Morphological diversity patterns among selected elite Shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) from Tchologo and Bagou districts in Northern 
Cte dIvoire

Yao, Saraka Didier Martial; Nafan, Diarrassouba; Attikora, Affi Jean Paul; Fofana, Inza Jésus; DAGO, Dougba Noel; Silué, Souleymane; VANDERSCHUREN, Hervé

doi:10.5897/ijgmb2019.0189

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Using a set of 12 quantitative traits, a study of 220 elite trees in Côte d'Ivoire identified three agro-morphological clusters which did not completely overlap with their geographic origins. One cluster was considered to be especially relevant for the development of high-yielding grafted plants [131]. In Benin, the shea parklands of Bembèrèkè were found to have considerable morphotype diversity with the widespread small fruit type ('Yanki') said to produce high fruit and butter yields [132].…”

Section: Genetic Variation and Domesticationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Côte d'Ivoire, elite shea trees with strong trunks, small leaves and a high number of fruits per tree have been identified as favourable grafting stock [131]. Variation in phenological traits have also been reported for Sclerocarya birrea in Senegal, including marked differences in leafing and flowering within the species [100].…”

Section: Characterization Of Useful Traitsmentioning

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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Section: Genetic Variation and Domesticationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Characterization Of Useful Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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“…A study on anthropic selection of shea trees in Northern Ghana shows that farmers describe shea trees as "wild", since they rarely plant them, meaning that most trees stem from natural regeneration (Lovett and Haq 2000). However, it is widely agreed upon that shea trees, due to human selection, are semidomesticated species (Hale et al 2021; Martial et al 2020; Yao et al 2020). According to local farmers in Northern Ghana, they select which shea trees are wanted on their lands based on yields, health, size, growth, age, competition with crops and spacing allowing for mechanical soil preparation (Baziari et al 2019; Lovett and Haq 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shea tree agroforestry systems in Northern Ghana: Population structure, management of trees and impact of canopy microclimate

Jepsen,

Stopponi,

Jørgensen

2023

Preprint

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The shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is an important tree species in agroforestry systems and bushlands in West Africa and shea nuts are a fundamental resource for rural livelihoods. In this study, sustainability and interactions in agroforestry systems of shea trees were investigated around the Nakpalli village in Northern Ghana. Focus of the study was structure and density of shea tree populations, below-canopy microclimate and co-cultivation of yams (Dioscorea rotundata) under shea tree canopies, and water stress of the trees in the driest season. Shea tree populations are well conserved in this area, but Weibull-distributions of the tree populations and quantification of seedlings showed a lower tree density, especially of seedlings and small trees, in agroforestry fields and fallows, as compared to uncultivated bushlands. This indicates that intensified agroforestry practices might negatively affect the regeneration of shea populations and their long-term regeneration in these agroforestry systems. Co-cultivation of yams in shea canopies allowed production of 11.5 t/ha as compared to 20.8 kg/ha at open field conditions. The lower production may have been caused by an almost 74% reduction of photosynthetically active radiation below canopies, relative to outside the canopies. Shea trees in fields, fallows and bushlands had high predawn leaf water potentials, indicating a low water stress, even in the middle of the dry season. The thriving of shea in the area underlines the importance of conserving this well-adapted indigenous tree in the agroforestry systems and avoiding removal, e.g., by mechanical soil preparation and negative impacts from future climate extremes.

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Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) agroforestry systems in Northern Ghana: population structure, management of trees and impact of below canopy microclimate

Jepsen,

Stopponi,

Jørgensen

2024

Agroforest Syst

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The shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) is an important tree species in agroforestry systems in West Africa and shea nuts constitute a fundamental resource for rural livelihoods in this area. This study investigated the sustainability and interactions in agroforestry systems of shea trees around the village Nakpalli in Northern Ghana. The focus of the study was the population structures and densities of shea trees on different land types, below-canopy microclimate and co-cultivation of yams (Dioscorea rotundata (Poir.) J. Miége) under shea tree canopies, and water stress of the trees in the driest season. Shea tree populations are overall well-conserved in this area, but Weibull-distributions of the tree populations and quantification of seedlings showed a lower tree density in both cultivated and fallowed lands, as compared to undisturbed bushlands. Although farmers may deliberately manage the density of larger trees, the low densities of seedlings and saplings indicate that intensified management practices, including shortened fallow periods and intentional clearing of land by fire before sowing, might negatively affect the long-term regeneration of the shea trees. Co-cultivation of yams below shea tree canopies allowed production of 11.5 t/ha as compared to 20.8 t/ha at open field conditions. The lower yields may have been caused by an almost 74% reduction of photosynthetically active radiation below canopies, relative to outside the canopies. Shea trees in the fields, fallows and bushlands had close-to-zero predawn leaf water potentials, indicating low water stress, even in the middle of the dry season. Thus, shea trees are both well-adapted and highly valued in this area, which underlines the importance of conserving this indigenous tree species in the agroforestry systems of northern Ghana.

show abstract

Morphological diversity patterns among selected elite Shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) from Tchologo and Bagou districts in Northern Cte dIvoire

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

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

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

Shea tree agroforestry systems in Northern Ghana: Population structure, management of trees and impact of canopy microclimate

Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) agroforestry systems in Northern Ghana: population structure, management of trees and impact of below canopy microclimate

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