Korsor M, et al., J Plant Sci Curr Res 2017, 1: 001 DOI: 10.24966/PSCR-3743/100001 HSOA Journal of Plant Science: Current Research Research Article significant difference (P > 0.05) betweenM. oleifera and M. ovalifolia Comparative study of M. oleif- total survival trees after the 2014 and 2016 winter seasons; however, there was significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two species era and M. ovalifolia survival survived trees after the 2015 winter season. Hence, M. oleifera is proven to have higher survival rate under these adverse climatic and rates in Central Namibia environmental conditions compare to M. ovalifolia despite the latter Morlu Korsor1, Charles Ntahonshikira2*, Haruna M Bello3 and being a native of Namibia. Habauka M Kwaambwa4 Keywords: Arid, Moringa oleifera; Moringa ovalifolia; Semi-arid; Survival rate; Winter season 1Department of Animal Science, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2Department of Pathobiology, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia Introduction 3Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Namibia, Windhoek, All environments are stressful to plants in one way or another. The Namibia significance of a stress to plant survival depends on how long an envi- 4Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Sci- ronment has existed and, therefore, on how long plant taxa have had ence and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia to evolve adaptations to the environmental stressor [1]. Climate plays an important role in the growth, development and survival of plants. It governs the extent of plants’ area of distribution and sets limits for their survival. This is seen on the large scale in the global distribution of the various types of vegetation according to zonal climate and soil type, and on a smaller scale in the distribution of plant species and communities according to local conditions [2]. Frost, soil moisture Abstract and light intensity all play a role, not only in shaping the trees, but The objective of this study was to compare the survival rates also in determining whether a tree can grow in a particular environ- of Moringa oleifera and Moringa ovalifolia grown at the Neudamm ment or not [3]. Experimental Farm of the University of Namibia in the Central Na- Namibia is a semi-arid and drought-pruned country [4,5]. The mibia rangeland. This part of Namibia being arid and semi-arid, the vegetation patterns of Namibia mostly depend on the type of climate growing of drought resistant fodder trees to aid in the provision of animal fodder or supplement is essential and paramount to livestock in a particular part of the country. In the central, west and south, the farmers. Many trees including Moringa species go into dormancy vegetation types are Acacia tree-and-shrub savannah and dwarf shrub during winter season. After winter, survived plants sprout while oth- savanna [6]. Drought-resistant plants like M. oleifera, which Morton ers die off permanently due to severe winter cold. It is upon this [7] described as a boon to arid lands can grow and survive in such en- background that both Moringa species were grown to evaluate their vironments. Moringa is widely adapted to the tropics and subtropics survival rates for three winter seasons. All trees were counted after [8]. Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing and drought-resistant tree that each winter season for the first four months and recorded the num- is native to the Southern foothills of Himalayans in Northern India ber of survived and dead trees. These fodder plants may be used [9]. Moringa ovalifolia, a native tree to Namibia and Angola is well to boost the animal production sector of Namibia if they are proven adopted to its native semi-arid and drought-pruned environment phys- to withstand the harsh environmental conditions, namely, very cold iologically, which can be seen in its roots systems as discussed by winter and constant drought. The results revealed that M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia survived at different rates though they are from the Morlu Korsor et al., and Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry same Moringaceae family and were grown under the same condi- [10,11]. tions. On average, M. oleifera had 107 total survived trees, which is Moringa is the only genus from the Moringaceae family [12,13]. equivalent a total survival rate of 89.19%; while, M. ovalifolia had 38 Table 1 shows the taxonomic classification ofMoringa . total survived trees with a total survival rate of 87.98% for the three winter (2014, 2015 and 2016) seasons. Statistically, there was no Kingdom Plantae Plants *Corresponding author: Charles Ntahonshikira, Department of Pathobiolo- Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plant gy, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia, Tel: + 264 612063815; E-mail: Super division Spermatophyta Seed plant [email protected] Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plant Citation: Korsor M, Ntahonshikira C, Bello