DOCSLIB.ORG

Variation in Seed and Seedling Traits of Faidherbia Albida (DEL.) A. Chev Populations in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Cameroon

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Variation in Seed and Seedling Traits of Faidherbia Albida (DEL.) A. Chev Populations in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Cameroon Available online at http://www.ifgdg.org Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 13(4): 2029-2040, August 2019 ISSN 1997-342X (Online), ISSN 1991-8631 (Print) Original Paper http://ajol.info/index.php/ijbcs http://indexmedicus.afro.who.int Variation in seed and seedling traits of Faidherbia albida (DEL.) A. Chev populations in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon Dorothy Tchapda TCHATCHOUA1*, George Messo KOLYANG1, Roseline Gusua CASPA2, Simon Djakba BASGA3 and Alphonse YOURI4 1Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Derived Products, National Advanced school of engineering, University of Maroua, Cameroon. 2Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Forest and Wood. Program. P. O. Box 2123 Yaounde, Cameroon. 3Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Maroua. P.O. Box 33 Maroua Cameroon. 4Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), P.O. Box 12 Yagoua, Cameroon. *Corresponding author; E-mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +237 677598313 ABSTRACT The once sustainable agroforestry system in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon has been abandoned and trees overexploited. A study on the variability in seed and seedling traits of Faidherbia albida (DEL.) A. Chev populations from different climatic zones was carried out. Six populations were selected from Sudanian (Poli, Garoua III, and Figuil) and Sahelian (Yagoua, Moulvoudaye and Maroua I) climatic zones and harvested seeds were transported to the experimental farm of IRAD Yagoua for pretreatment and growth experiment. Four pretreatments (98% sulfuric acid, hot water, scarification and soaking in water for 24 hours) were used to initiate the germination. After one month, the rate of germination (%) was recorded and seedlings were transplanted in three substrates for seedling growth evaluation. Growth traits (Survival, plant height, root collar diameter, number of leaves, root length, plant fresh weight and plant dry weight) were measured after three months. The experimental design was a single tree plot randomized complete block design with 30 blocks. Results indicated there was significant difference (p = 0.002) among pre-treatments for the germination. The highest rate of germination was recorded with seedlings from scarified seeds (78.33%), followed by those from seeds treated with sulfuric acid (76.67%). Seeds and seedling traits were significant among populations with Yagoua recording the highest in most of the traits measured. Scarification can assist in seed germination and movement of seeds between populations and climatic zones should be considered during conservation programs. © 2019 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Keywords: Faidherbia albida, agroforestry parklands, seed pretreatments, seedling traits, conservation, Sudano-Sahelian, Cameroon. INTRODUCTION distribution of rainfall, the poverty of the soil, The Sahel regions of Cameroon are the impossibility of mulching and the known for it low production in crops due to permanent presence of animals in the low fertility of the soil. The uneven farmlands deplete the soil organic matters. An extraordinary agricultural method, capable of © 2019 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. 8077-IJBCS DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v13i4.10 D. T. TCHATCHOUA et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 13(4): 2029-2040, 2019 producing crops under forest resources with a growth of populations in the Sudano-Sahelian result that combines increase in field yields, zone of Cameroon. improve farmers' incomes, preserve the quality of food products and preserve non- MATERIALS AND METHODS renewable resources was initiated in the early Geographical description of seed source 90s. The Rural Development and and experimental site Management Project (DPGT) encouraged Seeds were collected from six farmers by giving subvention to anyone that populations in the Sudanian (Poli, Garoua III, will protect the regeneration of Faidherbia and Figuil) and Sahelian (Yagoua, albida in farmlands. These led to an increased Moulvoudaye and Maroua I) climatic zones of of Faidherbia albida population on farmlands Cameroon and transported to the experimental and the creation of agroforestry parklands farm of the Institute of Agricultural Research through natural regeneration (PPDAF, 1988; (IRAD) Yagoua (Figure 1). The seed source CTFT, 1989,). These agroforestry parklands zones and experimental site are found in the had some socio-economic and environmental Sudano-Sahelian regions characterized by importance for the rural population (Pelissier, seven to eight months of dry season and four 1980; Bonkoungou, 1991; Dupraz, 2008; to five months of rainy season. These zones Djingui, 2015). High yields in sorghum, maize represent the distribution range of the species and groundnut have been reported (Liber and in Cameroon. This regions in Cameroon is Eyog Matig, 1996; Louppe et al., 1996). situated between latitude 9°-11° N and Fadherbia albida fertilizing and longitude 13°-15° E with altitude ranging from nitrogen