Wild Fruit Trees Research Articles

SCREENING OF WILD FRUIT TREES WITH GASTROPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT EXPERIMENTAL MODELS.

Given the increase of people with gastrointestinal disorders, the search for alternative treatments with fewer side effects is vital, as well as the demand for food or plants that can help protect the stomach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective action of the extracts of wild fruit trees of Myrcianthes pungens (guabiju); Inga vera Willd. (ingá-banana) and Marlierea tomentosa Cambess. (guarapuruna) in in vivo pharmacological models. The different parts of the fruits were separately subjected to a process of extraction by methanol. Two experimental pharmacological models were conducted in mice; the gastric ulcer model induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (indomethacin), and the gastric ulcer model induced by ethanol/HCl, which allowed us to evaluate the gastroprotective activity of the extracts at a dose of 250 mg/kg. Subsequently, the total lesion area (mm2) and relative lesion area (%) were determined. The results showed significant gastroprotective activity against the aggressive agents used - ethanol and indomethacin - for all the extracts tested. It is assumed that the fruits have bioactive compounds such as antioxidant substances that act on the prostaglandin levels, protecting them from the damage caused by ethanol and indomethacin. These results prompt further studies to isolate and identify the active properties.

Crop-to-wild gene flow and its fitness consequences for a wild fruit tree: Towards a comprehensive conservation strategy of the wild apple in Europe.

Crop‐to‐wild gene flow can reduce the fitness and genetic integrity of wild species. Malus sylvestris, the European crab‐apple fruit tree in particular, is threatened by the disappearance of its habitat and by gene flow from its domesticated relative, Malus domestica. With the aims of evaluating threats for M. sylvestris and of formulating recommendations for its conservation, we studied here, using microsatellite markers and growth experiments: (i) hybridization rates in seeds and trees from a French forest and in seeds used for replanting crab apples in agrosystems and in forests, (ii) the impact of the level of M. domestica ancestry on individual tree fitness and (iii) pollen dispersal abilities in relation to crop‐to‐wild gene flow. We found substantial contemporary crop‐to‐wild gene flow in crab‐apple tree populations and superior fitness of hybrids compared to wild seeds and seedlings. Using paternity analyses, we showed that pollen dispersal could occur up to 4 km and decreased with tree density. The seed network furnishing the wild apple reintroduction agroforestry programmes was found to suffer from poor genetic diversity, introgressions and species misidentification. Overall, our findings indicate supported threats for the European wild apple steering us to provide precise recommendations for its conservation.

Analysis of the Fresh Pulps of B orassus aethiopum Fruits of Gulu District, Uganda

Borassus aethiopum Mart-locally known as Tugu by a tribe called Acholi in Uganda is an edible wild fruit tree species greatly valued for its multipurpose uses, fruits inclusive. This tree species is being wantonly destroyed, yet there is no adequate documentation on them. This study determined the nutrient contents in the pulps of its fresh fruits both on fresh matter (FM) and dry matter (FM) basis. The contents were determined using standard procedures prescribed for each nutrient. The potassium, sodium, and calcium contents on FM basis were respectively 42.6mg/100g, 12mg/100g) and 33.6mg/100g. The contents of zinc, iron and magnesium on FM basis were low with all values below 1.00mg/100g. No phytates were detected in these pulps on both FM and DM basis. The study revealed appreciable contents of nutrients in the fresh pulps, making it useful source for supplementing nutrient deficiencies within the community. Further studies are thus recommended to determine the availability of these nutrients in the body when consumed.

