Enoch G. Achigan-Dako

Diversity, Geographical, and Consumption Patterns of Traditional Vegetables in Sociolinguistic Communities in Benin: Implications for Domestication and Utilization1

Diversity, Geographical, and Consumption Patterns of Traditional Vegetables in Sociolinguistic Communities in Benin: Implications for Domestication and Utilization. Traditional vegetables in many African rural areas are an important part of the daily diet and economy but have been poorly documented until recently. We undertook a survey in Benin on the diversity and patterns of use of traditional vegetables by 18 sociolinguistic groups in the three major phytogeographical regions. Major groups include the Yoruba–Nagot, Fon, Bariba, Adja, Cotafon, and Ditammari. Focus groups and field visits were conducted in 49 villages. Species richness at the country level and in phytogeographical regions was estimated using species accumulation curves. Our results indicated that 245 species belonging to 62 families are used as vegetable resources all over the country. The most frequently used families include Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Leguminoseae. About 80% of collected vegetables are wild resources; only 19% were clearly under cultivation. Herbs were the most widely consumed life form. The Guinean and the Sudanian regions exhibit similar species richness while in the Sudano–Guinean region vegetable richness is higher. The use of a species as a vegetable depends not only on socio–cultural attributes but also on geographical occurrence. Based on this inventory, we identified needs for further research and activities for both the conservation and promotion of traditional vegetables.RésuméDiversité, Distribution Géographiques, et Mode de Consommation des Légumes Traditionnels dans les Groupes Sociolinguistiques du Bénin: Implications pour la Domestication et l’Utilisation des Ressources. Les légumes traditionnels représentent une part importante dans le régime alimentaire quotidien et l’économie des communautés rurales en Afrique. Cependant, ils ont été négligés par la recherche jusqu’à récemment. Au Bénin, nous avons entrepris un inventaire de la diversité et des types d’usage des légumes traditionnels au niveau de 18 groupes sociolinguistiques, dans les trois grandes zones phytogéographiques du pays. Les groupes linguistiques enquêtés comprennent les Yoruba–Nagot, Fon, Bariba, Adja, Cotafon, et Ditammari. Des entretiens de groupes et visites de terrain ont été organisés dans 49 villages. La richesse spécifique au niveau national et au niveau des zones phytogéographiques a été estimée par la méthode de courbes d’accumulation spécifique. Nos résultats indiquent que 245 espèces appartenant à 62 familles de plantes sont exploitées comme légumes au niveau national. Les familles fréquemment utilisées sont les Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, et les Leguminoseae. Environ 80% des légumes collectés sont des ressources sauvages et seulement 19% sont clairement cultivés. Les herbacées représentent la majeur partie des légumes. Les zones Guinéenne et Soudanienne présentent des richesses spécifiques similaires, tandis que la richesse spécifique de légumes est supérieure dans la zone Soudano–Guinéenne. L’utilisation d’une espèce comme légume dépend non seulement des attributs socioculturels mais aussi de la distribution géographique des especes. En se basant sur cet inventaire nous avons identifié les besoins de recherche et les actions de conservation et aussi de promotion des légumes traditionnels.

Eliciting Local Values of Wild Edible Plants in Southern Bénin to Identify Priority Species for Conservation1

