BANKOLE FOLUSHO

Bankole Folusho ( is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Agronomy, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She has garnered 14 years of experience in Crop Production practices while working with crops such as Maize, sorghum, sugarcane, okra, etc. She has been on various projects promoting Climate Smart Agriculture such as the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners between 2011 – 2015. She was also a team member with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture on the Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa Project also Funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners between 2016-2019. She is currently working as the Team Lead of the Southern Guinea savanna zone with other scientists on the Accelerating Genetic Gains in Wheat and Maize Project with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture where she coordinates the Multilocational trials, on-farm trials and produces seeds in the Southern Guinea Sa

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Agronomy(Plant Breeding and Genetics) University of Ilorin, Ilorin
M.Sc. (Agronomy) University of Ilorin, Ilorin
B. Agriculture University of Ilorin, Ilorin

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Agronomy and Crop Science, Plant Science, Biotechnology

Scopus Publications

Multi-environment evaluation of maize hybrids for yield performance and stability under low-nitrogen and drought stress conditions
Olawale Serifdeen Aboderin, Muhyideen Oyekunle, Folusho Anuoluwapo Bankole
Journal of Crop Improvement, 2025
Approaches and progress in breeding drought-tolerant maize hybrids for tropical lowlands in west and central Africa
Abebe Menkir, Ibnou Dieng, Melaku Gedil, Wende Mengesha, Muhyideen Oyekunle, et al.
Plant Genome, 2024
Drought represents a significant production challenge to maize farmers in West and Central Africa, causing substantial economic losses. Breeders at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have therefore been developing drought‐tolerant maize varieties to attain high grain yields in rainfed maize production zones. The present review provides a historical overview of the approaches used and progress made in developing drought‐tolerant hybrids over the years. Breeders made a shift from a wide area testing approach, to the use of managed screening sites, to precisely control the intensity, and timing of drought stress for developing drought‐tolerant maize varieties. These sites coupled with the use of molecular markers allowed choosing suitable donors with drought‐adaptive alleles for integration into existing elite maize lines to generate new drought‐tolerant inbred lines. These elite maize inbred lines have then been used to develop hybrids with enhanced tolerance to drought. Genetic gains estimates were made using performance data of drought‐tolerant maize hybrids evaluated in regional trials for 11 years under managed drought stress, well‐watered conditions, and across diverse rainfed environments. The results found significant linear annual yield gains of 32.72 kg ha−1 under managed drought stress, 38.29 kg ha−1 under well‐watered conditions, and 66.57 kg ha−1 across multiple rainfed field environments. Promising hybrids that deliver high grain yields were also identified for areas affected by drought and variable rainfed growing conditions. The significant genetic correlations found among the three growing conditions highlight the potential to exploit the available genetic resources and modern tools to further enhance tolerance to drought in hybrids.
Evaluation of maize F1 hybrids’ tolerance to low soil nitrogen using various selection indices
Thai Journal of Agricultural Science, 2024
Yield performance and stability of maize hybrids of different maturity groups in multiple environments in Nigeria
Thai Journal of Agricultural Science, 2024
Combining ability for grain yield and low-N tolerance of intermediate/late maturing maize (Zea mays) inbred lines
Olawale Serifdeen Aboderin, Muhyideen Oyekunle, Folusho Anuoluwapo Bankole, Gbadebo Olaoye
Journal of Crop Improvement, 2024
Yield Stability and Inter-Traits Relationships of Maize Hybrids Under Low- and Optimum-Nitrogen Conditions
Olawale Serifdeen Aboderin, Folusho Anuoluwapo Bankole, Muhyideen Oyekunle, Gbadebo Olaoye
Agriculture Pol Nohospodarstvo, 2023
The menace of low soil nitrogen poses a significant challenge to maize production in sub-Saharan Africa, necessitating the development of high-yielding hybrids with increased nitrogen (N) tolerance. Two hundred and forty (240) maize hybrids were evaluated across eight environments at Zaria and Mokwa in Nigeria during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons, encompassing both low- and optimum-N conditions. The primary objective of the study was to identify high-yielding, stable, and low-N-tolerant hybrids for potential adoption in Nigeria. The study results underscored the significant impact of nitrogen availability on various agronomic traits, causing a substantial 53% reduction in grain yield. Significant genetic variation was observed among hybrids for most measured traits. SMLW146 × IITA1878, SMLW147 × SAM50M and SMLW147 × IITA1878 were the highest-yielding hybrids across the test environments with a yield advantage of 48.2%, 46.6% and 43.1%, respectively over the best check. GGE biplot analysis identified Mokwa Low-N 2021 (MLN21) and Mokwa optimum-N 2021 (MOP21) as discriminating and representative environments for selecting superior hybrids. SMLW147 × SAM50M emerged as the most stable low-N tolerant hybrid with the highest yield performance. Conversely, hybrid SMLW147 × IITA1878 produced a high yield across environments but was unstable. The study concludes by recommending SMLW147 × SAM50M for cultivation across both low- and optimum-N conditions, while SMLW147 × IITA1878 is specifically recommended for cultivation in optimum-N environments. Anthesis-silking interval, plant aspect, ear aspect, and ear height were identified as the most suitable secondary traits for selecting hybrids for high grain yield under low-N conditions.
Performance and Yield Stability of Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids under Rainfed Condition
Folusho Bankole, Olasunkanmi Olajide, Gbadebo Olaoye
Agriculture Pol Nohospodarstvo, 2023