fixing potentials with the inverse 350-450 m asl. It covers a surface area of phenology makes it possible for crops to be 102.068 km² and comprises of great grown under the trees during the raining ecological regions of Mts Mandara, the Far- season (FAO, 1999; Roupsard et al., 1999). North and the Benoue plains. The temperature The species is used as forage (World is between 20 °C and 45 °C and annual Agroforestry Center, 2009) and the wood is rainfall ranges from 700-1200 mm. good for making furniture (Peltier, 1996). This once sustainable system is now Method of sampling abandoned and the trees overexploited. The Three agroforestry parklands (here agroforestry parklands are also being affected designated as populations) were selected each by the increase in human population and from the two climatic zones and seeds were climate change. Various actions have been collected from 10-20 trees resulting from carried out at the national level for the natural regeneration (seedlings were protected management of these parklands but the later by farmers in the various populations) trees. have largely focused on habitat and species The geographic and climatic conditions of the diversity (Seignobos, 1982a; Raison, 1988; populations are presented in Table 1. These IRAD, unpublished) neglecting genetic populations were separated by a distance of 30 diversity in the species. Genetic diversity - 100 km within climatic zones. Sampled trees provides the basis for conservation and were at least 100 m apart to avoid sampling management of the germplasm. Faidherbia individuals of the same genotype. In each albida seeds are also difficult to germinate location 10-20 ripe fruits (pods) were because of the hard seed coat which prevents harvested on healthy trees and from the four water from entering into the seed. Many cardinal points of each tree. Information on studies on pre-germination has been reported the morphological or phenotypic traits (Aref et al., 2011; Clode, 2011) and results measured was put into a database whereas show provenance or population variation in geographical positions of the sampled trees seed pretreatment and seedling growth in the were recorded with a GPS Garmin and a map species (Fredrick et al., 2015). This work of the population distribution was created investigated the effect of pretreatment on using ArcGIS Map Marker software (Fig. 1). seeds and variation in seeds and seedling Harvested fruits were dried in the sun for at 2030 D. T. TCHATCHOUA et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 13(4): 2029-2040, 2019 least three days and seeds were extracted from Substrate 2: Unsterilized sand, forest the fruit by lightly pounding in a mortar soil and well-decomposed cow dung in a ratio without much muscular strength to avoid of 2:1:1 crushing the seeds. Substratum 3: Forest soil and well- This was followed by winnowing to decomposed cow dung in a ratio of 2:1 separate seeds from pod debris. Broken grains Polyethylene bags of 24 cm long and were sorted and separated from healthy whole 13 cm wide of size were filled with the above seeds and further dried in the shade for twenty substrates and placed in the constructed shade four hours. These seeds were then transported as described above. The experimental design to the experimental site of IRAD Yagoua was a single tree plot of randomized complete where two experiments were carried out. block design with 30 blocks. A total of 2160 individuals were established in the experiment Experiment 1: Pretreatment test (4 pretreatments x 6 populations x 3 substrates About 480 healthy seeds where x 30 blocks). collected from each population and used for the pretreatment experiment. Before Data collection and statistical analysis pretreatment, the length, width and weight of After one month, germination rate was 100 randomly selected seeds per population assessed before seedlings were transplanted were recorded. The four pretreatments were: - into the different substrates. Each month Treatment 1: Sulfuric acid. This survival, seedling height, root collar diameter method consisted of immersing seeds for 30 and number of leaves were recorded while at minutes in 98% concentrated sulfuric acid three months of growth in the nursery which followed by rinsing with great caution and is reported in this article the following dipping in water for 24 hours. morphological parameters were measured: - Treatment 2: Hot water at 100 degree. survival (%), seedling height, root collar Scalding consists in immersing the seeds in diameter, number of leaves, root length, plant the boiled water and left to cool for 24 hours fresh weight and dry weight. The seedling Treatment 3: Scarification of Seeds. A height and root length were measured with a shallow incision was made with a blade in the gradated measuring rule while the root collar hard shell of the seed, taking care not to pass diameter of seedlings was measured with a through the seed coat and not to expose the vernier caliper. The survival (%) and number seed. of leaves per seedling was counted and the Treatment 4: It consisted of soaking fresh weight of the whole plant was measured the seeds of Faidherbia albida in cold water using an electronic balance. The seedlings for 24 hours.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Plot-Scale Agroforestry Modeling Explores Tree Pruning and Fertilizer Interactions for Maize Production in a Faidherbia Parkland
