Seedlings of African breadfruit, Treculia africana var. africana Decne, were established in a two hectare plot, adopting 10 x 10m spacing. The seedlings were later budded in January 1995 using budwoods obtained when the parent stocks (already fruiting trees) were in flowers. Observations were made on the gestation period of the budded seedlings and the pattern of flowering and fruiting. The study lasted for 12 year (1994 -2005). Fruits produced by each tree were recorded and then processed for the seeds, which were sun-dried for 2hours before disposal. The price at disposal was based on the standard for disposing agricultural produce and prevailing market price in the South Eastern States. The results showed that the trees took 3-4 years to begin flower and fruit production. Majority of the flowers produced in the first phase of reproduction aborted but persisted till fruit production in the subsequent years. Seed yield increased from 11.54kg in 1998 to 12.46kg in 2005. Revenue accruing from the sale of the seeds also increased from N304.70 in N1998 to N 2,470 in 2005. With a standard tree density of 100trees/ha., adopting 10 x 10m spacing, mean revenue as high as N118, 340.00 would be realized from 20 trees. Such revenue can be relied upon as a sustainable source of alleviating poverty particularly among the rural farmers.

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Wood fibres of four fruit trees of Nigeria commonly found inNsukka metropolis were studied and assessed for their suitability for paper-making. These trees include Mangifera indica, Anacardium occidentale, Persea americana and Dacryodes edulis. The parameters used in the study were the fibre dimensions and derived fibre values. The mean values for fibre length of the species ranged from 0.89 ± 0.34 mm in Persea americana to 1.15 ± 0.38 mm in Dacryodes edulis; mean fibre lumen diameter of 0.009 ± 0.001 mm in Anacardium occidentale to 0.014 ± 0.06 mm in D. edulis; mean fibre diameter of 0.023 ± 0.005 mm in P. americana to 0.026 ± 0.005 mm in M indica; mean fibre cell wall thickness of 0.004 ± 0.002 mm in D. edulis and M. indica to 0.006 ± 0.002 mm in A. occidentale. For the derived fibre values, a mean Runkel ratio of 0.70 ± 0.03 in D. edulis to 1.35 ± .56 in A. occidentale. Coefficient of flexibility of 0.37 ± 0.08 in A. occidentale to 0.57 ± 0.17 in D. edulis and a slenderness ratio of 41.61 ± 20.31 in P. americana to 50.07 ± 14.79 in A. occidentale. Analysis of variance for the derived fibre values showed highly significant difference among the species. In consideration of the parameters -Runkel ratio and coefficient of flexibility, D. edulis seemed to have better paper making potentials than the other three.

Nutritional food content of seed and effect of five different growing media: Top forest soil (TS), sawdust (SD), 2:1 mixture of; TS+SD, TS+composted poultry manure (TS+PM) and 2:1:1 mixture of TS+SD+PM on the seed germination and seedling growth of Afzelia Africana SM Caesalpiniaceae were investigated. Thirteen chemical food nutrients were detected in the species seed. These occurred in varying percentages. The mixed growing media (2:1:1 mixture of TS+SD+PM, 2:1 mixture of TS+SD and TS+PM) consistently had: higher percentages of: water holding capacity and nitrogen than the single media (TS and SD). Shorter periods of initial and final seed germination were achieved when seeds were sown in the mixed growing media than in the single growing media. The highest percentage seed germination (87.4%) was achieved when seeds were sown in 2:1:1 mixture of TS+SD+PM growing medium, while the poorest percentage seed germination (30.5%) was obtained when seeds were sown in the TS growing medium, the control. Comparatively, the mixed media induced higher percentage seed germination responses than the single growing media. After four weeks growth in the nursery, values of seedling growth parameters showed that seedlings grown in the mixed growing media had better growth attributes than seedlings grown for the same period in the single media. The results also showed that the best growth attributes were developed by seedlings grown in 2:1:1 mixture of TS+SD+PM (mean: Seedling height 22.4cm., number of leaves, 22 and mean leaf area 120.6cm2).

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