Genetic variation among half-sib families of the multipurpose indigenous fruit tree Vangueria infausta in Malawi

The study was carried out to assess the domestication of wild fruit trees in communities of Mayo-Belwa LGA of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Seven wards within the LGA (Tola, Mayo-Fareng, Binyeri, Gangfada, Gorobi, Gangwaso and Nasarawo Jereng) were selected for Agroforestry. 14 farms from each of the selected wards were randomly sampled and surveyed for observation and recording of indigenous fruit trees on the farms and also by ocular inspecting the proportion of farm land under fruit trees cultivation. Results shows that preference matrix ranking was used to generate a species priority list of indigenous fruit trees preferred by the local people through the use of questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as table, frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the data obtained which includes, proportion of indigenous fruit trees DBH ranging (10.1-45.1), basal area ranging (80.1-1597.8), agricultural crops grown alongside fruit trees, local people towards wild fruit trees domestication, socio-economic variables of the respondents, and opportunities and constraints to on-farm cultivation of indigenous fruit trees. The result of the findings indicated that indigenous fruit trees species on-farm was relatively moderate:- The average proportion of farmland under indigenous fruit trees DBH was however low in Gorobi ward and higher in Binyeri ward. Some of the preferred indigenous wild fruit trees were Vitallaria paradoxa, Vitex doniana, Annona senegalensis and Tamarindus indica among others. The study recommended that in order for indigenous fruit trees to meaningfully contribute to household food security and incomes, there is need to: Formulate clear policies and by-laws on conservation of indigenous tree resources. Trees are assets, which contribute to the well-being of the rural community and through their longevity, serve as a cultural linking element throughout generations. Policy-makers and decision-makers also need to be kept informed of the latest advances in domestication and commercialization.

ISHS XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Citrus and Other Subtropical and Tropical Fruit Crops: Issues, Advances and Opportunities DOMESTICATING PRIORITY MIOMBO INDIGENOUS FRUIT TREES AS A PROMISING LIVELIHOOD OPTION FOR SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

BackgroundIndigenous communities in Namibia possess a rich indigenous knowledge expressed within many practices of these communities. Indigenous wild edible fruits are available along the Namibian 13 regions of which it forms a rich source of vitamins, fibres, minerals and a heterogeneous collection of bioactive compounds referred to as phytochemicals for indigenous people’s diet. The aim of this study was to record the different IKS practices on the indigenous fruit trees in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions of Namibia.MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from local communities from 23-29 October 2011. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires and personal interviews during field trips in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. A total of 65 respondents were interviewed; 54%; women, 38%; men and 8%; both in group interviews.ResultsThe majority of the people interviewed were in their thirty’s, with the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest being 98 years old. Forty three plant specimens were collected from the two regions; these specimens belong to 20 genera and 25 species. Regarding to the indigenous knowledge; 87%; of the respondents indicated that their knowledge on indigenous fruits was learnt mainly through their parent. Indigenous people’s perception on declining indigenous fruits revealed that 56.3%; of the respondents reported that indigenous fruits were declining. Only a 42.2%; indicated that the indigenous fruits populations are increasing. Regarding to the management practices to improve the production of these indigenous fruit trees; 38.6%; reported that there are some efforts on management practices; on the other hand 61.4%; reported there are no management practices on the indigenous fruit trees in their areas. Four species were found to be the most frequently used and mentioned fruits which need to be given high preference in terms of conservation are: Berchemia discolor, Hyphaene petersiana, Sclerocarya birrea and Diospyros mespiliformis. The following diseases and ailments have been reported to be treated by the indigenous fruit trees which include: toothache, diarrhoea, cough, tonsillitis, burns, skin allergy, stomach ache, snake bit, constipation, etc. 28%; of the respondents mentioned an ethno veterinary use(s) of these fruits, e.g. the use of the Ziziphus mucronata roots to treat diarrhoea in cattle, the bark of eembe (Berchemia discolor) to treat calf weakness.ConclusionsThe local communities in Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions have relatively good knowledge and practices regarding the indigenous fruit. This study enhances our understanding on the indigenous fruit in Namibia and their uses by local communities.

