November 11 – Prairie View A&M University broke new frontiers as a ‘University of The First Class’ at the global level as Dr. Godson O. Osuji, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Research Scientist, received the ‘phenomenal and worthy recognition’ award at the 4th Edition of Global Conference on Plant Science and Molecular Biology held in London, United Kingdom on September 19-22, 2019 for his research projects funded through the university and the USDA NIFA.
At the Global Conference, Dr. Godson Osuji presented the “Molecular Regulation of Food Crop and Medicinal Plant Biochemical Pathways Under Stoichiometric Mineral Nutrient Limitations,” a phenomenal chemical reaction that increases and optimizes the farm income of limited-resource farmers. Under the international collaborative research program led by Godson Osuji are PVAMU Plant Systems research scientists Aruna Weerasooriya, Peter Ampim, Laura Carson, Paul Johnson, and Sela Woldesenbet; and Imo State Polytechnic research scientists Rev. Father Dr. Wenceslaus
Madu, and Appolonia Obiloma. Osuji’s study found that the reaction doubles and maximizes the nutritious biomass yields of medicinal plants and food crops cultivated by small acreage farmers on mineral nutrient-limited soils. The activation of the phenomenal reaction in several parts of sub-Saharan Africa is demonstrating that enormous wealth is achievable through small acreage production of nutritious food crops and medicinal plants. Prairie View A&M University Plant Systems collaborative research projects with Imo State Polytechnic, Nigeria, aim to transform crop production in the sub-Sahara to become a lucrative self-employment industry for school leavers. Worldwide, there are about 1.5 billion limited resource farmers who produce more than 50% of the world’s nutritious fresh vegetables, medicinal plants, pulses, roots, and tubers. So, it is economically necessary to strengthen the biotechnological base of the farm operations of such families.
Having the opportunity to present this research on a large scale for the Magnus organization is an achievement prides himself and the university on. “This kind of recognition goes far. It tells us that we are really a university of the first class, and we should be happy with what we do here.” With this organization staffed by members of the Nobel Prize committee, there are many more opportunities and recognition to come for the research taking place at PVAMU and CAHS. Osuji hopes to see more support from the university and college in the study of plant systems because it is one of the core studies of the CAHS, and he knows the world will soon see the great things taking place at this university.
Osuji and his team of researchers plan to continue to make new findings in the field of plant systems research by focusing on other cash crops (peanut and cowpea), medicinal plants (Phyla dulcis and Spices), specialty fruits and vegetables (strawberry, cucumber, watermelon, okra, spinach), bioenergy sorghum, roots and tubers. The CAHS specifically selected these crops for their ability to enhance small farmer’s income and to improve the management of some chronic dietary conditions such as diabetes, malnutrition, obesity, hunger, gender-related discomforts that are ravaging the limited resource families.
Dr. Osuji recognizes Drs. Cajetan Akujuobi, Deland Myers, Evie Myers, Ali Fares, Alfred Parks, James Palmer, and several other top administrative officers of the university for supporting the Memorandum of Understanding between Imo State Polytechnic and PVAMU.
This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 1890 Extension Formula Program projects under Section 1444.
Godson O. Osuji, Ph.D,
Professor of Molecular Chemistry
goosuji@pvamu.edu
(936)261-5038