Abstract
High metal contents of acidic soils from sub-Saharan Africa often prevent the cultivation of crops and lead to a low livestock yield. The carbohydrate rich diet of the Angolan population is low in minerals and vitamins, resulting in various deficiency syndromes and a high child mortality rate. Eight traditionally utilized plants (Anisophyllea quangensis, Annona stenophylla subsp. cuneata, Canarium schweinfurthii, Eugenia malangensis, Landolphia lanceolata, Raphionacme madiensis, Tristemma mauritianum, Vitex madiensis subsp. madiensis) with nutritional value for the Angolan population were analyzed for their soil and growing conditions. The species are adapted to the local conditions and can serve as crops for the unfavorable soils of the province Uíge. Chemical and physical characteristics of the uppermost soil (0–5 cm) and in 30 cm depth were analyzed. The plant-available macro-and micronutrients were determined using Mehlich 3 extraction. Data are completed with leaf tissue analyses, examining the uptake of minerals. As aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) are plant-available in high amounts, local plants evolved mechanisms dealing with those metals. These Al accumulators with foliar contents above 1000 mg/kg are Anisophyllea quangensis (7884 mg/kg), Landolphia lanceolata (6809 mg/kg), Tristemma mauritianum (4674 mg/kg), and Eugenia malangensis (13,989 mg/kg). All four species bear edible fruits with nutritional potential. The domestication and commercialization of those plants seem to be promising, utilizing local soils without expensive amelioration techniques.
Highlights
In sub-Saharan Africa, where the studied province Uíge is located in the North of Angola, unfavorable soils for agriculture are predominant
Different growth forms are included as trees (Canarium schweinfurthii), herbs growing along riverine (Tristemma mauritianum) or perennials which are adapted to savanna fires and mainly grow underground (Landolphia lanceolata)
All of the studied plants grow on extremely acidic soils with a pH value below 4.6, except for the Canarium schweinfurthii site that was moderately acidic with a pH of 5.9 (CaCl2) (Table 3) [6]
Summary
In sub-Saharan Africa, where the studied province Uíge is located in the North of Angola, unfavorable soils for agriculture are predominant. In the province of Uíge (North Angola) maize, cassava, potatoes, beans, and peanuts are dominating crops [4] Cultivation areas for these plant species are mainly obtained through the destructive technique of slash-and-burn farming. In contrast to complex restructuring (natural) soil processes, an alternative approach is the cultivation of well-adapted naturally occurring species This long-term and low-cost method can be adopted by locals. The unbalanced diet, mainly consisting of carbohydrate rich plants, has to be diversified using the potential of its rich local biodiversity Given this background, our study analyzes the soil and metal accumulation properties of eight natural growing plant species with nutritional value for the Angolan population [9]. Accumulating species, for instance, Al accumulating plants can further serve as future crops for the utilization of the occurring acidic soils, supplying natural food products which can enhance the nutritional situation on-site
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