Quality protein maize (QPM) commercialization can combat the food and nutritional insecurity that is common in some developing nations of the world. Evaluation of QPM hybrids under varying rainfed environments provide valuable evidence for the selection of the most productive genotypes for the target environment. The present study was conducted at three locations to assess the agronomic performance and the grain yield stability of 11 QPM and 2 commercial hybrids (checks) over two years. There were significant (p ≥ 0.01) differences among the environments in the expression of all measured traits while genotype as well as genotype × environment interaction also differed significantly for all the traits except for husk cover and Anthesis-silking interval. The tested QPM hybrids outperformed the local and reference checks by 17.28% and 29.47% respectively. The biplot explained 85.3% of the total variation in yield, with 65.4% attributed to principal component 1 and 19.9% to principal component 2. Three vertex hybrids, EWQH-25, EWQH-21 and Local Check, were identified as the most responsive in the environments within which they fall. Hybrid EWQH-21 produced the highest yield across all environments but was unstable. Therefore, hybrids EWQH-22, EWQH-9, and EWQH-13, with similar yield values and more stable performances were recognized as ideal across environments. Lapai 2017 (E2) proves to be both representative and discriminative, making it the ideal test environment for selecting hybrids with broad adaptability. The study concludes that EWQH-9, EWQH-13, and EWQH-22 be recommended for cultivation across the environments while EWQH-21 be recommended for the specific area of adaptation.
Estimating genetic gains for tolerance to stress combinations in tropical maize hybrids
Abebe Menkir, Ibnou Dieng, Silvestro Meseka, Bunmi Bossey, Wende Mengesha, et al.
Frontiers in Genetics, 2022
Maize is a strategic food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. However, most maize growing tropical savannas particularly in West and Central African experience the occurrence of frequent droughts and Striga infestation, resulting in 30–100% yield losses. This production zones need maize cultivars that combine tolerance to the two stresses. IITA in collaboration with national partners has thus employed a sequential selection scheme to incorporate both drought tolerance and Striga resistance in topical maize hybrids using reliable screening protocols. The main objective of the present study was therefore to use grain yield and other agronomic traits recorded in regional collaborative hybrid trials conducted for 8 years under manged stressful and non-stressful conditions and across rainfed field environments to estimate genetic gains in grain yields using mixed model analyses. The results showed significant (p &lt; 0.05) annual yield gains of 11.89 kg ha−1 under manged drought stress (MDS) and 86.60 kg ha−1 under Striga infestation (STRIN) with concomitant yield increases of 62.65 kg ha−1 under full irrigation (WW), 102.44 kg ha−1 under Striga non-infested (STRNO) conditions and 53.11 kg ha−1 across rainfed field environments. Grain yield displayed significant but not strong genetic correlation of 0.41 ± 0.07 between MDS and STRIN, indicating that gene expression was not consistent across the two stress conditions. Furthermore, grain yield recorded in MET had significant moderate genetic correlations of 0.58 ± 0.06 and 0.44 ± 0.07It with MDS and STRIN, respectively. These results emphasize the need to screen inbred linens under both stress conditions to further enhance the rate of genetic gain in grain yield in hybrids for areas where the two stresses co-occur. Nonetheless, this study demonstrated that the sequential selection scheme has been successful in generating hybrids with dependable yields that can reduce chronic food deficits in rural communities experiencing simultaneous presence of drought and S. hermonthica infestation in their production fields.
Correlation, regression and cluster analyses on yield attributes and popping characteristics of popcorn (Zea mays L. everta) in derived savanna and rainforest agro-ecologies of Nigeria
Oloruntoba Olatayo OLAKOJO, Folusho BANKOLE, Dotun OGUNNIYAN
Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 2021
Information on the genetic and agronomic relationship among the crop characters is important for the breeding programs. This study aimed at determining the relationship among grain yield, popping expansion and other agronomic characters in 19 popcorn lines evaluated in replicated trials at two locations. Correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between agronomic traits while multiple stepwise regression analyses was used to determine the contribution of other agronomic traits to grain yield. Results showed that plant and ear heights as well as cob length exhibited positive and significant association with grain yield. Popping volume showed negative and significant association (-0.45**) with grain yield while 100-grain mass had a negative and significant correlation (-0.37**) with popping volume. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that ear height, cob length, plant aspect and 100-grain mass contributed a total of 53.66 % to variation in grain yield, with ear height contributing the highest portion (22.51 %). Cluster analysis grouped popcorn lines into four different clusters, where ‘Small Pearl Shaped’ and ‘Popcorn 33-1-Y’ belonged to cluster II and IV, respectively, showing how divergent they are and possible utilization for hybrid formation. Improvement for popcorn should focus on identifying lines with acceptable level of popping volume and improved on their grain yield and yield attributes.
Analysis of genetic diversity in selected sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) accessions using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers
Faith Ewewluegim EMEGHA, David Adedayo ANIMASAUN, Folusho BANKOLE, Gbadebo OLAOYE
Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 2021
Genetic diversity information among a population is important in exploiting heterozygosity for the improvement of crop species through breeding programmes. This study was therefore, conducted to assess genetic diversity and establish molecular relationships among 20 selected exotic sugarcane accessions from the Unilorin Sugar Research Institute germplasm using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. Genomic DNA was extracted from the sugarcane leaf. Fragments amplification was then performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with ISSR markers and the data obtained were analyzed using MEGA 4 software. Analysis of the electropherogram showed a total of 39 loci consisting of 369 bands, out of which 95.8% were polymorphic. The biplot analysis showed all the markers contributed to the observed diversity with the least achieved with ISSR6. The principal co-ordinate analysis grouped the accessions into four clusters, comprising mixtures of all the six collection sites. The polymorphism obtained in the present study showed that the ISSR markers are effective for assessment of genetic diversity of the sugarcane accessions as it reveals the genetic similarity or divergence of the accessions regardless their place of origin or cultivation.
Association studies between grain yield and agronomic traits of a MARS maize (Zea mays L.) population under drought and non-stress condition
Folusho A BANKOLE, Abebe MENKIR, Gbadebo OLAOYE, Oloruntoba OLAKOJO, Gedil MELAKU
Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 2019
Genetic gains in yield and yield related traits under drought stress and favorable environments in a maize population improved using marker assisted recurrent selection
Folusho Bankole, Abebe Menkir, Gbadebo Olaoye, Jose Crossa, Sarah Hearne, et al.
Frontiers in Plant Science, 2017
GGE Biplot analysis of cane yield in sugarcane progenies at advanced yield trials in the savannah ecologies of Nigeria
Tropical Agriculture, 2017