This study obtained quantitative data on fruit and nut traits from two indigenous fruit trees in West Africa (Irvingia gabonensis and Dacryodes edulis), which have led to the identification of trees meeting ideotypes based on multiple morphological, quality and food property traits desirable in putative cultivars. The same data also indicates changes in population structure that provide pointers to the level of domestication already achieved by subsistence farmers. D. edulis represents 21-57% of all fruit trees in farmers' fields and plays an important part in the economy of rural communities. An investigation of the socio-economic and biophysical constraints to indigenous tree cultivation found that indigenous fruits could play an even greater role in the rural economy of West and Central Africa. The opportunity to build on this through further domestication of these species is considerable, especially as retailers recognise customer preferences for certain D. edulis fruit traits, although at present the wholesale market does not. This project was linked to a larger participatory tree domestication programme within ICRAF's2 wider agroforestry programme with traditionally valuable indigenous trees. Together these projects provided insights into the value of domesticating indigenous fruit trees, which are of strategic importance to poverty alleviation and sustainable development worldwide.

Chapter 27 - The Participatory Domestication of West African Indigenous Fruits: This chapter was previously published in Leakey, R.R.B., Schreckenberg, K., Tchoundjeu, Z., 2003. International Forestry Review, 5, 338–347, with permission from Commonwealth Forestry Association

A review on the indigenous multipurpose agroforestry tree species in Ethiopia: management, their productive and service roles and constraints

Tree holdings at homesteads and in homefields were investigated for two villages in Zimbabwe. Of the households, 90% owned at least one exotic tree. Trees were concentrated at homesteads and conserved indigenous trees tended to be edible fruit trees. Female heads of households (divorcees and widows) had fewer trees than households headed by men. Households with longer period of residence at a site had increased the proportion of indigenous fruit trees compared to non-fruit trees. Wealth status showed no relationship to tree holdings. The considerable tree planting and tree conservation activity around homesteads and in homefields has the effect of replacing non-fruit indigenous trees with exotic and indigenous fruit trees. Agroforestry research, extension and development should focus more on current practices, concentrate more on trees that farmers favour (such as fruit trees) and take into account differences among households.

In this chapter, the economics of on-farm planting and management of IFTs (indigenous fruit trees) is assessed. First, factors that influence the management of IFTs (in Africa) are described and results of other studies are reviewed. Second, the methodology for assessing the profitability of planting of IFTs is described. Third, study area and data are presented and survey results on the status of IFT management and planting, as well as farmers' reasons for planting of indigenous and exotic fruit trees (EFTs), are described. Fourth, costs and benefits of planting Uapaca kirkiana trees are calculated, as well as points that show under which data constellation on-farm planting can be expected. The chapter concludes with an outline for further research and related development.

The last two decades have witnessed increased interest in the conservation, domestication and commercialization of indigenous fruit trees (IFTs) in the tropics. This paper examines the experiences from research and development (R&D) initiatives involving IFTs of the Miombo eco-region. Significant progress has been made in domestication strategies, including species priority setting, provenance trials, participatory clonal selection and development of new cultivars, nursery propagation techniques and field management. New research has created opportunities for the development of IFTs as new crops and their management on-farm. Participatory domestication initiatives described in this paper provide a beneficial strategy aimed at reducing over-dependence and exploitation of wild populations, while at the same time helping farmers and researchers in the development of new tree crops to capture economic opportunities.

