Sayed Azam-Ali

Contact

• workMalaysia Campus
  Jalan Broga
  43500 Semenyih
  Selangor Darul Ehsan
  Malaysia
• sayed.azam-ali@nottingham.ac.uk
• http://www.nottingham.edu.my/CFFRC/index.aspx

Research Summary

My major research interests are in the:1) Environmental factors (solar radiation, drought, temperature and atmospheric humidity) that determine the performance of tropical crops growing in hostile… read more

Recent Publications

• MWALE, S.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and MASSAWE, F.J., 2007. Growth and development of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture.: 1. Dry matter and yield. European Journal of Agronomy. 26(4), 345-353
• MWALE, S.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and MASSAWE, F.J., 2007. Growth and development of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture: 2. Resource capture and conversion European Journal of Agronomy. 26(4), 354-362
• BASU, S, ROBERTS, J.A and AZAM-ALI, S.N. AND MAYES, S., 2007. Bambara Groundnut. In: KOLE, C.M., ed., Genome Mapping and Molecular Breeding in Plants .: Pulses, Sugar and Tuber Crops 3. Springer. 159-173
• MWALE, S. S., AZAM-ALI, S. N. and SPARKES, D. L., 2005. Can the PR1 capacitance probe replace the neutron probe for routine soil-water measurement? Soil Use and Management. VOL 21(NUMB 3), 340-347

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Current Research

My major research interests are in the:1) Environmental factors (solar radiation, drought, temperature and atmospheric humidity) that determine the performance of tropical crops growing in hostile environments and2) The potential to increase global agricultural biodiversity.I am responsible for the University of Nottingham's Tropical Crops Research Unit (TCRU) which is located at our Sutton Bonington campus. In recent years, TCRU projects have concentrated on assessing the potential of bambara groundnut - an underutilised African legume. The TCRU provides a focus for a broad range of multidisciplinary activities on tropical species that grow in hostile, marginal environments and for which the processes that limit productivity are least understood. The philosophy of all TCRU scientists is to direct effort towards improving the performance of the subsistence agricultural sector of countries in the dry tropics where costly inputs, such as fertilisers and irrigation, are scarce.TCRU projects include experimental and crop modelling work on a diverse range of species and encompass disciplines ranging from fundamental plant physiology to the nutritional evaluation of food products. Many of the TCRU research activities take place in a suite of controlled- environment glasshouses which can provide air temperatures in excess of 40ºC with independent control of heating, ventilation and humidification. Crop stands within the glasshouses grow in soil to a depth of 1.2 m. Irrigation within each house can be controlled and monitored to provide a wide range of soil moisture levels. A gas-injection system can produce glasshouse CO2 concentrations many times greater than current atmospheric levels. Controlled-environment research and modelling activities at Sutton Bonington are designed to complement field studies in the tropics where abiotic and biotic constraints limit the performance of crops across a wide range of environments. TCRU projects for which I have been responsible include: 1990 - 1995 (Natural Resources Institute)Crop Environment Modelling on Microcomputers1991 - 1994 (Overseas Development Administration)Climate Change and the Growth of Tropical Crops1993 - 1996 (European Community)Evaluating the Potential of Bambara Groundnut as a Food Crop for Semi-arid Africa1994 - 1996 (Overseas Development Administration)Modelling Genotype-Environment lnteractions for Drought Resistance in Groundnut1996 - 1999 (Department for International Development)Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in Sorghum Production for South-East Zimbabwe1999-2000 (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) A global mapping system for bambara groundnut.1999-2000 (Department for International Development) Assessing the marketing and agroprocessing potential of bambara groundnut in southern Africa2000-2003 (European Union) Increasing the productivity of bambara groundnut for sustainable food production in semi-arid Africa2002-2005 (Department for International Development, Natural Resources Programme) Soil Water Management in Rainwater Harvesting Systems and Management of Common Pool Resources in TanzaniaMany of the above research activities involve the use of a wide range of experimental and analytical techniques to measure crops and their atmospheric and soil environments. Techniques include the use of instruments to measure evaporation, transpiration and photsynthesis. Radiation intercepted by crop stands, plant water relations and conventional destructive and non-destructive techniques to measure crop growth and development. Research activities in our controlled-environment facilities and field experiments in the tropics combine to provide information for variations of our PARCH (Predicting Arable Resource Capture in Hostile Environments) crop simulation model which is designed to improve the management of environmental resources by a range of tropical species and cropping systems.Bambara groundnutSince 1987 we have concentrated our efforts on this species both in controlled environments at Nottingham and with field partners in Swaziland, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Namibia and Zimbabwe. A number of research projects have been funded on agroecological potential, marketing and agroprocessing, GIS-based modelling and mapping techniques, molecular and agronomic characterisation. More recently we have sought to extend the principles established on bambara groundnut to provide a generic methodology which can be applied to a range of underutilised species.

