Leaf and fruit characteristics of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth according to agro climatic zones and land use in Southern Mali

Abstract

A study was conducted in southern Mali to characterized Parkia biglobosa populations in the aim to contribute to the domestication of the species. Fields and fallows in the north sudanian, south sudanian and north guinean zones were concerned. Adult trees were marked in plots of 0.25 ha each and leaves and fruits were harvested from each tree for characterization. Petiole and laminar length, number of pairs of pinnae and leaflets, pedicel and pod length, pod wide, pod and seed weight, number of seed per pod were measured. The north guinean zone showed the highest number of pairs of pinnae and leaflets, the longest pods (23.06±9.91 cm in the fields), the highest mean seed weight (3.74±0.96 g in the fields) and the highest mean number of seeds per pod (17 ± 3 seeds in the fields). The South Sudanian zone showed the longest pedicels (3.85±1.08 cm in the fallows), the highest mean laminar length (18.02 cm) and mean petiole length (6.45 cm) in the fields but the same mean number of seeds per pod as for the north Guinean. The north Sudanian zone showed the widest (17.88±7.98 cm in the fields and 18.24±2.11 cm in the fallows) and heaviest (14.87±3.95 g in the fallows) pods. Leaf variables like the number of pairs of pinnae and leaflets seem to be influenced by the climatic gradient. The others leaf, pod and seed variables seem not to be influenced by the climatic gradient. These findings suggest that many leaf and fruit variables are controlled by endogenous factor that could be genetic. However, the manifestation of the endogenous factor seems to be influenced by factors such as environment and management practices.

Exploring distinctive morphological traits in Beilschmiedia mannii georeferenced by GPS: Implication for conservation

“…The leaf features (width, length, and width) did not differ across habitats, although the variables of leaf samples from riparian and the mangrove habitats were higher than those from the upland habitat. This was consistent with studies on Parkia biglobosa in Mali, where leaf quantitative characteristics were similar, despite wide variation in precipitation access among habitats (Kelly et al, 2022).…”

“…As a fact, fruit and seed quantitative characteristics are negatively altered by limited access to precipitation (Nafan et al, 2007). For instance, fruits of Parkia biglobosa in Mali's wettest zone, have been demonstrated to have higher morphometric characteristics (Kelly et al, 2022). Elaeagnus angustifolia also demonstrated significant differences in the fruit quantitative characteristics of trees from riparian and upland settings (Espeland et al, 2014).…”