    Article Plot-Scale Agroforestry Modeling Explores Tree Pruning and Fertilizer Interactions for Maize Production in a Faidherbia Parkland Aynalem M. Dilla 1,2, Philip J. Smethurst 3,*, Neil I. Huth 4 and Karen M. Barry 2 1 Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia; [email protected] 2 Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 98, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia; [email protected] 3 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Private Bag 12, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia 4 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, 203 Tor St, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 16 September 2020; Accepted: 3 November 2020; Published: 4 November 2020 Abstract: Poor agricultural productivity has led to food shortages for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Agroforestry may improve food security by increasing soil fertility, crop production, and livelihoods. Agroforestry simulation models can be useful for predicting the effects of tree management on crop growth when designing modifications to these systems. The Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) agroforestry tree-proxy model was used to simulate the response of maize yield to N fertilizer applications and tree pruning practices in the parkland agroforestry system in the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia. The model was parameterized and tested using data collected from an experiment conducted under trees and in crop-only plots during the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. The treatments contained three levels of tree pruning (100% pruned, 50% pruned, and unpruned) as 1 the main plots, and N fertilizers were applied to maize at two rates (9 or 78 kg N ha− ) as sub-plots.
    [Show full text]
  • Higher Than Expected Growth Rate of the Endangered West African Giraffe Giraffa Camelopardalis Peralta: a Successful Human–Wildlife Cohabitation
    Higher than expected growth rate of the Endangered West African giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis peralta: a successful human–wildlife cohabitation J.-P. SURAUD,J.FENNESSY,E.BONNAUD,A.M.ISSA,H.FRITZ and J . - M . G AILLARD Abstract The West African giraffe is a genetically unique Introduction population represented only by the subspecies Giraffa 20 camelopardalis peralta, categorized as Endangered on the ince the beginning of the th century the density ff ff IUCN Red List. These giraffes live outside protected areas, Sand distribution of gira e Gira a camelopardalis 1965 without natural predators and share their habitat with local populations has decreased across Africa (Sidney, )toa 140 000 1990 1999 ff people and their livestock. This study provides demographic total of c. , by the late s (East, ). Gira es , 80 000 data on this poorly studied megaherbivore and documents are now thought to number , (unpubl. data from ff its recovery. We analysed the results of photo-identification the international gira e database). The population of the ff ff censuses from 1996 to 1999 (count data) and from 2005 to West African gira e Gira a camelopardalis peralta,a 2008 (count and demographic data). From 1996 to 1999 genetically unique subspecies represented only by this 2007 the annual growth rate was c. 19% because of an unbalanced population, has also decreased (Brown et al., ; Hassanin 2007 population structure after a period of severe poaching. et al., ). ff From 2005 to 2008 an annual growth rate of c. 12–13% During Palaeolithic times the gira e ranged across West was estimated from both count data and demographic and North Africa, including the Mediterranean coastline 1957 20 parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • Carbon Dynamics in Maize - Faidherbia Albida Agroforestry Systems in Zambia
    I C E INTERUNIVERSITY PROGRAMME IN PHYSICAL LAND RESOURCES Ghent University Vrije Universiteit Brussel Belgium Carbon dynamics in maize - Faidherbia albida agroforestry systems in Zambia Promoter(s) : Master dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Prof. Dr. Ir. De Neve Stefaan Master of Science in Physical Land Resources Tutor: by : Chipatela Muyembe Floyd Yengwe Jones (MSc) Academic Year : 2015-2016 Tutor(s) : «Promotor_1» «Promotor_2» This is an unpublished M.Sc dissertation and is not prepared for further distribution. The author and the promoter give the permission to use this Master dissertation for consultation and to copy parts of it for personal use. Every other use is subject to the copyright laws, more specifically the source must be extensively specified when using results from this Master dissertation. Gent, August 2016 The Promoter(s), The Author, Prof. Dr. Ir. De Neve Stefaan Chipatela Muyembe Floyd i Acknowledgement The success of this dissertation is a result of the support and encouragements from the various people and organizations to whom I shall forever remain indebted. Many thanks for their contributions! My promoter and tutor have been a great source of mentorship, through their helpful criticism and advice, encouragement and support throughout my research. I would like to sincerely thank my promoter Professor Stefaan De Neve for giving me an opportunity to do the research under his supervision. I appreciate that amidst his busy schedules, he still made time to ensure that I was progressing in the right direction and at the right pace. I would also like to acknowledge the great support, valuable comments and guidance from my tutor, Jones Yengwe (MSc).
