International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences
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www.iaard.net IAARD Journals eISSN:2456-009X International Journal of Agriculture And Veterinary Sciences IAARD-International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, 2017, 3(2),55-58 Seed Storage behavior of wild and cultivated enset (Enset Ventricosum) and conservation opportunity Seblework Belaineh Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ([email protected]),[email protected] ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Abstract: Seed Storage behavior of wild and cultivated (Ensete ventricosum Welw. Cheesman) was not identified. Seeds are not the edible part of the plant. Belongs to species of the separate genus of the banana family. Variation within the species to altitude, soil and climate has allowed widespread cultivation in the Ethiopia. Genetic resources, is essential to the well-being of human kind, need to be conserved and utilized properly. Because of the urban development and road construction the wild relatives became very rare and therefore it is very vital to conserve wild and cultivated seeds in the gene bank. Most of the genetic diversity of enset is traditionally maintained in situ by farmers. The Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) is responsible for the collection, conservation, & sustainable utilization of the country’s genetic recourses. To carry out this responsibility, the institute has been conserving genetic resources using both by in-situ and ex-situ conservation methods according to their national priority. The objective of this work was to determine the seed storage behavior of cultivated and wild enset & to mention conservation opportunities. Seeds of both wild and cultivated enset were collected and studied by using a standard protocol to determine seed storage behavior & identified as one of the orthodox seeds which can be conserved in the gene bank for long term conservation and sustainable utilization. Key words: wild and cultivated enset, ( Ensete ventricosum) Storage behavior, seed conservation. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Introduction area coverage of more than 378,000 ha and a total production Enset (Ensete ventricosum Welw. Cheesman) is a of 50,171,872 tones & 82, 07 quintals per house hold.[5] perennial herbaceous, monocarpic and monocotyledonous crop. Ethiopia is a pre-dominantly agricultural country and is The wild form of E. ventricosum is widespread in tropical therefore dependent on biodiversity. Human beings have Africa from Ethiopia, through Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania selected and domesticated crops to fulfill their immediate south to Mozambique and South Africa, and west to the needs. Most of the genetic diversity of enset is traditionally Democratic Republic of Congo. Enset is cultivated only in maintained in situ by farmers. Some of the domesticated plants Ethiopia, where it was first domesticated possibly about 8000 still occur with their wild relatives in some parts of the country, years ago[1]. Enset is used as a food crop for about 20 million one example is E. ventricosum. Wild relatives of a crop are 20% of the Ethiopian population. The centre of Enset initial sources of genetic material and useful characteristics for cultivation is in the mountains of south-western Ethiopia. Most the cultivated once [3]. Enset provides more amount of food of the genetic diversity conservation of enset is maintained in stuff per unit area than most cereals. It is estimated that 40 to situ by farmers. Wild relatives of a crop share a common 60 Enset plants occupying 250-375 sq. meters can provide characteristics and ancestor with cultivated ones and they also enough food for a family of 5 to 6 people[6] Enset can be have genetic diversity that makes them useful sources of new positioned among the most important root crop of Ethiopia, a genes. Wild enset occurs in some parts of the country where traditional staple crop in the densely populated south and cultivated enset is widely growing[2]. These areas are exposed southwestern parts of Ethiopia (SNNPRs). Cultivated enset to various pressures that affect biodiversity of the area occurs in some parts of the country, but both cultivated & wild including wild enset, hence there is a need to conserve this wild enset are widely growing in Keffa sheka zones in (SNNPRs) relatives to make it available for improvement of the crop [3]. regional state. Enset is used as a staple food in the region enset Fruits; are not the edible parts. The under-ground corm and the is primarily grown to produce a starchy food from the pseudo aerial pseudo stem made up of overlapping leaf sheaths are stem, corm and stalk of the inflorescence. Both kocho and bulla edible after some processes. Starchy food is produced by are mostly made into dough that is rolled out into a thin layer pulverizing the corm or scraping the pseudo stem, followed by and baked on a hotplate over an open fire .It is a main dish in a short fermentation period. Unlike banana, enset is monocarp the family from child to the older once. The leaf sheaths of E. and fruits only once in its life cycle [4]. The fruits contain ventricosum provide good quality fiber for making rope, several seeds which are hard and about 1 to 2 cm long. Enset is baskets, suitcases, mats and sacks.