Office: 6-26, Agricultural Science Building 
Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 8337
Email: nomathemba.majola[at]up.ac.za 
ORCID
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Lecturer

Teaching: 
GTS 261 Genetic diversity and Evolution

Research Focus:  EPPI (Eucalyptus and Pine Pathogen Interactions)
Bambara groundnut is an important source of protein in many developing countries, including South Africa. However, this protein may not be readily bio-available because of the presence of anti-nutritional factors. There is an urgent need in identifying parental lines with high yield, and high nutritional values and to identify anti-nutritional factors with a low concentration towards the development of new cultivars. My current research involves breeding improved Bambara groundnut genotypes for increased yield, nutritional traits and reduced antinutritional factors for sustainable production in South Africa. This is accomplished by evaluating the diverse Bambara groundnut accessions across several locations to determine grain yield potential, stability and adaptability. Moreover, by developing breeding populations through targeted crosses of genetically divergent, high yielding and nutritionally enhanced genotypes to determine heterosis, general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA). Through targeted crosses we are combining characteristics of different plants producing a new combination of genes with the desired traits.

Collaborators:
Dr Abe Gerrano, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa

Recent Publications:

1. Majola, N.G., Gerrano, A.S. and Shimelis, H. (2021) Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) Production, Utilisation and Genetic Improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Agronomy, 11, 1345 https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071345
2. Majola, N.G.; Gerrano, A.S.; Amelework, A.; Shimelis, H. and Swanevelder, D. (2022) Genetic diversity and population structure analyses of South African Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc) collections using SNP markers. South African Journal of Botany 150, 1061-1068 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2022.09.008