Detarium microcarpum (Caesalpiniaceae) is a West African economic significant priority fruit tree species. In Benin, the species is overexploited in many ecological regions, while very little research focuses on its viability and conservation of its genetic diversity. In the perspective of the biodiversity sustainable use, this work aimed at determining the use value of different organs and its impact on the species' vulnerability. Thus, 202 respondents were surveyed and information regarding utilization of the different organs were collected. Data were used to evaluate each organ's utilization frequency and the vulnerability index for the species. Results indicated that locals use D. microcarpum in food, medicine, handcrafting and spiritual applications. It is also valued as fire and technological wood as well as like animal forage. The utilization frequency varies between 2.5 (for the fruits) and 83.20% (for the wood). This intensive wood utilization explains the high vulnerability: 2.67. Only administratively preserved and sacred forests still harbour adult individuals. It is, therefore, urgent to include these vulnerability data in any management strategy for a better use and conservation for D. microcarpum.
Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millspaugh) is a neglected and under-utilized crop consumed in several regions of word. In order to assess performance of pigeonpea landraces grown in Benin for useful breeding programs, 50 accessions were collected from 39 villages. These accessions were characterized by using 12 qualitative and 11 quantitative traits. Based on the seeds morphological characteristics, the 50 accessions were grouped in 12 morphotypes. However, 8 morphological classes were obtained with cluster analysis based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average method using qualitative traits, whereas in principal component analysis only 5 clusters have been obtained using quantitative traits. The association/correlation among quantitative characters showed that grain yield was negatively correlated with pod width, days to 50% flowering and physiological maturity while it was positively correlated with pod length, pods per plant, branches per plant and number of seeds per pod. Based on four quantitative traits (number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, and early maturity), the 23 accessions from cluster 3 of whom kk5 (Ekloui), kk8 (Nontchiovi kloui), kk15 (Otili founfoun), kk18 (Klouékoun wéwé), kk22 (Otili), kk23 (CA monlikoun) and kk28 (Hounkoun wéwé) have been recommended as good sources of germplasm for improving the pigeonpea productivity. Further characterization using molecular techniques as well as conservation attention should be conducted to confirm the present result and maintain the germplasm for future breeding programs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.