10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.), a monocotyledonous member of the Cyperaceae family, is valued for its oil-rich, starchy, protein-containing tubers. While the species is commercially produced in many countries, it exists mainly as a weed in farmlands and uncultivated areas in Kenya and much of East Africa. Given ongoing efforts to combat malnutrition through nutritious locally sourced foods, understanding the genetic makeup of this plant is valuable for potential crop improvement and new adoptions. Since yellow nutsedge propagates through tubers formed at the apical ends of rhizomes, and Cyperaceae species are known to exhibit substantial chromosome number variation, this study aimed to determine the chromosome number of both wild and cultivated C. esculentus accessions to clarify its genetic constitution and reproductive behavior. Mitotic chromosome number was determined for twenty-seven accessions comprising four cultivated types grown in Spain and Egypt and twenty-three wild accessions collected from parts of East Africa. Root tips were collected and processed for squash preparations using standard cytogenetics techniques for chromosome counting under a light microscope. Results revealed statistically significant differences (p = 0.001) in chromosome numbers among accessions. Cultivated varieties generally showed higher chromosome counts, with EGYPT recording the highest (2n = 127), while wild accessions such as BUB, BUWA, and ILU (2n = 104) had the lowest counts. Cluster analysis grouped the accessions into five distinct clusters based on chromosomal characteristics. These findings offer new cytogenetic evidence contributing to the broader understanding of chromosome evolution within the Cyperaceae family. This research lays a foundational framework for future botanical studies and applied breeding or management programs aimed at improving and utilizing this underexploited but nutritionally promising plant species using East African accessions.