Ethnoecological Knowledge for Identifying Elite Phenotypes of the Indigenous Fruit Tree, Uapaca kirkiana in the Miombo Woodlands of Southern Africa

Abstract

This study integrates ecological knowledge and scientific principles in selecting superior Uapaca kirkiana phenotypes in Malawi and Zambia through focus-group discussions. Fruit collectors and roadside marketers provided locations of superior phenotypes (fruit load, size, and sweetness). About 73% of phenotypes were on cultivated land in Zambia, 66% were on forest reserves, and 15% were on cultivated land in Malawi. Phenotypes ranked superior by communities were indeed superior by scientists’ criteria. Local knowledge on superior phenotypes resides with community fruit collectors. Combining local ecological knowledge with scientific approaches in a complementary manner facilitated superior phenotype identification within a relatively short period.