Differential susceptibility and suitability of domestic and wild apple species for a florivorous weevil and its parasitoids

AbstractCrop plant domestication can change plant resistance to herbivores leading to differences in pest pressure experienced by crop plants and their wild relatives. To compare resistance to herbivores between domesticated and wild fruit trees, we quantified direct resistance and indirect resistance to a pest insect, the florivorous apple blossom weevil Anthonomus pomorum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), for the cultivated apple Malus domestica and two wild apple species, the European crab apple M. sylvestris and the exotic M. kirghisorum. We measured weevil infestation and performance (weight, sex ratio), and weevil parasitism by parasitoid wasps for different cultivars of M. domestica and for the two wild apple species. To explain weevil and parasitoid responses to different apple species, we quantified tree characteristics including nitrogen content, size of flower buds, bark roughness, tree size, tree phenology and tree position. We found significant differences in susceptibility to weevil infestation between apple species, with lowest infestation (highest apple resistance) in M. domestica and highest infestation in M. kirghisorum. The suitability of apple species also varied significantly: weevils emerging from M. sylvestris were significantly lighter than those from M. kirghisorum. Parasitism of A. pomorum by different parasitoid species was significantly higher in M. sylvestris than in M. domestica. Infestation, weevil weight and parasitism were positively related to tree characteristics: infestation to bud nitrogen content and bark roughness, weevil size to nitrogen content and bud size, and parasitism to tree height and bud density. Our study revealed marked differences between apple species in susceptibility and suitability for the pest herbivore, but also for antagonistic parasitoids. Whereas direct resistance appeared to be higher in cultivated apple, indirect resistance via parasitoids was apparently higher in wild apple trees. Our findings suggest that wild and cultivated apple trees possess different resistance traits that may be combined to optimize resistance in commercial apple cultivars.

Wild edible fruit tree resources of Arunachal Pradesh, North East India

The paper reports on the survey of wild edible fruit trees covering 49 sites from 17 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India. A total of 52 wild edible fruits species representing 33 families was reported, out of which 10 had medicinal uses. The highest number of wild edible fruits belonged to family Moraceae (9 spp.) followed by Anacardiaceae (4 spp.) and Actinidiaceae (3 spp.). More than half the fruits (66.67%) are available during the monsoon season, i.e. between June and October. Dilenia indica, Castanopsis indica, Canarium strictum, Terminalia citrina, Phoebe cooperiana, Phyllanthus emblica and Artocarpus intergifolia are the commonly traded fruits. This is perhaps the only extensive survey which has so far been carried out on wild edible fruit tree resources covering all the districts of Arunachal Pradesh. In the present era where there is global interest on bioresource documentation, this study is significant for securing intellectual property right and preventing biopiracy.

Preface to the Food Portfolio

Preface to the Food Portfolio Matthew Shenoda (bio) The very concept of food, the physical presence of it, the way it triggers all of the senses is a central part of life, human and otherwise. Whether abundant or scarce it occupies a part of our daily lives. The pleasure of it, the struggle for it, the fast from it, the feast in it, the joy of it, the worry for it, the nourishment from it, the gift of it, and sadly, in these times, the poison of it. It is, simply put, the inescapable commonality for all living things. As for me, I must admit, I love food, but not always in the way one might think. It is not just the pleasure of consumption that I enjoy, but the engagement in a physical manifestation of creation, a thing relished and appreciated, a thing of great wonder, a thing brought forth by labor but not made by the hands of humans. Each time I cut open a peach to feed one of my children, I delight at the textured and storied lines in the pit; I pause at the thought of the intricate process of seed to earth to table, something so simple, so close to what we might call perfection, that we seem to have all but forgotten its seamlessness as we consume. In this way, I am serious about food, the simplicity of it, in particular. The immense gratitude of how we nourish our very existence. The way a meal, fresh and well prepared, can slow us down and remind us of our communal humanity. I lament the commodification of food, the way agribusiness and the chemical industries have tainted one of the most central elements of our survival and existence, the way it has destroyed not only our human trajectory but the ecology we occupy. Perhaps my perspective on food is, at least in part, a matter of time and place. Growing up in California, my childhood was filled with fruit and olive trees in the yard, citrus trees in the midst of the city, avocado trees growing wild near the beach where you could pick one fresh just after a swim. And on the streets of my parent's native Egypt, no matter how congested and chaotic a city like Cairo became, I could always crunch into [End Page 7] a clean cucumber picked recently in the fertile delta and contemplate the contradiction of such fresh food amidst such a polluted city. Those days seem all but gone now with the proliferation of imported fertilizers, government subsidies, food aid and tariffs, the privatization of wild fruit trees, and a pace of life that relegates conscious engagement in the foods we eat to the margins of the human experience. So marginal it seems is this idea of food consciousness that my produce shopping has become a running joke among some of my closest friends. You see, we eat kale in our home, lots of it. We cook various dishes with it: kale with lentils, kale with chickpeas, kale with pasta, kale in soups, kale salads; my children chew on the leaves as a snack and the stalks to soothe their teething. But the thing is this, almost every time I go to the market and purchase kale, the checkout clerks invariably make a comment: "That's a lot of kale!" "What are you going to do with all that kale?" "You gonna juice that kale?" And every time I answer similarly, "We are going to cook it and eat it." And, every time, I am met with a blank stare and an occasional, "Oh, that's real healthy." Is this how disconnected we've become, that the purchase of fresh produce for human consumption causes such astonishment? Have we become so distant from the acts of cooking and eating a balanced diet that even the folks in the produce market seem surprised? Never mind, I know the answer to this, and I know too what the larger corporate interests prefer—those same interests that have been deeply tied to the devaluing of human life from the moment of their founding. I know that the resurgent consciousness around...

