Abstract
The African yam bean (AYB) (Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) is an underutilized legume native to sub-Saharan Africa, valued for its edible seeds and tubers rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and essential micronutrients. This study aimed to optimize cost-effective preservation methods for African Yam Bean leaf tissues to ensure high-quality Deoxyribonucleic acid extraction, critical for molecular biology applications. African Yam Bean leaves were subjected to various preservation conditions, including chemical buffers (1× CTAB, 1× TAE, and 70% ethanol) and temperature settings (-20°C, 4°C, 25°C, and >25°C). Results indicated that freezing at -20°C yielded the highest Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) purity and stability, with consistent A260/A280 ratios (1.7–2.0). Ethanol preservation also demonstrated strong performance, providing a viable alternative for resource-constrained environments. The DNA preserved with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and Tris-acetate-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid buffers exhibited lower stability and increased contamination over time. These findings highlight practical and scalable methods to enhance DNA integrity from plant tissues, advancing the utility of AYB in molecular biology research and sustainable agriculture.