Publications

Bankole F., Menkir, A., Olaoye, G., Crossa, J., Hearne, S., Unachukwu, N. and Gedil, M. (2017): Genetic gains in grain yield and other traits in a maize population improved using marker assisted recurrent selection. Frontiers in plant science.

Bankole, F., Menkir, A., Olaoye, G, Olakojo, O. and Gedil, M. (2019): Association Between Grain Yield and Agronomic Traits of a MARS Maize (Zea Mays L.) Population Under Drought and Non-Stress Conditions. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 114(1):75. http:

Olakojo O.O., Bankole F. and Ogunniyan D. (2021). Correlation, regression and Cluster analysis on yield attributes and popping characteristics of popcorn (Zea mays L. everta) in derived savanna and Rainforest agro-ecologies of Nigeria (2021) Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 117(3):1625. http:

Emegha, F.E., Animasaun, D.A., Bankole, F., Olaoye, G. (2021): Analysis of Genetic Diversity in selected sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) accessions using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica 117(4):2021, 1-10 http: //

Menkir A., Dieng I., Meseka S., Bossey B., Mangesha W., Muhyideen O., Ribeiro P.F., Coulibaly M., Yacoubou A.M., Bankole F.A., Adu G.G., Ojo T. (2022): Estimating genetic gains for tolerance to stress combinations in tropical maize hybrids. Frontiers in Genetics 13:1023318. Doi:10.3389/.

RESEARCH OUTPUTS (PATENTS, SOFTWARE, PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS)

(a) Registration and Release of an intermediate/late maturing maize variety (ILOMAZ 2) tolerant to multiple stress factors under the Accelerating Genetic Gains project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
(b) Registration and Release of an early maturing maize variety (ILOMAZ 1) tolerant to multiple stress factors under the Accelerating Genetic Gains project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Industry, Institute, or Organisation Collaboration

International institute of Tropical Agriculture, Idi-Ose, Ibadan, Nigeria