Edible Wild Fruit Trees and Shrubs and Their Socioeconomic Significance in Central Ethiopia

An ethnobotanical study was conducted to investigate indigenous knowledge and socioeconomics of edible wild fruit trees and shrubs (EWFTSs) in Arsi Zone, Central Ethiopia. A total of 90 respondents were interviewed and consisted of men, women, and children who were selected by stratified random sampling. A total of 30 EWFTSs bearing species that belong to 20 families were identified. Age and gender distribution of respondents on the choice of four of the top five species were homogeneous indicating that promotion can be planned indifferently to all households. Indigenous knowledge on EWFTSs varied significantly ( P < 0.05) with age groups and gender as well as area of respondents. Elder males appeared more familiar with EWFTSs. Income generated from sales of EWFTSs is, however, marginal. A considerable proportion of the community acknowledged food values of EWFTSs, and more than half preferred EWFTSs over cultivated commercial fruit, suggesting that efforts towards their integration into the current farming system are appealing. Realizing the resource depletion, about 54% of the respondents planted EWFTSs while 87% showed interest to participate in domestication programs. The study explored a great potential of promoting EWFTSs in Arsi Zone and assisting the country’s efforts of ensuring food security.

Anthropogenic and natural drivers of gene flow in a temperate wild fruit tree: a basis for conservation and breeding programs in apples.

Gene flow is an essential component of population adaptation and species evolution. Understanding of the natural and anthropogenic factors affecting gene flow is also critical for the development of appropriate management, breeding, and conservation programs. Here, we explored the natural and anthropogenic factors impacting crop-to-wild and within wild gene flow in apples in Europe using an unprecedented dense sampling of 1889 wild apple (Malus sylvestris) from European forests and 339 apple cultivars (Malus domestica). We made use of genetic, environmental, and ecological data (microsatellite markers, apple production across landscapes and records of apple flower visitors, respectively). We provide the first evidence that both human activities, through apple production, and human disturbance, through modifications of apple flower visitor diversity, have had a significant impact on crop-to-wild interspecific introgression rates. Our analysis also revealed the impact of previous natural climate change on historical gene flow in the nonintrogressed wild apple M. sylvestris, by identifying five distinct genetic groups in Europe and a north–south gradient of genetic diversity. These findings identify human activities and climate as key drivers of gene flow in a wild temperate fruit tree and provide a practical basis for conservation, agroforestry, and breeding programs for apples in Europe.

Evaluation of genetic diversity in Amygdalus mira (Koehne) Ricker using SSR and ISSR markers

Amygdalus mira (Koehne) Ricker, originated in China, is a wild fruit tree distributed in Tibet with high economic and ecological value. To conserve its future breeding and germplasm resources, much information about genetic diversity of A. mira should be obtained. In this study, two DNA-based molecular markers, simple sequence repeat (SSR) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), were used for genetic diversity evaluations of 46 samples from four regions including Bomi (BM), Langkazi (LKZ), Mainling (ML) and Linzhi (LZ) in Tibet. Through combined analysis of SSR and ISSR, high levels of polymorphism (75.42 %) were observed, indicating that SSR and ISSR were efficient methods to detect genetic diversity of natural A. mira populations; all the samples were divided into two major clusters at the similarity coefficient of 0.54; the highest H and I values were observed in LZ population; most genetic variations occurred within populations; there is no significant relationship between genetic distance of populations and geographic distribution. For conversation of A. mira, ex situ conversation is a desired strategy needed to be established in the future.

