Abstract
Changing environmental conditions in dryland areas exacerbate land degradation and food insecurity in many sub-Saharan African nations. Multi-purpose tree species such as Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton, are favored for reforestation and land reclamation as compared to single-use species. A great deal of research has also focused on this tree species due to its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is returned over time to the soil via the recycling of N-rich plant tissue. We review the recent literature on how S. senegal contributes to soil fertility and crop production especially in the context of sustainable and ecological agriculture. We also review the current literature on this legume species with regard to its microsymbionts, with the goal of further maximizing the potential of S. senegal for agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. Senegalia senegal, which has the potential to restore degraded soils and to be used for agroforestry, is both economically and ecologically important for the dry areas of sub-Saharan Africa because it produces gum arabic, an important commodity crop for smallholder farmers; it succeeds where other crops fail. This tree species also can correct soil fertility loss caused by continuous agriculture and worsened by a reduced or non-existent fallow period. Senegalia senegal and its soil microbes are positively associated with this species' ability to survive in harsh conditions. This tree is an important candidate for restoring soil fertility and providing commercial products especially in countries with arid environments.
Highlights
Acacia (mimosoid clade; (LPWG, 2017)) shrubs and trees are common in the savannas and drylands of Africa, Australia, India, and South and North America and are frequently planted in the Sahel region of Africa (Dreyfus and Dommergues, 1981)
In a large S. senegal genetic diversity study that used ITS and chloroplast DNA analysis, Odee et al (2012) observed genetic variation based on geography, such that the eastern and southern African populations were separated from western and central Africa within the Sudano-Sahalian region
Research performed in Senegal, Niger, and Burkina Faso revealed an interaction among rhizobial strains, soil types, and S. senegal genotypes with respect to competitiveness, nodulation, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation under both greenhouse (Bakhoum et al, 2012) and natural conditions (Herrmann et al, 2012)
Summary
Acacia (mimosoid clade; (LPWG, 2017)) shrubs and trees are common in the savannas and drylands of Africa, Australia, India, and South and North America and are frequently planted in the Sahel region of Africa (Dreyfus and Dommergues, 1981). Agroforestry systems based on S. senegal and a variety of crops produce combined yields that are larger than when the trees or agricultural crops are grown separately. In a large S. senegal genetic diversity study that used ITS and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) analysis, Odee et al (2012) observed genetic variation based on geography, such that the eastern and southern African populations were separated from western and central Africa within the Sudano-Sahalian region. Odee et al (2015) reported that S. senegal is principally diploid, but other ploidy levels were detected Together, these authors have concluded that the incidence of diploid–polyploid complexes in the northern range overlaps with phylogenetic and phylogeographic parameters. To be encountered mainly in trees of the Sudano-Sahelian region and in the native range
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