rates between 90% and 100% and R² values of 0.98 to 0.99, indicating high accuracy and precision. Moreover, there was no significant difference in sensitivity between multiplex and singleplex assays, ensuring reliable detection across various plant tissues. This rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic assay will provide a valuable tool at ports of entry to prevent the entry of GBNV into the United States. Full article

Indigenous and traditional food crops (ITFCs) are essential to initiatives aimed at increasing food and nutrition security and diversifying the food supply. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the benefits associated with ITFCs, particularly for food security. The Vigna subterranea (Bambara groundnut), Vigna unguiculata (Cowpea), Colocasia esculenta (Taro), and Sinapis arvensis (Wild mustard) are examples of indigenous crops that were introduced for food security in Southern Africa. This review assessed the advantages of indigenous crops for food security and examined literature, reports, and case studies from 2009 to 2024 using academic databases, like Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and AGRIS, to assess how indigenous crops impact on food security and the benefits thereof. The primary inclusion criteria were nutritional, economic and environmental impacts of these indigenous crops for food security in Southern Africa. The review concludes that maximizing these benefits requires removing obstacles through capacity-building and policy reforms. The need to integrate precision agriculture to increase production of indigenous crops should be considered and the coherent use of food crops associated with food security must be developed by the government. A comprehensive strategy centered on investment in sustainable farming and climate smart agriculture is recommended to ensure food security. Full article

Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Aizoaceae), commonly known as desert horse purslane or black pigweed, is a C4 dicot succulent invasive annual plant that is widespread in agricultural fields in Southeast Asia, tropical America, Africa, and Australia. In Israel, Trianthema portulacastrum is an invasive weed of increasing importance in agricultural fields, including mainly corn, tomato, alfalfa watermelon, and groundnut crops. The significance of this weed in crops has been recently reported in neighboring countries of Jordan and Egypt. In previous studies, we have examined and described the spread, biology, and germination requirements of Trianthema portulacastrum in Israel. The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of single pre- and post-emergence herbicides and the combination of pre-applied herbicides for the control of this invasive weed in pots in a nethouse. We conducted three sequential experiments in a nethouse: (1) screening of pre-emergence herbicides, (2) screening of post-emergence herbicides, and (3) assessment of residual activity of combined pre-emergence herbicides in three distinct Hula Valley soil types. Efficacy was evaluated through weekly assessments of seedling emergence and vigor, with the final shoot fresh weight determined upon the experiment’s completion. In all experiments, weekly counts and vigor estimation of T. portulacastrum seedlings were conducted, and shoot fresh weights were determined at the end of the experiments. The results of pre-emergence herbicide screening showed that Fomesafen, Terbutryne, Flurochloridon, Sulfosulfuron, Cyrosulfamid + Izoxaflutole, and Dimethenamid were the most effective herbicides, leading to complete eradication of T. portulacastrum plants. Results of the post-emergence screening revealed that Saflufenacil, Foramsulfuron, Tembotrione + Isoxdifen-ethyl, and Rimsulfurom Methyl completely controlled the weed. In the soil residual study, three herbicide combinations (Fomesafen + Terbutryn, Sulfosulfuron + Fomesafen, and Dimethenamid + Flurochloridon) provided effective control across all soil types. These findings provide a foundation for future field trials investigating integrated pre- and post-emergence herbicide programs for T. portulacastrum management in various crops. Full article

Peanut, also known as groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), is an important oilseed and food crop globally, contributing significantly to the economy and food security. However, its productivity is often hampered by pests and diseases. Traditional breeding methods have been used to develop resistant cultivars, but these are often time-consuming and labor-intensive. Recent technological advancements have revolutionized the identification of novel resistance sources and the development of resistant peanut cultivars. This review explores the latest techniques and approaches used in peanut breeding for pest and disease resistance, focusing on the identification of resistance loci and their incorporation into peanut using marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic tools. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, bioinformatics pipelines, comparative genomics, and transcriptomics have helped identify a plethora of candidate genes involved in pest resistance. However, peanut lags behind other cereal crops in terms of phenomics and precision genetic techniques for their functional validation. In conclusion, recent technological advancements have significantly improved the efficiency and precision of peanut breeding for pest and disease resistance and hold great promise for developing durable and sustainable resistance in peanut cultivars, ultimately benefiting peanut farmers and consumers globally. Full article