Informants consensus and knowledge on the use of wild edible fruits from Sikkim, India

Consensus and perception of local ethnic inhabitants from different parts of Sikkim state of India regarding the role of wild edible fruits in their daily life style was studied. Perception level was analyzed on the basis of family dependency, income generating ability, medicinal values and intercropping with agricultural crops. Results revealed that 61.6% of the respondents were with a medium perception level followed by high perception level (31.6%) about the values and usage of indigenous minor or wild edible fruit trees. Distribution of data was highly consistent (15.20%) with mean and SD value of 10.92 and 1.66, respectively. Thus, the variables gender, age and occupation of respondents were found to be critical for developing their perception level on values and usage of these fruit trees. The estimated R2 value of 0.099 indicated that predictor variables altogether had explained 9.9% variations embedded with predicted variable i.e. local people's perception on values and usage of fruit trees

English

We investigated the population structure and regeneration status of Vitex payos (Lour.) Merr. in Kenyan drylands. The study quantified the spatial distribution pattern of V. payos tree populations in their natural range; and assessed their regeneration status to determine the stability of the populations Woodlands and farm inventories were conducted in Mbeere, Mwingi and Kitui districts of the Eastern Province of Kenya. The nearest-neighbour sampling method was used to determine tree density and distribution of V. payos in the study sites. The number of seedlings and saplings were counted. The diameters, crown diameter, and tree heights of sampled trees were measured. These morphological parameters were summarized on per hectare basis. The patterns of distribution of V. payos trees showed an aggregation of trees on farms and bushes. Tree densities ranged from 1.6 on farmlands to 20.3 trees per ha in the woodlands. The expected mean distances between nearest neighbouring trees were higher than the observed values on all sites, confirming that V. payos trees were more aggregated than randomly dispersed. The mean tree heights varied from &lt; 5 m to &gt; 9 m cross study sites. The sampled populations were dominated by trees (55%) within the range of 10 to 20 cm dbh. Highhest numbers of seedlings from all origins were recorded in the bushes in Kitui and Mbeere districts 101 and 78 seedlings per hectare, respectively. Sapling population densities were generally low. &nbsp; Key words: Edible wild plants, dryland resources, indigenous fruit trees, Vitex payos, wild fruit trees, Kenya.

Biodiversity of figs (Ficus carica l.) in Coruh valley of Turkey

The Coruh valley lies within the Caucasus ecological zone, which is considered by the World Wild Fund for Nature and by Conservation International as a one of the biodiversity hotspot in the world. The valley is also recognized by Turkish conservation organizations as an important plant area, an important bird area, a key biodiversity area and has been nominated as a high priority area for protection. This valley is rich in plants and contains 104 nationally threatened plant species of which 67 are endemic to Turkey. Fig (Ficus carica L.) is one of the most important wild edible fruit tree along with pomegranate and olive in the valley. Figs have been used for fresh consumption for centuries and also an important element of natural landscape of the valley. The valley abundantly has black, purple and yellow-green fruited fig trees. In this study we determined some important tree, leaf and fruit morphological characteristics of 50 selected wild grown fig accessions naturally found in the valley. The results showed that the investigated morphological traits of fig accessions displayed significant differences each other. Principal coordinate analysis showed that diversity among the accessions was high and the accessions had black and yellow-green colored fruits were the most diverse groups.