Eliciting Local Values of Wild Edible Plants in Southern Bénin to Identify Priority Species for Conservation. When financial resources are limited, prioritization of species for conservation becomes essential. Elicitation of local perceptions of threats can be a useful means of prioritizing species and can help strengthen local conservation actions for important plant species. In the neighborhood of Dan forest (southern Bénin), we used quantitative ethnobotany tools to explore: a) how local communities value wild resources, b) if concerns of resource depletion can engender pro-active management to conserve plants and, if so, c) which criteria local people would use to select species deserving conservation. Ethnobotanical knowledge was collected using a range of different techniques. Results indicate that the villagers eat 41 wild plant species belonging to 17 families with the most important being Parkia biglobosa, Vitex doniana, Vitellaria paradoxa, Launaea taraxacifolia, and Prosopis africana. Local criteria against which value is evaluated include: i) the market importance, ii) the nutritive value, iii) the number of complementary uses of species, and iv) the availability of the resource. Additional criteria are species specific and include: v) rapid growth and production, vi) resistance to drought and diseases, and vii) life form. Although there is a real appreciation of threats, there is little evidence of pro-active conservation management by harvesters. The needs for further investigations to promote conservation of wild edible plants through use were explored.Estimation de la Valeur des Plantes de Cueillette Comestibles au Sud du Bénin et Définition des Espèces Prioritaires pour la Conservation. En situation de ressources financières limitées, la priorisation des espèces pour la conservation devient cruciale. Pour ce faire, connaitre la perception des communautés locales par rapport aux menaces peut être un moyen utile pour renforcer les actions de conservation. Dans la zone riveraine de la Forêt de Dan (Sud Bénin), nous avons exploré: a) comment les communautés locales valorisent les plantes de cueillette, b) si la prise de conscience du déclin des ressources induit des prises d’initiatives pour conserver les plantes; le cas échéant, c) quels sont les critères de choix des espèces prioritaires. Différentes approches sont utilisées pour collecter et analyser les informations ethnobotaniques. Nos résultats indiquent que 41 espèces végétales appartenant à 17 familles sont consommées par la communauté, les plus importantes étant Parkia biglobosa, Vitex doniana, Vitellaria paradoxa, Launaea taraxacifolia et Prosopis africana. Les principaux critères utilisés par la communauté pour évaluer les espèces sont: i) la valeur marchande, ii) la valeur nutritive, iii) le nombre d’usages complémentaires et iv) la disponibilité de la ressource. Des critères additionnels comme la précocité, la résistance à la sécheresse et aux maladies et la forme de vie sont aussi listés. Cependant, malgré l’appréciation des menaces sur les espèces, il y a très peu d’initiatives de conservation de la part des collecteurs. Au vu de ces résultats nous avons exploré les besoins de recherche pour une conservation durable des plantes alimentaires de cueillette.

Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin

BackgroundAgrobiodiversity is said to contribute to the sustainability of agricultural systems and food security. However, how this is achieved especially in smallholder farming systems in arid and semi-arid areas is rarely documented. In this study, we explored two contrasting regions in Benin to investigate how agroecological and socioeconomic contexts shape the diversity and utilization of edible plants in these regions.MethodsData were collected through focus group discussions in 12 villages with four in Bassila (semi-arid Sudano-Guinean region) and eight in Boukoumbé (arid Sudanian region). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 180 farmers (90 in each region). Species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were estimated based on presence-absence data obtained from the focus group discussions using species accumulation curves.ResultsOur results indicated that 115 species belonging to 48 families and 92 genera were used to address food security. Overall, wild species represent 61% of edible plants collected (60% in the semi-arid area and 54% in the arid area). About 25% of wild edible plants were under domestication. Edible species richness and diversity in the semi-arid area were significantly higher than in the arid area. However, farmers in the arid area have developed advanced resource-conserving practices compared to their counterparts in the semi-arid area where slash-and-burn cultivation is still ongoing, resulting in natural resources degradation and loss of biodiversity. There is no significant difference between the two areas for cultivated species richness. The interplay of socio-cultural attributes and agroecological conditions explains the diversity of food plants selected by communities.ConclusionsWe conclude that if food security has to be addressed, the production and consumption policies must be re-oriented toward the recognition of the place of wild edible plants. For this to happen we suggest a number of policy and strategic decisions as well as research and development actions such as a thorough documentation of wild edible plants and their contribution to household diet, promotion of the ‘’bringing into cultivation” practices, strengthening of livestock-crop integration.

