The microbiome interactive functionalities associated with Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) rhizosphere from North West province, South Africa

Agricultural yields in sub-Saharan Africa remain lower than other developing regions, and food safety remains a significant challenge. Moreover, the knowledge of nutritional leguminous crops is still limited. Efficient technologies and innovations needed to promote and enhance production are very slow for farmers and in turn resort to expensive and harmful chemicals. Therefore, there is a need for alternative environmentally friendly and cost effective means such as the use of biological innovations to improve sustainable agriculture and enhancing consumption of nutritious food. Moreover identifying new growth-promoting genes that can be used to explore other species genetically to promote their potential of contributing to agricultural crop development mostly in arid environments is of paramount importance.