Harvesting the ‘wild’? Exploring the context of fruit and nut exploitation at Neolithic Dikili Tash, with special reference to wine

The relationship between farming communities in south-eastern Europe and wild plant resources, fruit and nut trees in particular, is explored in this paper, based on charred plant remains from House 1 at late Neolithic Dikili Tash in eastern Macedonia, northern Greece, retrieved between 2010 and 2012. Within the rubble of a burnt destruction level dated to the second half of the 5th millennium cal BC, a wide range of cultivated crops like cereals, pulses and flax were stored together with a variety of fruit and nuts, such as acorns, wild pears, grapes, including grape pips and grape pressings and possibly figs, too. These finds provide a rare opportunity to investigate the use of fruit as well as the origins and context of wine making and consumption in the Neolithic of south-eastern Europe. Human interference with natural vegetation in relation to use of wild trees is discussed in light of the archaeobotanical, palynological and charcoal evidence from the wider area of the site. It is suggested that the remains from Dikili Tash may be pointing towards some early form of arboriculture in the region. The interplay of wild and domesticated plant resources encountered at the site is discussed within the framework of established oppositions between ‘wild’ and ‘domesticated’ in archaeological discourse. It is suggested that fruit and nut use at Dikili Tash might correspond to old traditions dating back to the hunter-gatherers of south-eastern Europe while wine, for which there is evidence at the site, might have acted as a mediator between human communities, cultivated landscapes and wild vegetation, inducing altered states of consciousness and cultivated/wild boundary transitions.

Bioinventory and documentation of traditional ecological knowledge of wild edible fruits of Kodagu-Western Ghats, India

Forty-five species of wild edible fruits were identified and traditional local knowledge of their usage was recorded in 40 villages of Kodagu district in Central Western Ghats, India one of the eight top hotspots of biodiversity in the world. We combined biodiversity inventory of trees with village interviews to record traditional ecological knowledge. Wild edible fruits were an opportunistic source of food for rural people. Wild edible fruits were rich in minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fiber. In recent years there has been a decline in numbers of wild fruit trees due to changes in land use from uncultivated private wooded area to cardamom and coffee cultivation. The availability of wild edible fruits that were once very common on private cultivated areas has declined and their distributions are now restricted more to jungles and wildlife sanctuaries. We propose methods for conservation and describe the need for sustainable utilization to provide supplementary sources of nutritional and pharmaceutically useful edible wild fruits.

A Note on Grafting Success in Flacourtia Montana- An Endemic, Wild Edible Fruit Tree of the Western Ghats

Vegetative propagation through softwood grafting was carried out during 1994-1997 on Flacourtia montana, an endemic wild edible fruit tree of the Western Ghats, as part of its popularization and promoting cultivation programme. The grafting experiment was very successful and resulted in 78 percent success. The paper discusses the grafting success and its field performance.

Endogenous knowledge and human disturbance impact on abundance of two underutilized wild edible tree species in southern Benin

This study assessed endogenous knowledge and impact of human disturbance on the abundance of two underutilized wild fruit tree species: Drypetes floribunda (Müll. Arg.) Hutch. (Euphorbiaceae) and Mimusops andongensis Hiern. (Sapotaceae) in the Lama Forest Reserve (LFR) in southern Benin. A survey was conducted with 145 randomly selected people amongst the surrounding communities of LFR in order to assess the endogenous knowledge of the species. One hundred square plots were established in the forest for characterizing species abundance in different habitats according to human disturbance degree. Results indicated that this species has multiple uses and either local knowledge on their uses or their organ plant uses depend on social factors. A densities assessment suggests a negative effect of human disturbance on the abundance of both species. Results support the need to envisage conservation and sustainable use strategies as perspective policies.

Indigenous fruit species as a significant resource for sustainable development

Sustainable agriculture means increasing yields and profits without degrading the natural resources which are the most important for agricultural production. The aim is to meet the people?s needs for food and improve the quality of life while preserving the environment. Among hundreds of forest species, particular attention is drawn to the wild relatives of cultivated fruit trees, so called indigenous fruit trees, whose regular collection, production and use can affect all aspects of agricultural economy. The natural habitats of the Republic of Serbia include 15 families and 26 genera with 100 species of wild fruit trees. The primary use of the indigenous fruits is for human consumption (either fresh or processed). A number of wild relatives of cultivated fruit trees could be used in the future as rootstocks for fruit production, or for large-scale production, either organic or conventional. In addition, indigenous fruit species are carriers of genes for resistance to economically important diseases and pests, and they can be used in breeding of fruit trees and grapevines. Wild species of fruit trees are used as planting materials for afforestation and erosion prevention, some for timber production, as well as some decorative forms in landscape architecture, while some species are important bee pastures.