Genetic Improvement of Iron Toxicity Tolerance in Rice-Progress, Challenges and Prospects in West Africa

Abstract: In sub-Saharan Africa, the demand for higher rice production continues to grow rapidly. Although there is a huge potential for increasing rice production through expansion of the rice cultivation area in wetlands, iron (Fe) toxicity tends to occur and consequently results in low rice yield. Development and deployment of varieties tolerant to Fe toxicity is one of the practical options to overcome this constraint. Several tolerant varieties have been developed through conventional breeding but progress in breeding has been generally slow mainly due to large genotype × environment interaction and field heterogeneity, which make rice selection ineffective. In addition, there are no valid managed-stress screening protocols which are highly efficient and that can predict rice performance in the diverse target environments of West Africa. Many O. glaberrima accessions have superior tolerance, but only a few of them have been utilized in breeding programs. The known quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to Fe toxicity, have not been used for marker-assisted selection (MAS), as they gave small effects with a large confidence interval. Accelerating rice breeding efficiency for tolerance to Fe toxicity requires establishment of reliable screening protocols, use of O. glaberrima accessions as donors, identification of large-effect QTLs and MAS using such QTLs. This paper reviews the past and current efforts in West Africa to develop new varieties with superior tolerance to Fe toxicity.

Diversity and Differential Utilization of Amaranthus spp. along the Urban-Rural Continuum of Southern Benin

Diversity and Differential Utilization ofAmaranthusspp. along the Urban-Rural Continuum of Southern Benin. Increasing recognition of the importance of traditional vegetables as sources of nutrients, health benefits, and income has raised the need to evaluate and document knowledge of these resources in local communities. Indigenous knowledge is crucial for sustainable utilization of these plant resources, though this might be threatened by urbanization and economic development. We carried out a quantitative ethnobotanical survey to assess the relative importance of amaranth in vegetable production systems of southern Benin and identify the main criteria that determine the choice of this crop by farmers. The diversity, uses, and knowledge of amaranths was investigated to assess how the degree of urbanization affects farmers’ knowledge. Our results showed that Amaranthus cruentus is the main cultivated vegetable in the surveyed areas despite its low economic value. Reasons raised by communities were related to the species’ popularity, resistance to nematodes, nutritional value, and short cultivation cycle. Wild amaranths include A. dubius, A. blitum, A. spinosus, and A. viridis. Amaranths were mainly used as vegetables and for their nutraceutical properties. Urbanization was found to negatively affect the knowledge and uses of wild species, whereas the knowledge and utilization of cultivated species was quite homogenous along the urban-rural continuum. We discuss strategies to increase knowledge of wild resources in urban settings and therefore reduce loss of genetic resources.ResumeDiversité et utilisation des amarantes (Amaranthusspp.) le long du continuum urbain-rural au Sud-Bénin. La reconnaissance croissante de la valeur nutritionnelle des légumes locaux, leurs bienfaits pour la santé et leur contribution au revenu des populations a révélé la nécessité d’évaluer et de documenter les connaissances associées à ces espèces au sein des communautés locales. En effet, les connaissances endogènes considérées comme importantes pour la conservation et l’utilisation des ressources phytogénétiques pourraient être en voie de disparition du fait de l’urbanisation et du développement économique. La présente étude a porté sur une enquête ethnobotanique réalisée le long du continuum urbain-rural au Sud-Bénin afin d’évaluer l’importance relative des amarantes et d’identifier les principaux critères qui déterminent le choix de cette culture par les agriculteurs. En outre, la diversité, les usages et les connaissances des amarantes ont été étudiés afin d’évaluer comment le degré d’urbanisation affecte les connaissances des agriculteurs. Nos résultats ont montré que Amaranthus cruentus est la principale espèce cultivée dans les zones étudiées en dépit de sa faible valeur économique. Les raisons évoquées par les producteurs étaient liées à la popularité de l’espèce, sa résistance aux nématodes, sa valeur nutritionnelle et son cycle de culture court. Les amarantes sauvages : A. dubius, A. blitum, A. spinosus et A. viridis étaient principalement utilisées pour leurs propriétés nutraceutiques. Le niveau d’urbanisation affecte la connaissance et l’utilisation des espèces sauvages tandis que la connaissance et l’utilisation des espèces cultivées sont assez homogènes le long du continuum urbain-rural. Des stratégies devant permettre de mieux conserver les connaissances en milieu urbain et de réduire l’érosion des ressources phytogénétiques ont également été proposées.