    [Show full text]
  • Acacia Albida 10 Cm Long, Very Fragrant
    Acacia albida 10 cm long, very fragrant. (Faidherbia albida) FRUIT: Pods conspicuous bright orange to Fabaceae red‑brown, twisted and curled, thick, hard and shiny, to 25 cm long by 3.5 cm wide, Indigenous containing 10–20 seeds which ripen at the end of the dry season. Pods do not split Am: Grar Eng: Apple-ring acacia, winter thorn open but rot on the ground to release seed. Ga: Kertor Seedlings have leaves like those of mature Or: Gerbi, Derot trees—an aid to identification. Sh: Momona Tg: Aqba, Garsha, Momona Propagation Ecology Seedlings, direct sowing at site. Widespread in semi‑arid Africa in a wide Seed range of soil types and in different climates. 7,500–10,000 seed per kg. Germination In Ethiopia it occurs in Dry, Moist and Wet 60—90% within 5—20 days. Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones. It does well on occasionally waterlogged land in Treatment: Pour boiling water over seed, Tigray, Gonder, Welo, Shoa, Arsi, Harerge, allow to cool and soak for 24 hours. Sidamo, and Gamo Gofa regions, up to Alternatively, nick the seed at the distal 2,600 m. (cotyledon) end. Storage: Can be stored indefinitely if Uses kept cool, dry, and insect free. The seed Firewood, charcoal, timber (construction), are, however, very susceptible to insect posts, utensils, food (pods for flavouring, attack, so in practice avoid storage. boiled seeds), medicine (bark), fodder (pods, leaves), shade, mulch, nitrogen Management fixation, soil conservation, soil Slow initial growth, later fairly fast growing improvement, windbreak, tannin, dye, on good sites; lopping, pollarding. soap, fence (cut branches).
    [Show full text]
  • Faidherbia Albida (Syn
    Faidherbia albida (Syn. Acacia albida, Family: Fabaceae – Mimosoideae) Introduction to planting trees in dry regions In very dry regions, planting trees has not only been shown to increase soil fertility and therefore crop yields, but also to increase the level of the underground water table, sometimes by several metres. Trees also act as a wind break, which in dry regions is very important because they prevent crop seeds being blown away. The most effective way to reforest is to erect a fence and do nothing! Then a variety of indigenous trees simply sprout and grow of their own accord. Botanical information for Faidherbia Faidherbia albida is one of the largest thorn trees, reaching up to 30 m in height, with spreading branches and a wide, rounded crown. The roots can grow up to 40 m deep. The fruits are bright orange to red-brown. It is leguminous. Ecology and distribution F. albida grows in semi-arid zones, on the banks of seasonal and perennial rivers and streams, on sandy alluvial soils and on flat land. It thrives in climates characterized by long summers, or a dry season with long days. It tolerates seasonal waterlogging and salinity but cannot withstand heavy clayey soils. It is native to many African countries from Sudan to South Africa. Altitude: -270-2700 m, mean annual temp.: 18-30 deg. This photo was taken in a dry year with C, mean annual rainfall: 250-1000 mm Soil type: Coarse- erratic rainfall in Gwembe Valley South, textured well-drained alluvial soils. Zambia. It shows maize thriving under a Benefits of Faidherbia Faidherbia albida tree, whereas it had failed in the open spaces beyond the spread of the 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Faidherbia Albida in the West African Semi-Arid Tropics