Fruit Trees Associated with Settlement Sites in The Upper Kelapang Area, Kelabit Highlands: A Preliminary Study

Fruit trees have been an integral part of the life of the Kelabits who have lived for generations in the Upper Kelapang area. A wide variety of wild fruit trees occurs at Pa Dalih, as documented by Christensen (2002). The Cultured Rainforest: Long-term human ecological histories in the highlands of Borneo is a project running from 2007 to 2010 and headed by Professor Graeme Barker of the University of Cambridge. The project aims to investigate long-term and present-day interactions between people and rainforest in the Kelabit Highlands of central Borneo, so as to better understand past and present agricultural and hunter-gatherer lifestyles and landscapes. It has been established that the Kelapang River area consists of a patchwork of sites formerly occupied by the Kelabit (and associated ethnic groups) who moved around the area and established new settlements governed by factors that included availability of land for subsistence agriculture, intertribal warfare, marriage affiliation, population size and superstitions. The study on fruit trees reported here is a component of The Cultured Rainforest project. The objective of the study was to investigate fruit trees as signifiers of social relationships and more specifically to determine the identity and distribution of selected fruit tree entities (and in some cases, who planted them) in the Upper Kelapang area of the Kelabit Highlands in order to establish which were, and are, important to the Kelabit communities who had occupied this area till today.

Postglacial recolonization history of the European crabapple (Malus sylvestris Mill.), a wild contributor to the domesticated apple

Understanding the way in which the climatic oscillations of the Quaternary Period have shaped the distribution and genetic structure of extant tree species provides insight into the processes driving species diversification, distribution and survival. Deciphering the genetic consequences of past climatic change is also critical for the conservation and sustainable management of forest and tree genetic resources, a timely endeavour as the Earth heads into a period of fast climate change. We used a combination of genetic data and ecological niche models to investigate the historical patterns of biogeographic range expansion of a wild fruit tree, the European crabapple (Malus sylvestris), a wild contributor to the domesticated apple. Both climatic predictions for the last glacial maximum and analyses of microsatellite variation indicated that M. sylvestris experienced range contraction and fragmentation. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed a clear pattern of genetic structure, with one genetic cluster spanning a large area in Western Europe and two other genetic clusters with a more limited distribution range in Eastern Europe, one around the Carpathian Mountains and the other restricted to the Balkan Peninsula. Approximate Bayesian computation appeared to be a powerful technique for inferring the history of these clusters, supporting a scenario of simultaneous differentiation of three separate glacial refugia. Admixture between these three populations was found in their suture zones. A weak isolation by distance pattern was detected within each population, indicating a high extent of historical gene flow for the European crabapple.

Proximate Analysis of Five Wild Fruits of Mozambique

Mozambique is rich in wild fruit trees, most of which produce fleshy fruits commonly consumed in rural communities, especially during dry seasons. However, information on their content of macronutrients is scarce. Five wild fruit species (Adansonia digitata, Landolphia kirkii, Sclerocarya birrea, Salacia kraussii, and Vangueria infausta) from different districts in Mozambique were selected for the study. The contents of dry matter, fat, protein, ash, sugars, pH, and titratable acidity were determined in the fruit pulps. Also kernels of A. digitata and S. birrea were included in the study. The protein content in the pulp was below 5 g/100 g of dry matter, but a daily intake of 100 g fresh wild fruits would provide up to 11% of the recommended daily intake for children from 4 to 8 years old. The sugar content varied between 2.3% and 14.4% fresh weight. The pH was below 3, except for Salacia kraussii, for which it was slightly below 7. Kernels of A. digitata contained, on average, 39.2% protein and 38.0% fat, and S. birrea kernels 32.6% protein and 60.7% fat. The collection of nutritional information may serve as a basis for increased consumption and utilization.