A roadmap for breeding orphan leafy vegetable species: a case study of Gynandropsis gynandra (Cleomaceae)

Despite an increasing awareness of the potential of “orphan” or unimproved crops to contribute to food security and enhanced livelihoods for farmers, coordinated research agendas to facilitate production and use of orphan crops by local communities are generally lacking. We provide an overview of the current knowledge on leafy vegetables with a focus on Gynandropsis gynandra, a highly nutritious species used in Africa and Asia, and highlight general and species-specific guidelines for participatory, genomics-assisted breeding of orphan crops. Key steps in genome-enabled orphan leafy vegetables improvement are identified and discussed in the context of Gynandropsis gynandra breeding, including: (1) germplasm collection and management; (2) product target definition and refinement; (3) characterization of the genetic control of key traits; (4) design of the ‘process’ for cultivar development; (5) integration of genomic data to optimize that ‘process’; (6) multi-environmental participatory testing and end-user evaluation; and (7) crop value chain development. The review discusses each step in detail, with emphasis on improving leaf yield, phytonutrient content, organoleptic quality, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and post-harvest management.Crop breeding: Tending the unattendedDeveloping the potential of neglected crops can improve food security and economic stability of impoverished farmers. Orphan crops are local, often indigenous, crop species which have been overlooked by research and underutilized as an agricultural resource. Eric Schranz of Wageningen University and his colleagues around the world have reviewed what is known about orphan leafy vegetables and provided guidelines to coordinate research into their breeding and cultivation. The guidelines include increasing awareness of orphan crop potential, collecting and characterizing wild varieties, implementing a breeding program based on modern genetics and genomics, and integrating the needs of key players throughout the process. Orphan leafy vegetables offer an excellent opportunity for small-scale farmers to feed and support themselves, but properly developing this resource requires a concerted effort from researchers, seed companies, policy-makers, farmers, and consumers.

Modelling socioeconomic determinants for cultivation and in-situ conservation of Vitex doniana Sweet (Black plum), a wild harvested economic plant in Benin

BackgroundCultivation is the most appropriate management option when both demand and harvesting of wild plant species increase beyond natural production levels. In the current study we made the assumption that, besides the intrinsic biological and ecological characteristics of the species, the decision to cultivate and/or to conserve an overharvested wild plant species is triggered by the socioeconomic factors such as land tenure and size, origin of respondents, gender, and users’ knowledge of the plant phenology.MethodsWe carried out semi-structured interviews with 178 informants involved in V. doniana exploitation. The data collected were related to socio-demographic characteristics of informants’ household situation, knowledge of the biology and propagation of the species, willingness to cultivate the species, in-situ maintenance of populations, and costs associated with management of the species. According to data types we used Student’s t, Spearman correlation, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher’s exact and χ2 tests to test the effects of land tenure, origin of respondents, gender and users’ knowledge of plant phenology on the decision making process. Conditional inference tree models and generalized additive models were also used to identify variables which were significantly determinant in the decision to cultivate and/or to conserve the species in-situ.ResultsWe found that men were more willing to cultivate the species than women and this is conditioned by land area available. The willingness to conserve the species in-situ depends mainly on the total land area available, the number of trees within the landscape, accessibility of the trees, land tenure, gender, location, seedling cost, and trade-off cost for conservation. People who offered more than one US dollar to acquire a seedling of V. doniana, landowners, and those who own a total land area in excess of 6.5 ha were most willing to conserve the species in-situ.ConclusionsFrom our findings we conclude that future management and conservation initiatives for V. doniana should first target specific user groups for sustainable exploitation of the species. Also, the Cultivation Opportunity Ratio is an important indicator for quick determination of the likelihood of farmers to engage into cultivation and conservation of the species.