Finger millet, known for its resilience to adverse climatic conditions, is integrated with various crops to assess the synergistic benefits of intercropping. To obtain intercropping system benefits, crop association, and species combination play a crucial role. Hence, to augment the productivity, profitability, and resource use efficiency under the millet-based system, field research was initiated for three kharif seasons (2021, 2022, and 2023) at the Project Coordinating Unit, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The outcomes indicated that crops under sole cropping outperformed their intercropping structure in yield. Amongst the intercropping systems, finger millet and groundnut at a 4:2 exhibited a significantly higher finger millet grain equivalent yield (3065 kg/ha), land equivalent ratio (1.64), and area time equivalent ratio (1.38). Also, net returns (Rs. 73,276 ha⁻¹) were realized to be higher in the finger millet + groundnut intercropping system at 4:2 row proportion. Finger millet as a sole crop showed a higher energy output (72,432 MJ ha⁻¹), net energy gain (60,227 MJ ha⁻¹), and energy efficiency (5.95) in relation to other cropping systems. Still, it was analogous to finger millet + groundnut (62,279 MJ ha⁻¹ and 60,378 MJ ha⁻¹, 49,623 MJ ha⁻¹ and 47,628 MJ ha⁻¹, 4.93 and 4.74) at 6:2 and 4:2 row extents, correspondingly). The intercropping of the finger millet with groundnut has demonstrated superior carbon sequestration competencies making them more sustainable and carbon-efficient options compared to sole crops like niger, which showed net carbon loss. The present investigation concluded the adoption of the finger millet + groundnut (4:2) intercropping system as a feasible substitute for attaining overall enhanced productivity with profitability, resource use efficiency, carbon, and energy efficiency. Full article

Groundnut is a vital crop worldwide, but its production is significantly threatened by various leaf diseases. Early identification of such diseases is vital for maintaining agricultural productivity. Deep learning techniques have been employed to address this challenge and enhance the detection, recognition, and classification of groundnut leaf diseases, ensuring better management and protection of this important crop. This paper presents a new approach to the detection and classification of groundnut leaf diseases by the use of an advanced deep learning model, GNut, which integrates ResNet50 and DenseNet121 architectures for feature extraction and Few-Shot Learning (FSL) for classification. The proposed model overcomes groundnut crop diseases by addressing an efficient and highly accurate method of managing diseases in agriculture. Evaluated on a novel Pak-Nuts dataset collected from groundnut fields in Pakistan, the GNut model achieves promising accuracy rates of 99% with FSL and 95% without it. Advanced image preprocessing techniques, such as Multi-Scale Retinex with Color Restoration and Adaptive Histogram Equalization and Multimodal Image Enhancement for Vegetative Feature Isolation were employed to enhance the quality of input data, further improving classification accuracy. These results illustrate the robustness of the proposed model in real agricultural applications, establishing a new benchmark for groundnut leaf disease detection and highlighting the potential of AI-powered solutions to play a role in encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. Full article