• MWALE, S.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and MASSAWE, F.J., 2007. Growth and development of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture.: 1. Dry matter and yield. European Journal of Agronomy. 26(4), 345-353
• MWALE, S.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and MASSAWE, F.J., 2007. Growth and development of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture: 2. Resource capture and conversion European Journal of Agronomy. 26(4), 354-362
• BASU, S, ROBERTS, J.A and AZAM-ALI, S.N. AND MAYES, S., 2007. Bambara Groundnut. In: KOLE, C.M., ed., Genome Mapping and Molecular Breeding in Plants .: Pulses, Sugar and Tuber Crops 3. Springer. 159-173
• MWALE, S. S., AZAM-ALI, S. N. and SPARKES, D. L., 2005. Can the PR1 capacitance probe replace the neutron probe for routine soil-water measurement? Soil Use and Management. VOL 21(NUMB 3), 340-347
• MASSAWE, F.J., MWALE, S.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2005. Breeding in bambara groundnut ('Vigna subterranea' (L.) Verdc.): strategic considerations. African Journal of Biotechnology. 4(6), 463-471
• MASSAWE, F.J., ROBERTS, J.A., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and DAVEY, M.R., 2003. Genetic diversity in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) landraces assessed by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 50(7), 737-741
• MASSAWE, F.J., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2003. The impact of temperature on leaf appearance in bambara groundnut landraces Crop Science. 43(4), 1375-1379
• MASSAWE, F.J., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2003. The impact of temperature on seed germination in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) landraces Seed Science and Technology. 31(2), 259-273
• MASSAWE, F.J., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and ROBERTS, J.A., 2003. The impact of temperature on seed gemination in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) landraces Seed Science and Technology. 31(2), 259-273
• MASSAWE, F.J., DICKINSON, M., ROBERTS, J.A. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 2002. Genetic diversity in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) landraces revealed by AFLP markers Genome. 45(6), 1175-1180
• CROUT, N.M. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 2002. Crop Yield Modelling and Forecasting
• AZAM-ALI,S.N. and SQUIRE,G.R, 2002. Principles of Tropical Agronomy CABI, Wallingford.
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., SESAY, A., KARIKARI, S.K., MASSAWE, F.J., AGUILAR-MANJARREZ, J., BANNAYAN, M. and HAMPSON, K.J., 2001. Assessing the potential of an underutilised crop - a case study using bambara groundnut Experimental Agriculture. 37(4), 433-472
• AZAM-ALI,S.N., AQUILAR-MANJARREZ,J. and BANNAYAN,M.A., 2001. A Global Mapping System for Bambara Groundnut Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
• CLOVER, G. R. G., JAGGARD, K. W., SMITH, H. G. and AZAM-ALI, S. N., 2001. The use of radiation interception and transpiration to predict the yield of healthy, droughted and virus-infected sugar beet Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 136(PART 2), 169-178
• CLIFFORD SC, STRONACH IM, BLACK C.R, SINGLETON-JONES P.R and AZAM-ALI S.N. AND CROUT N.M.J., 2000. Effects of elevated CO2, drought and temperature on the water relations and gas exchange of groundnut stands (Arachis hypogaea) grown in controlled environment glasshouses Physiologia Plantarum. 110, 78-88
• COLLINSON, S. T., SIBUGA, K. P., TARIMO, A. J. P. and AZAM-ALI, S. N., 2000. Influence of sowing date on the growth and yield of bambara groundnut landraces in Tanzania Experimental Agriculture. VOL 36(PART 1), 1-14
• KOCABAS, Z., CRAIGON, J. and AZAM-ALI, S. N., 1999. The germination response of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) to temperature Seed Science and Technology. VOL 27(NUMBER 1), 303-314
• MASSAWE, F.J., COLLINSON, S.T., ROBERTS, J.A. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1999. Effect of pre-sowing hydration on germination, emergence and early seedling growth of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) Seed Science and Technology. 27(3), 893-906