For probably as long as people have lived in Africa, they have eaten culturally and traditionally important indigenous fruits such as baobab, desert date, black plum, and tamarind. Farmers have been able to enjoy the fruit of these plentiful wild trees without developing any knowledge of how to propagate them successfully; they haven’t needed to. Glossary Agroforestry: A land management system that integrates trees within other crops or livestock systems to improve the complex beneficial interactions with other organisms (bacteria, fungi, insects, birds, mammals) and so improve the ecological health of the system. Breeding: Cross-pollinating plants to produce a new plant with desirable qualities from both parents. In trees this is a relatively slow and inefficient form of domestication. Crop diversification: Introducing additional crops to what’s grown on a farm. Crop intensification: Using various methods to enhance crop yield. Cropping system: The pattern of crops grown and farming practices employed on a given field or farm. For instance, a polyculture cropping system involves growing a diversity of crops simultaneously in the same space. In conventional agriculture, cropping systems are often monocultures (growing a single crop at a time). Cultivar: A plant variety that is produced by breeding. Cultivation: Growing crops in a farm field. Cutting: A section of shoot or root cut from a plant, which is encouraged to form a new plant by developing roots and shoots (see “Rooting”). In contrast to plants grown from seeds, cuttings remain “true” to the plant from which they are taken. Domestication: Intentionally growing plants that originated in the wild, a process enhanced by selecting the best specimens and propagating them vegetatively (e.g., by taking cuttings as opposed to planting seeds). Grafting: Taking sections of branch from a mature tree and fusing them onto a small seedling. The result is a new plant with the characteristics of the mature tree. “Multigrafted” trees produce a variety of fruit on the same tree, but this method is generally more of a novelty than a production system. Propagation: The act of producing new plants by any method. Rooting: Stimulating a cutting to develop and grow roots, typically by inserting the cutting into a humid environment with a damp, loosely packed medium such as peat moss or vermiculite. Smallholder: A farmer working 2–5 hectares of land with a combination of cash crops to sell and food crops to feed and support the family. However, the trees’ natural habitats are being lost, mainly to widespread deforestation resulting from population growth, the cutting of trees for firewood or charcoal, and in some cases industrial agriculture or other business interests. With this loss, questions arise over where the trees will grow in the future, if at all—and whether they will continue to provide the same wide range of benefits if they do survive. Fruits native to the African continent offer nutrients that often come up short in local diets, and they grow on trees that provide a range of ecosystem services. But deforestation is threatening Africa’s indigenous fruit trees. Now researchers ... Trees of all kinds provide immeasurable ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, continual replenishment of soil, and removal of pollutants from air.1 Wooded areas foster biodiversity, which provides benefits of its own. For instance, deforestation is associated with increased risk of malaria transmission due to an increase in mosquito breeding sites on cleared land and reduced populations of mosquito predators.2 What’s unique about fruit trees is their ability to provide vital nutrients that may otherwise be scarce.3 Indigenous fruit trees, in particular, have still another added benefit: Naturally adapted to local soils and climates, wild trees often survive environmental stresses better than introduced species.4 A growing number of researchers, conservationists, and plant domesticators are fighting to reverse the population declines these native fruit trees are experiencing. Across Africa and in other parts of the world, scientists are studying their nutritional and ecological benefits and how those properties could be enhanced if the wild trees are domesticated. They’re also characterizing the genetic diversity of the trees and working with growers to ensure their successful cultivation, often as new crops, with the potential to transform local agriculture.5 Farmers are considered a crucial part of preserving the future for indigenous fruit trees, which, in turn, are viewed as a means for improving the livelihoods of poor smallholder farmers in particular. “The future of trees is on farms,” says Ramni Jamnadass, leader of the Quality Trees Global Research Project at the Nairobi-based International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF). The center, also known as the World Agroforestry Centre, is the driving force of much of the research on African indigenous fruits.6 “If we don’t invest in them now,” Jamnadass says, “we will lose many of the species, as many of them are fast disappearing.”

