Application of biotechnology for the domestication of Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam in Cameroon: A review

Tchapda, Tchatchoua Dorothy; Tchoundjeu, Z.; Gusua, Caspa Roseline

doi:10.5897/ajb2016.15245

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…It is a subdioecious species, some “male” trees presenting both male and hermaphrodite flowers in varying proportions, while “female” trees have only female flowers [ 36 ]. African plum trees are easily propagated from seed; vegetative propagation techniques have been developed by agricultural research centers to promote improved varieties [ 37 ] but are seldom known by cultivators [ 38 ]. Seed-propagated trees usually enter fructification five to eight years after planting, bearing fruits that are oval-shaped drupes, with high lipid, protein and fiber content [ 39 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting perceptions, preferences and practices in the African fruit trade: the case of African plum (Dacryodes edulis) in different cultural and urbanization contexts in Cameroon

Rimlinger

Duminil

Lemoine

et al. 2021

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Background Understanding the perceptions, preferences and management practices associated with intraspecific variability of emblematic African tree crops is critical for their sustainable management. In this paper, we examine how the agrobiodiversity of a fruit tree species native to Central Africa, the African plum tree (Dacryodes edulis), is perceived and managed by Cameroonian cultivators. Methods Semi-structured interviews and tree surveys were conducted over four months with 441 African plum tree owners from three different ethnic groups (Bamileke, Bassa, Beti) in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Questions focused on trees owners’ perceptions—including the local nomenclature—preferences and management practices related to African plum trees and their intraspecific agrobiodiversity. Results Across the three ethnic groups in the study area, more than 300 different local varietal names were recorded. These were mainly based on morphological and organoleptic traits, with two-thirds of the names referring to fruit size, skin color and fruit taste. The same traits were used by tree owners to describe their fruit preferences, but their relative importance in shaping fruit preferences varied among groups. The preferences of urban dwellers from different ethnic groups when purchasing African plum fruit focused on the fruit’s taste characteristics, while those of rural dwellers differed among ethnic groups. In rural areas, where African plums are sold and consumed by their growers, the preferences of Bassa consumers reflect quantity (fruit size) over quality (fruit taste or skin color) considerations. These preferences are reflected in the choice of seeds used for planting. Bassa owners sought seeds from trees with large fruits (with 34.8% of Bassa owners giving top priority to this trait as a selection criterion) to a significantly greater extent than Bamileke and Beti owners who prioritized taste and skin color instead. Among tree growers who selectively retained African plum trees in their fields, 44% considered tree productivity as a primary selection criterion. Conclusions Findings linking perceptions of and preferences for fruit traits to intraspecific tree diversity, with attention to inter-ethnic and rural–urban differences, will help design locally specific measures to conserve the agrobiodiversity of African plum in the context of its ongoing domestication.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting perceptions, preferences and practices in the African fruit trade: the case of African plum (Dacryodes edulis) in different cultural and urbanization contexts in Cameroon

Rimlinger

Duminil

Lemoine

et al. 2021

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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“…The most used molecular markers for genetic characterization of species under domestication in West and Central Africa are the microsatellites. In D. edulis, six microsatellite markers were used for niche characterization, gene flow and genetic structuration in selected Cameroonian and Gabonese populations and accessions [291,[311][312][313]. However, these markers failed to segregate clusters and ethnovarietal groups due to the outcrossing reproduction systems of the species added to the social networks, which strengthened gene flow and contributed to an unexpected high level of genetic diversity conservation within and among populations, albeit affected by the selection intensity placed on preferred traits [242,245,314].…”

Section: Molecular Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, these markers failed to segregate clusters and ethnovarietal groups due to the outcrossing reproduction systems of the species added to the social networks, which strengthened gene flow and contributed to an unexpected high level of genetic diversity conservation within and among populations, albeit affected by the selection intensity placed on preferred traits [242,245,314]. Recommendations for next steps in genetic studies include the isolation and characterization of more DNA markers in D. edulis and their use for early selection in progeny trials and advanced studies such as gene discovery, trait-linked marker-assisted selection and gene mapping [291,312,314].…”

Section: Molecular Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…have been characterized in Nigeria and Benin using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA [300,306] and microsatellites markers, respectively [244]. The knowledge of genetic diversity within and among studied populations in these countries provide important information for the assessment of the domestication strategies and their influence on the conservation of the genetic resources of the targeted species [244,245,312].…”

Section: Molecular Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Future of Food: Domestication and Commercialization of Indigenous Food Crops in Africa over the Third Decade (2012–2021)

Leakey¹,

Avana

Awazi

et al. 2022

Sustainability

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This paper follows the transition from ethnobotany to a deeper scientific understanding of the food and medicinal properties of African agroforestry tree products as inputs into the start of domestication activities. It progresses on to the integration of these indigenous trees as new crops within diversified farming systems for multiple social, economic and environmental benefits. From its advent in the 1990s, the domestication of indigenous food and non-food tree species has become a global programme with a strong African focus. This review of progress in the third decade is restricted to progress in Africa, where multi-disciplinary research on over 59 species has been reported in 759 research papers in 318 science publications by scientists from over 833 research teams in 70 countries around the world (532 in Africa). The review spans 23 research topics presenting the recent research literature for tree species of high priority across the continent, as well as that in each of the four main ecological regions: the humid zone of West and Central Africa; the Sahel and North Africa; the East African highlands and drylands; and the woody savannas of Southern Africa. The main areas of growth have been the nutritional/medicinal value of non-timber forest products; the evaluation of the state of natural resources and their importance to local people; and the characterization of useful traits. However, the testing of putative cultivars; the implementation of participatory principles; the protection of traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights; and the selection of elite trees and ideotypes remain under-researched. To the probable detriment of the upscaling and impact in tropical agriculture, there has been, at the international level, a move away from decentralized, community-based tree domestication towards a laboratory-based, centralized approach. However, the rapid uptake of research by university departments and national agricultural research centres in Africa indicates a recognition of the importance of the indigenous crops for both the livelihoods of rural communities and the revitalization and enhanced outputs from agriculture in Africa, especially in West Africa. Thus, on a continental scale, there has been an uptake of research with policy relevance for the integration of indigenous trees in agroecosystems and their importance for the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To progress this in the fourth decade, there will need to be a dedicated Centre in Africa to test and develop cultivars of indigenous crops. Finally, this review underpins a holistic approach to mitigating climate change, as well as other big global issues such as hunger, poverty and loss of wildlife habitat by reaping the benefits, or ‘profits’, from investment in the five forms of Capital, described as ‘land maxing’. However, policy and decision makers are not yet recognizing the potential for holistic and transformational adoption of these new indigenous food crop opportunities for African agriculture. Is ‘political will’ the missing sixth capital for sustainable development?

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Food resilience in a dark catastrophe: A new way of looking at tropical wild edible plants

Winstead

Jacobson

2022

Ambio

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Application of biotechnology for the domestication of Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam in Cameroon: A review

Abstract: Cultivation of

Cited by 4 publications

References 14 publications

Shifting perceptions, preferences and practices in the African fruit trade: the case of African plum (Dacryodes edulis) in different cultural and urbanization contexts in Cameroon

Shifting perceptions, preferences and practices in the African fruit trade: the case of African plum (Dacryodes edulis) in different cultural and urbanization contexts in Cameroon

The Future of Food: Domestication and Commercialization of Indigenous Food Crops in Africa over the Third Decade (2012–2021)

Food resilience in a dark catastrophe: A new way of looking at tropical wild edible plants

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