• COLLINSON, S. T., BERCHIE, J. and AZAM-ALI, S. N., 1999. The effect of soil moisture on light interception and the conversion coefficient for three landraces of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 133(NUMBER 2), 151-158
• KOCABAS, Z., CRAIGON, J. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1999. The germination response of bambra groundnut(Vigna subterranea(L.)Verdc.) to temperature Seed Science and Technology. 27, 303-313
• JAGGARD, K.W., SMITH, H.G., CLOVER, C.R. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1999. The effects of beet yellow virus on the growth and physiology of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) Plant Pathology. 48, 129-138
• CLOVER, G. R. G., SMITH, H. G., AZAM-ALI, S. N. and JAGGARD, K. W., 1999. The effects of drought on sugar beet growth in isolation and in combination with beet yellows virus infection Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 133(NUMBER 3), 251-262
• COLLINSON, S.T., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and CROUT, N.M., 1998. Assessing the yield potential and ecological requirements of Bambara groundnut (<i>Vigna subterranea</i>). In: International Symposium on Applied Agrometeorology and Agroclimatology, Proceedings Volos, Greece, 24-26 April 1996 European Commission, Brussels, Belgium. 463-468
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1998. Lost Crops of Africa. Vol 1. Grains Journal of Agricultural Science. 130, 121-122
• COLLINSON, S. T., CLAWSON, E. J., AZAM-ALI, S. N. and BLACK, C. R., 1997. Effects of soil moisture deficits on the water relations of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.) Journal of Experimental Botany. VOL 48(ISSUE 309), 877-884
• KOCABAS, Z., CRAIGON, J. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1997. The germinartion response of bambara groundnut (<i>Vigna subterranea</i> (L.) Verdc.) to temperature. In: Proceedings of 1st International Bambara Groundnut Symposium University of Nottingham, Nottingham. 95-105
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1997. Evaluating the potential for bambara groundnut as a food crop in semi-arid regions. EU STD3 Programme Final Project Report, University of Nottingham, Tropical Crops Research Unit, pp74
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1997. Bambara groundnut: how did we get here?. In: Proceedings of 1st International Bambara Groundnut Symposium, July 1996 University of Nottingham, Nottingham. 3-19
• COLLINSON, S.T., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and SESAY, A., 1997. Assessing the yield potential and ecological requirements of bambara groundnut <i>Vigna subterranea</i> L. Verdc.). In: Proceedings of Domestication, Production and Utilization of New Crops International Centre for Underutilized Crops, Southampton, UK. 287-288
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1997. Evaluating the potential for bambara groundnut as a food crop in semi-arid Africa. In: EU STD3 Programme Final Project Report 74
• SESAY, A., COLLINSON, S.T. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 1997. Where are we now with bambara groundnut?. In: Proceedings of First International Bambara Groundnut Symposium 215-228
• COLLINSON, S. T., AZAM-ALI, S. N., CHAVULA, K. M. and HODSON, D. A., 1996. Growth, development and yield of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 126(NUMBER 3), 307-318
• AZAM-ALI, S.N., RAO, R.C., CRAIGON, J., WADIA, K.D. and WILLIAMS, J.H., 1993. A METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE POPULATION YIELD RELATIONS OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS-HYPOGAEA) IN SEMIARID CLIMATES Journal of Agricultural Science. 121, 213-222
• BROUGH, S. H., AZAM-ALI, S. N. and TAYLOR, A. J., 1993. The potential of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in vegetable milk production and basic protein functionality systems Food Chemistry. VOL 47(NUMBER 3), 277
• AZAM-ALI S, 1. Agricultural Diversification: The Potential For Underutilised Crops In Africa's Changing Climates. Rivista Di Biologia. 100(1), 27-37
• MWALE, S. S and AZAM-ALI, S. N. AND MASSAWE, F.J., Growth and development of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) in response to soil moisture: 2. Resource capture and conversion European Journal of Agronomy. (In Press.)