Phenetic characterization of Citrullus spp. (Cucurbitaceae) and differentiation of egusi-type (C. mucosospermus)

Abstract Breeding of Citrullus spp. for various benefits has continuously raised interest particularly for economically important crops. However, the interspecific variations within the genus have remained obscure in many regards and the multitude of names for taxa and subtaxa eludes Citrullus breeders. In the absence of clear taxonomic differentiation, molecular analysis of phenotypes did not help understand the complexity of this genus until recently. In this study we carried out a phenetic characterization of a world collection of 213 accessions using 22 agro-morphological descriptors in field trials conducted in two locations and during two consecutive years. Multivariate analyses confirmed high morphological variation in Citrullus spp. and highlight C. mucosospermus as a homogenous group separated from other Citrullus species. This differentiation of egusi-type melon will help leverage breeding and conservation purposes as C. lanatus represent very important economic crops in the world. Based on our findings we conclude that our knowledge of the relationships between genetic variations and phenotypic traits and the determinism of morphological variations among and within Citrullus need to be further deepened.

Current knowledge and breeding perspectives for the miracle plant Synsepalum dulcificum (Schum. et Thonn.) Daniell

Synsepalum dulcificum, an African native shrub, is a valuable species. All plant parts are of medicinal importance whereas the fruit known as magic berry, miracle berry, or sweet berry is consumed fresh. Surprisingly, very little is known on the species in terms of genotypes utilization and breeding. In this review we recalled the uses and importance of the species and suggested research avenues for an accelerated growth and fruit production. Synsepalum dulcificum is rich in glycoprotein and is an excellent natural sweetener and also a good candidate for the synthesis of drugs against diabetes. Furthermore, S. dulcificum has high content in phytochemical substances (e.g. (+)-epi-syringaresinol, vanillic acid, cyanidin-3-monogalactoside, and quercetin-3-monogalactoside) with various health and food benefits. Data on the nutrient content are limited. Likewise, knowledge on the reproductive biology and mating system is still narrow, combined with poorly developed horticultural practices. To fully exploit the potential of S. dulcificum prospective actions include: (1) improving the propagation and growth abilities of the species, (2) improving knowledge of floral biology and genetic diversity, (3) understanding the phenological phases of the species, gene expressions and how this contributes to metabolites accumulation and (4) improving genotypes for beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries and other value chains.

Drivers of conservation and utilization of pineapple genetic resources in Benin

Valuation of farmer knowledge has been seen as a route to promote sustainable use of plant genetic resources. In pineapple production systems in Benin, inadequate knowledge of cultivation practices can lead to a number of inconveniences including abandon of some varieties and cultivars. To understand how farmer’s knowledge and cultivation practices impact the sustainable utilization of pineapple genetic resources, we surveyed 177 pineapple farmers in southern Benin. We assessed farmers’ knowledge and analyzed the relationship between their knowledge and factors such as age, education, and locality of provenance. Pineapple production system was dominated by men (96% respondents). According to farmers, Smooth cayenne is international market-oriented while Sugarloaf mainly targets domestic and regional markets. All farmers recognized that Smooth cayenne provided more income (USD 5,750/ha) than sugarloaf (USD 3,950/ha) in the production systems of southern Benin. The high value of median scores in comparison with the range of possible score showed that most farmers agreed and shared relatively similar knowledge. Correlation matrix and multiple linear regressions showed a significant relationship between farmers’ practices and their knowledge of the plant; their knowledge of pineapple varieties is based on fruits traits. Also, farmer’s knowledge was associated with locality of provenance. Constraints and options for genetic resources conservation and utilization in the pineapple production systems in Southern Benin were discussed based on current knowledge.