Food grain production has multiplied over the last two decades in India, but natural resources are overexploited in modern farming. Farmers, especially those with small and marginal holdings, are suffering losses more often than not, the cost of production is increasing year after year, and profits are not up to the necessary levels. To address such challenges, there has been a broad recognition of the importance of employing farming system approaches in research. The cultivation of cropping systems with orchard crops and livestock components can play a significant role in the optimal utilization of resources, enhancing energy use efficiency as well as the eco-efficiency index, and reducing carbon footprints. This study was carried out to create a suitable IFS model with high economic and energy efficiency for small-holder farmers in India’s southern plateau and hills with a negligible impact on the environment. The following were the seven models: M₁: Rice − Groundnut; M₂: Rice − Groundnut, Pigeonpea + Sweetcorn (1:3) − Bajra, Bt cotton + Greengram (1:2) − Maize; M₃: Rice − Groundnut, Pigeonpea + Sweetcorn (1:3) − Bajra, Pigeonpea + Maize (1:3) − Sunhemp; Napier grass, Sheep (5 + 1); M₄: Rice − Groundnut, Pigeonpea + Sweetcorn (1:3) − Bajra, Bt cotton + Greengram (1:2) − Maize, Pigeonpea + Maize (1:3) − Sunhemp, Poultry unit; M₅: Guava, Hedge Lucerne, Napier grass, Bt cotton + Greengram (1:2) − Maize, Sheep (5 + 1); M₆: Guava, Bt cotton + Greengram (1:2) − Maize, Rice − Groundnut, Poultry; M₇: Rice − Groundnut, Pigeonpea + Sweetcorn (1:3) − Bajra, Pigeonpea + Maize (1:3) − Sunhemp; Napier grass, Hedge lucerne, Poultry (100), Sheep (5 + 1). Model M₁ was used to represent the local region, and the other models were compared in terms of economics, energetics, greenhouse gas emissions, and employment creation. The M₇ and M₃ models, according to the results, have higher economic efficiency (₹342.3 day⁻¹, ₹263.7 day⁻¹), increase output energy (228,529 and 183,231 MJ) net energy (258,184 and 198,920 MJ), produce net negative emissions (−2842 and −2399 kg CO₂ eq.), and create jobs year-round (112.5 and 110.5 man days year⁻¹), respectively. This is primarily because they have multiple highly efficient components that make them viable for Telangana’s small and marginal farmers. Full article

Expanding projects to reclaim marginal land is the most effective way to reduce land use pressures in densely populated areas, such as Egypt’s Nile Valley and Delta; however, this requires careful, sustainable land use planning. This study assessed the agricultural potential of the El-Dabaa area in the northern region of the Western Desert, Egypt. It focused on assessing land capability, evaluating crop suitability, mapping soil variability, and calculating crop water requirements for twenty different crops. In this work, we evaluated land capability using the modified Storie index model and assessed soil suitability using the land use suitability evaluation tool (LUSET). We also calculated crop water requirements (CWRs) utilizing the FAO-CROPWAT 8.0 model. Additionally, we employed ArcGIS 10.8 to create spatial variability maps of soil properties, land capability classes, and suitability classes. Using a systematic sampling grid, 100 soil profiles were excavated to represent the spatial variability of the soil in the study area, and the physicochemical parameters of the soil samples were analyzed. The results indicated that the study area is primarily characterized by flat to gently sloping surfaces with deep soils. Furthermore, there are no restrictions on soil salinity or alkalinity, no sodicity hazards, and low CaCO₃ levels. On the other hand, the soils in the study area are coarse textured and have low levels of CEC and organic matter (OM), which are the major soil limiting factors. As a result, the land with fair capability (Grade 3) accounted for the vast majority of the study area (87.3%), covering 30599.4 ha. Land with poor capability (Grade 4) accounted for 6.5% of the total area, while non-agricultural land (Grade 5) accounted for less than 1%. These findings revealed that S2 and S3 are the dominant soil suitability classes for all the studied crops, indicating moderate and marginal soil suitabilities. Furthermore, there were only a few soil proportions classified as unsuitable (N class) for fruit crops, maize, and groundnuts. Among the crops studied, barley, wheat, sorghum, alfalfa, olives, citrus, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, sunflowers, safflowers, and soybeans are the most suitable for cultivation in the study area. The reference evapotranspiration (ETo) varied between 2.6 and 5.9 mm day⁻¹, with higher rates observed in the summer months and lower rates in the winter months. Therefore, the increase in summer ETo rates and the decrease in winter ones result in higher CWRs during the summer season and lower ones during the winter season. The CWRs for the crops we studied ranged from 183.9 to 1644.8 mm season⁻¹. These research findings suggest that the study area is suitable for cultivating a variety of crops. Crop production in the study area can be improved by adding organic matter to the soil, choosing drought-resistant crop varieties, employing effective irrigation systems, and implementing proper management practices. This study also provides valuable information for land managers to identify physical constraints and management needs for sustainable crop production. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights to aid investors, farmers, and governments in making informed decisions for agricultural development in the study region and similar arid and semiarid regions worldwide. Full article