HM, Kwaambwa HM (2017) Com- parative Study of M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia Survival Rates in Central Namib- Class Eudicots Dicotyledons ia. J Plant Sci Curr Res 1: 001 Subclass Rosids ---- Received: June 03, 2017; Accepted: October 11, 2017; Published: October Order Brassicales ---- 25, 2017 Family Moringaceae Horse-radish tree family Copyright: © 2017 Korsor M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed Genus Moringa Horse-radish tree under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits un- Table 1: Taxonomy classification ofMoringa . restricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Source: [12,14] Citation: Korsor M, Ntahonshikira C, Bello HM, Kwaambwa HM (2017) Comparative Study of M. oleifera and M. ovalifolia Survival Rates in Central Namib- ia. J Plant Sci Curr Res 1: 001 • Page 2 of 8 • There are 13 known species of the sole genus Moringa, which highland savanna (semi-arid savanna) and characterized by grasses, belonging to the Moringaceae family. These species are divided into shrubs and trees that are well spread over the farm. An annual grass three groups based on the shapes of their trunks: slender trees, bottle like Melinis repens and perennial grass like Schmidtia pappopho- trees and tuberous shrubs. Moringa oleifera of India, Moringa con- poroides, Anthephora pubescens and Brachiaria nigropedata are well canensis of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Moringa peregrina represented on the farm. Different types of trees like Acacia brownii, of Arabia, Red Sea area, Egypt, Sinai, Israel and Sudan belong to Acacia erioloba, Acacia mellifera as well as shrubs like Greviafla- the slender trees. Moringa ovalifolia of Namibia and Angola, Mor- va are found on Neudamm Farm. The estimated carrying capacity is ingadrouhardii and Moringa hildebrandtii of Madagascar; Moringa about 12 hectares per large stock unit or 45kg per hectare biomass stenopetala of Ethiopia and Kenya belong to the bottle trees. And the [5,25-27]. last group include Moringa arborea of Kenya; M. rivae of Kenya and Ethiopia; Moringaborziana of Kenya and Somalia, Moringa pygmaea Field preparation and seedlings’ transplantation of Somalia; Moringa longituba of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia; and The Moringa orchard was established on an old cereal production Moringa ruspoliana of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia which belong land. As such, clearing of grass and ploughing [28] were done con- to tuberous shrubs and trees of Northeast Africa [9,12,13,15,16]. Al- currently on the field using a tractor, which incorporated the grass and though Moringa has such many species, M. oleifera is the most adapt- vegetative residues into the soil. Since it was a rainy season, the field ed plant worldwide compared to other species. It has also been estab- was left for the grass and vegetative residues to rot within a month lished that of the known species, M. oleifera is also the most widely before transplanting as suggested by Onwueme & Sinha [29]. After a known [16]. Many studies have been done on its uses and numerous month, holes were dug at 50 cm diameter and depth for the purpose of beneficial properties in the plant kingdom [9,17]. On the other hand, loosening the soil and retaining moisture in root zones as well as en- M. ovalifolia roots, bark and wood are eaten by goats and trees also abling seedlings roots to develop rapidly. The holes were left open for browsed by giraffe [3]. It is less known and studied in comparison to rain to fall, after which seedlings were transplanted the following day M. oleifera. in the morning and at sunset to avoid sun stress. The organic matter in The problem is that Namibia is both arid and semi-arid country soils consists of the recent remains of plants, microbes, and animals with very cold winter season that occurs every year and affects range- and the resistant compounds resulting from the rotting or decomposi- land productivity especially trees and grasses that support the live- tion processes [30]. In order to add organic fertilizers to the soil [28], stock production. Sijssens [18] discussed thatthe cultivation of plan- five kilograms (kg) of cow manure was thoroughly mixed with topsoil tations of drought-tolerant fodder shrubs should become a priority and used for transplanting the seedlings in the field as recommended in the Namibian rangelands to improve their productivity. However, by Fuglie et al. [31]. Namibia being described as the driest climate country in Sub-Saharan Africa by Schalkwyk and Agra Professional Services [19,20], trees The total of 120 M. oleifera and 64 M. ovalifolia seedlings (both cultivation and survival are challenged by the harsh climatic condi- two-months old) were transplanted as demonstrated by Fayolle et al. tions (winter and drought). Therefore, M. oleifera, which is very easy [32] in February 2014 on the field at spacing distances of 2.5 m × 2.5 to establish and highly adaptable tree [21] would serve the purpose m and 3 m × 3 m for M.