    ICRAF Faidherbia albida in the West African Semi-Arid Tropics InternationalCropsResearch Institutefor the Semi-Arid Tropics InternationalCentrefor Research in Agroforestrj Abstract Citation: Vandenbeldt, R.J. (ed.) 1992. Faidhierbia albida in the West African semi-arid tropics: proceedings of a workshop, 22-26 Apr 1991, Niamey, Niger. (In En. Summaries in En, Fr, Es.) Patancheru, A.P. 502 324, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics; and Nairobi, Kenya: International Centre for Research in Agroforestry. 212 pp. ISBN 92-9066-220-4. Order Code: CPE 076. This workshop brought together scientists and development workers, primarily those working in the West Africa region, to: review past and present research findings on Faidherbiaalbida; discuss development issues and "lessons learned" from past and present; list research priorities for the future; and promote collaboration between research and development programs. These proceedings summarize the state of knowledge on the species and provide a comprehensive list of ongoing research. Papers are divided into sessions on: botany and distribution: uses; genetics, provenance trials, and vegetative proplgation; site eff'ects, silvi.ulture, and rhizosphere; and development issues. Recommenda­ tions from Working Grcups for future research and multidisciplinary linkages are included. Rsum Faidherb'a albida dans les :ones tropicales semi-arides de I'Afrique occidentalt--comptes rendits d'un welier, 22-20 avril 1991, Niam "v,Niger. Cet atelier a regroup6 des chercheurs et des coopdrants, essentiellement ceux qui travaillent en Afrique de l'Ouest. I1a 6t destind : faire lepoint sur les rdsultats des recherches faites sur Faidherbia alhida dans lepas,:6 et ' pr6sent; dfbattre des sujets concernant ledtveloppement et des 'Ieqos tires' du passd et du pr6sent; dresser laliste des priorit6s pour l'avenir: et promouvoir lacollaboration entre les programmes de recherche et de dfveloppement.
    [Show full text]
  • The Potential of Acacia Albida for Desertification Control and Increased Productivity in Chad
    Biological Conservation 29 (1984) 121-141 The Potential of Acacia albida for Desertification Control and Increased Productivity in Chad Robert D. Kirmse & Brien E. Norton Department of Range Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA ABSTRACT ReforestationusingAcacia albida hasbeenproposedas amechanismfor combating desertificationtrends in the Sahel. This tree is characterised by a deciduous habit in the wet season; it is valuableforfodder, as a hardwood in woodwork industries,andfor enhancing soilfertility of cropland. In a three-year project described in this paper, the establishmentof Acacia albida plantationsin cultivatedfields in central Chadisconceiredasafocalpointtocoordinateresourreconse'vationand land development programmes.Several hundred thousand young trees were establishedand about 2500farmersand theirfamiliesparticipated in the revegetation programme. The success of the project must be evaluated,however, in terms of the prospectsfor long-term benefit and recognisingthe sociologicalproblems of assistanceprogrammes. INTRODUCTION Desertification is a deteriorating transition from semi-arid to desert ecosystems with a concomitant reduction in biological productivity. (The degradation process has been variously referred to as desertification, desertisation, desert encroachment, and desert creep.) Le Hourou (1977a) considers the problem to be an encroachment of desert landscapes into areas that climatica:ly do not classify as deserts. The Sahelian droughts of 1968-1973 brought world attention to the critical nature of this problem when an estimated 250 000 people may have died and 50 %of the livestock perished as a result of the decrease in crop and 121 Biol.Conserv. 0006-3207/841S03"00 t Elsevcr Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain 122 Robert D. Kirmse, Brien E. Norton forage production associated with the accentuated degradation process (United Nations, 1977).