The dependency of many African rural households on natural resources for sustenance is widely acknowledged. The utilization and commercialization of indigenous fruit trees (IFTs) has in the past been overlooked by extension agencies due to the misconception that they do not play a major role in contributing to the rural livelihoods. There is new and increasing emphasis on the contribution of indigenous fruit trees (IFTs) on improving rural livelihoods in the Miombowoodlands. A study was conducted in Mwekera area in Zambia using participatory rural appraisal techniques to ascertain the significance of IFTs in the livelihoods.The study revealed that 97% of the respondents collect indigenous fruits and ranked in order of importance Uapaca kirkiana, Anisophyllea boehmii and Parinari curatellifolia. The study has revealed that 46% of households process the fruit into juices and/or porridges. Furthermore IFTs are also used as traditional medicine. Sixty three percent (63%) of the households used IFTs for medicinal purposes with two-thirds of the respondents citing A. boehmii as an important medicinal tree species. The study also showed that 85% of the respondents have seen a change in the forest cover resulting into loss of biodiversity with the respondents indicating that the change is with respect to reduction in forest size and scarcity of some species. Fewer trees mean less forest derived foods and medicine for the local people. It is concluded that IFTs have both food and non-food value to the local communities and are hence significant in sustaining households. Key words: Indigenous fruit trees (IFTs), rural livelihoods, processing, food security, biodiversity, miombo woodlands. Africa (NERICA), Oryza sativa, Oryza glaberrima.

Forest tree physiology: E. Dreyer, G. Aussenac, M. Bonnet-Masimbert, P. Dizengremel, J.M. Favre, J.P. Garrec, F. Le Tacon and F. Martin, (Editors). 1990, Proceedings of the International Symposium of Forest Tree Physiology, Nancy, France, September 1988, Elsevier, Paris, 875 pp., FF 850.00, ISSN 0003–4312

Azanza garkeana (morojwa) is a valuable edible indigenous fruit tree species confined to eas t and southern Africa. Because of its multiple use the species is selected and retained by farmers in Botswana when they clear the woodland for crops and building house. It is one of the indigenous fruit tree species that is semi-domestic ated by local people in Botswana. The species is an important indigenous source of food in Botswana. Besides proving people with fruits, the tree also provides goods (timber, firewood, fodder etc.) and services (soil conservation, shade etc.). The species is an important source of essential minerals particularly P, Ca, Mg and Na. This paper reviews Azanza garckeana as an important multipurpose indigenous fruit tree with high potential social and economic value in Botswana.

The diverse range of indigenous fruit trees in Africa is a source of untapped potential for food and nutrition security. Here, we review information on 10 indigenous fruit trees that are considered to be underutilized and explore their occurrence, distribution, nutritional components, phytochemicals, and medicinal potentials, as well as their associated challenges and prospects. The indigenous fruit trees, which occur across different ecological zones in Africa, are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, protein, and valuable phytochemicals. They also have recognized medicinal value and used as diverse therapeutic remedies by many ethnic groups in Africa. The key challenges to fruit tree sustainability include indiscriminate and illegal logging, low accessibility, and low acceptability, as well as inadequate research on their cultivation. We proposed a scheme to increase the value chain of underutilized fruit trees, which can contribute to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders mainly through income generation. In addition to the concerted efforts of multidisciplinary research teams encompassing plant breeders, botanists, molecular biologists, food scientists, and horticulturists, there is an urgent need for governments and other international stakeholders to provide incentives and encourage the domestication, commercialization, and agro‐processing of underutilized fruit trees for future economic prosperity of Africa.

Indigenous fruit trees (IFTs) contribute to the livelihoods of rural households as sources of food, income and medicine. Conservation and domestication of IFTs involve germplasm selection, collection, multiplication and evaluation. In addition, biodiversity and genetic improvements have been realized through propagation. However, there are numerous challenges when propagating indigenous trees and the choice of appropriate propagation techniques determines the success of domestication programme. In this paper we synthesize different propagation methods used for indigenous fruit trees, and propose a decision support tool based on desirable attributes of individual IFT, technical requirements, expertise of the propagators and relative cost of implementing the technology in addition to field performance and tree management. Depending on circumstances, this decision support tool can be used to quickly choose a propagation method for a given fruit tree so as to maximize on germplasm collection, multiplication and evaluation without compromising field performance and management of the fruit trees.