[7], The dried leaf sheaths are a diploid plant with the haploid chromosome number n = 9, used as packing and wrapping material, in fences, mattresses, whereas Musa. Species, including edible banana, have different mats and in house construction. Fresh leaves provide shade in ploidy levels and chromosome numbers (diploid, triploid or nurseries, and widely used in towns and in the region itself for tetraploid), with n = 7, n = 9, n = 10, and n = 11 [2]. Enset has baking local and traditional bread. The entire plant leaves or Seblework Belaineh Page No.55 IAARD-International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, 2017, 3(2), 55-58 parts of it, except the roots, can be used as fodder for animals is an income generating crop for women in each house hold. It during the drought seasons. Conventionally in the region it is is wealth for the family, as the people call it is a life insurance believed as a life insurance for the family, an income for the family in the house. Enset is one of the threatened, generating crop. Mainly it is believed that particular enset endemic and economically important species of Ethiopia. This ventricosum landraces have various medicinal uses according is due to human intervention and high deforestation of the land to the local people traditional knowledge. and unexpected investment actions in the region, which are not Such as:- incorporated with biodiversity conservation. To treat broken bones. For women after child birth to protect her from 2. Materials and Methods strapping west pain. 2.1 Description of the study area Roots (Amichoo) is used for blood clotting after high Seeds of wild enset collected from Keffa-Sheka zone, labor intensive child birth. Chenna and Decha woreda, and cultivated enset from Kembata A decoction of pounded leaves is taken to stimulate Tembaro zone, Angacha woreda, Southern Nations labour & induce abortion both for human and animal. Nationalities and Peoples Region(SNNPR), were used for this Hepatitis and other liver complaints are treated with ash study( figure1& figure 2, seeds of enset in mature fruits. and infusions from the fruit and leaves of enset are used. Samples were registered by 74 types of enset clones from Enset leave steams are traditional massage equipment. different ‘gotts ‘in Angecha woreda. Among them most wanted clones were Ettine (figure.3), Dubbo(figure.4), qegille(figure.5) Staple food for more than 10 million or 20% of the white and red qegille (figure.6) and sisikella(figure.7). This population as it was mentioned above, it shows that it’s an selection of clones was done based on the local community important food source for the nation. The plant is useful for traditional knowledge information. many diversified applications and is economically important. It Table 1. Standard protocol for seed storage behavior determination was used to assess their storage behavior. 2.1.2 Methodology and condition to germinate enset seeds (wild and cultivated) Both seeds were collected, cleaned by hand, which later can produce normal seedlings capable of fumigated, dried up to 3.5 %, scarified in order to break developing into reproductively mature plants. Three methods, dormancy of seeds to make germination possible. A i.e. germinating seeds at room temperature, germinating seeds germination test was carried out to decide the optimal method at 25oC in an incubator and scarifying seeds and soaking them Seblework Belaineh Page No.56 IAARD-International Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, 2017, 3(2), 55-58 in water for 4 days under 40oC with subsequent germination on under long-term storage facility in cold rooms. But there is a filter paper at room temperature were tested. The last method need to collect both wild and cultivated enset seeds, so that the was successful. diverse genetic resource of this endemic and economically important crop could be available for the improvement of 3. Results and Discussion crops. More viability within a short period of time shows the Both collected Seeds were lowered their moisture wild seeds of enset. Suckers were collected & planted to see the content up to 3.5% and kept for 6 months in hemetric condition difference in growth habit, in pots at equal date, the wild under -- 100c. Then after six months again checked the viability suckers show vigorous growth than the cultivated once. of seeds. First count for seed germination was done after 21 Difference in leaf color and thickness was observed. Which days, second count after 28 days and final count done after 35 shows that wild relatives are drought resistant than the days .Enset seeds show orthodox seed behavior i.e.