    [Show full text]
  • Trees of Somalia
    Trees of Somalia A Field Guide for Development Workers Desmond Mahony Oxfam Research Paper 3 Oxfam (UK and Ireland) © Oxfam (UK and Ireland) 1990 First published 1990 Revised 1991 Reprinted 1994 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library ISBN 0 85598 109 1 Published by Oxfam (UK and Ireland), 274 Banbury Road, Oxford 0X2 7DZ, UK, in conjunction with the Henry Doubleday Research Association, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK Typeset by DTP Solutions, Bullingdon Road, Oxford Printed on environment-friendly paper by Oxfam Print Unit This book converted to digital file in 2010 Contents Acknowledgements IV Introduction Chapter 1. Names, Climatic zones and uses 3 Chapter 2. Tree descriptions 11 Chapter 3. References 189 Chapter 4. Appendix 191 Tables Table 1. Botanical tree names 3 Table 2. Somali tree names 4 Table 3. Somali tree names with regional v< 5 Table 4. Climatic zones 7 Table 5. Trees in order of drought tolerance 8 Table 6. Tree uses 9 Figures Figure 1. Climatic zones (based on altitude a Figure 2. Somali road and settlement map Vll IV Acknowledgements The author would like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the following organisations and individuals: Oxfam UK for funding me to compile these notes; the Henry Doubleday Research Association (UK) for funding the publication costs; the UK ODA forestry personnel for their encouragement and advice; Peter Kuchar and Richard Holt of NRA CRDP of Somalia for encouragement and essential information; Dr Wickens and staff of SEPESAL at Kew Gardens for information, advice and assistance; staff at Kew Herbarium, especially Gwilym Lewis, for practical advice on drawing, and Jan Gillet for his knowledge of Kew*s Botanical Collections and Somalian flora.
    [Show full text]
  • Dryland Restoration Successes in the Sahel and Greater Horn of Africa
    Dryland restoration successes in the Sahel and Greater Horn of Africa show how to increase scale and impact Chris Reij, Nick Pasiecznik, Salima Mahamoudou, Habtemariam Kassa, Robert Winterbottom & John Livingstone Farmer managed natural regeneration around Rissiam village, Burkina Faso. Photo: Gray Tappan Introduction Drylands occupy more than 40% of the world’s land area and are home to some two billion people. This includes a disproportionate number of the world’s poorest people, who live in degraded and severely degraded landscapes. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification states on its website that 12 million hectares are lost annually to desertification and drought, and that more than 1.5 billion people are directly dependent on land that is being degraded, leading to US$42 billion in lost earnings each year. In Africa, three million hectares of forest are lost annually, along with an estimated 3% of GDP, through depleted soils. The result is that two-thirds of Africa’s forests, farmlands and pastures are now degraded. This means that millions of Africans have to live with malnutrition and poverty, and in the absence of options this further forces the poor to overexploit their natural resources to survive. This in turn intensifies the effects of climate change and hinders economic devel- opment, threatening ecological functions that are vital to national economies. Chris Reij, Senior fellow, World Resources Institute (WRI), Washington DC, USA; Nick Pasiecznik, Dryland restoration coordi- nator, Tropenbos International (TBI), Wageningen, the Netherlands; Salima Mahamoudou, Research associate, World Re- sources Institute (WRI), Washington DC, USA, Habtemariam Kassa, Senior scientist, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Robert Winterbottom, Fellow, Global EverGreening Alliance (GEA), Stoddard, USA; and John Livingstone, Regional policy and research officer, Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA), Hargeisa, Somaliland.
    [Show full text]
  • Rooting Systems of Western and Southern African Faidherbia Albida (Del.) A
    AgroforestrySystems 14: 233--244, 1991. © 1991 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Rooting systems of western and southern African Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev. (syn. Acacia albida Del.) --a comparative analysis with biogeographic implications 1 R. J. VANDENBELDT ICRISA T Sahelian Center, B.P. 12404, Niamey, Niger Key words: Faidherbia albida, agroforestry, ecotypes, rooting systems, West Africa, prove- nance trials Abstract. Faidherbia albida is a well-known and widespread agroforestry species of the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa. Recent collection and testing efforts have included attempts to introduce seed origins from eastern and southern Africa into the Sahel. These have generally met with failure. Despite superior early growth, mortality is severe by the first or second year. Trials conducted at the ICRISAT Sahelian Center in Niger have demon- strated that this is probably due to differences in rooting patterns between southern and western Africa origins. A separation of the species into two ecotypes, i.e., upland (western Africa) and riparian (eastern, southern and southwestern Africa) is proposed. Based on this argument, the Sudan/Ethiopia region is identified as a possible center of origin for the species. Resum& Faidherbia albida est une esprce agroforesti~re bien connue et rdpandue dans la zone soudano-sahElienne de l'Afrique de l'ouest. Des prospections et Evaluations rEcentes ont visE, entre autres, h introduire au Sahel des semences provenant d'Afrique orientale et australe. Ces tentatives ont gEndralement Echou6. Malgr6 une excellet croissance juvenile, le taux de mortalitE des introductions a Etd ElevE durant les deux premieres annEes. Des essais conduits au Centre sahElien de I'ICRISAT, au Niger, ont montrd que cette mortalitE pourrait 6tre associEe ~ un profil d'enracinement distinct entre les arbres d'Afrique occi- dentale et ceux d'Afrique australe.
    [Show full text]
  • Faidherbia Albida
    Faidherbia albida 1 Cultivation and uses Faidherbia albida is important in the Sahel for raising bees, since its flowers provide bee forage at the close of the rainy season, when most other local plants do not.[5] The seed pods are important for raising livestock, are used as camel fodder in Nigeria,[5] and are relished by ele- phant, antelope, buffalo, baboons and various browsers and grazers, though strangely ignored by warthog and ze- bra. [6] The wood is used for canoes, mortars, and pestles and the bark is pounded in Nigeria and used as a packing material Faidherbia albida - MHNT on pack animals. The wood has a density of about 560 kg/m3 at a water content of 12%.[7] The energy value of the wood as fuel is 19.741 kJ/kg.[5] Ashes of the wood are used in making soap and as a de- pilatory and tanning agent for hides. VITA (1977) says the wood is used for carving; the thorny branches useful Faidherbia albida (syn. Acacia albida Delile) is a legume for a natural barbed fence. Pods and foliage are highly native to Africa and the Middle East, formerly widely regarded as livestock fodder. Some 90% of Senegalese included in the genus Acacia. It has also been intro- farmers interviewed by Felker (1981) collected, stored, duced to India and Pakistan. It is the only member of the and rationed Acacia alba pods to livestock. Zimbabweans genus Faidherbia. Common names for it include Apple- use the pods to stupefy fish. Humans eat the boiled seeds ring Acacia, Ana Tree, Balanzan Tree and Winter in times of scarcity in Zimbabwe.
    [Show full text]
  • Plant Perennials to Save Africa's Soils
    COMMENT ASTRONOMY Call for the US to BIOWARFARE Behind the scenes ART CERN’s artist-in- OBITUARY Neil Armstrong, rejoin the Square Kilometre of the USSR’s bioweapons residence on why he first human on the Moon, Array telescope p.363 programme p.364 whips trees p.366 remembered p.368 hoda Mang’yana’s half-hectare farm in Malawi produces more maize (corn) than her extended family of Rseven can eat. Some of the extra crop she JIM RICHARDSON sells. Some she feeds to pigs and goats, which she also sells. With the money she makes, she can pay her grand­children’s school fees and buy essentials, such as soap and salt, that she has provided for her family since her hus- band died 15 years ago. As well as maize, Mang’yana’s farm supplies firewood and other types of animal feed. It is also resilient, providing enough maize during good years to pull the family through leaner ones. Key to Mang’yana’s improved land is perenniation — the integration of trees and perennials (plants that live for two or more years) into fields of food crops. When Mang’yana acquired the farm in the 1990s, soil degradation limited its annual maize yield to less than 1 tonne per hectare — a common yield in Africa, but one-tenth of those seen in the Corn Belt of the US Midwest. To improve the soil, she began growing perennial pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) and groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea), which require less fertilizer and add nitrogen to the soil1. She also began using ‘evergreen agriculture’, planting various nitrogen-fixing trees2 that each meet different needs.
    [Show full text]