Volume 20, Issue 2, February 2016, Pages 500–515
A.P. Agre1, G. Badara2, A. Adjatin3, A. Dansi4, R. Bathacharjee5, I. Y. Rabbi6, M. Dansi7, and M. Gedil8
1 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
2 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
3 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
4 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
5 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
6 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
7 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
8 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
Original language: English
Copyright © 2016 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food security crop for poor rural communities, particularly in Africa. At household level, cassava landraces used for cultivation are mainly selected based on farmers' interests, leading to very particular diversity evolution over generations. The structure, composition and factors influencing cassava diversity at that level is not well monitored and under documented. This study aimed at capturing and analyzing local knowledge on cassava genetic diversity and the key parameters affecting it in Benin, for better and sustainable local cassava genetic resources management. The methodological approach was based on field visits, interview using questionnaire and group discussion with farmers. Data were collected from one hundred and ninety eight (198) respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The majority (82%) of the respondents were male, generally 20 to 80 years old. Positive correlation was found between cassava diversity maintained per household with cultivated area and household size (R2 = 0.162). Farmers used mainly stem and leaves characteristics to identify cassava varieties. Plant materials for next season were mostly selected according to the disease (mainly plant free of viral infection) status, size of the stem and number of nodes. The study revealed existence of a high diversity of cassava at the household level. However, various factors constrained cassava production and threats on cassava diversity were observed. Establishment of community field genebank, introduction of new varieties were some of the on-farm conservation strategies proposed by cassava farmers.
Author Keywords: Benin, cassava, diversity, Manihot esculenta on farm conservation.
A.P. Agre1, G. Badara2, A. Adjatin3, A. Dansi4, R. Bathacharjee5, I. Y. Rabbi6, M. Dansi7, and M. Gedil8
1 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
2 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
3 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
4 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
5 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
6 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
7 Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
8 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Oyo road, PMB 5320, Oyo state, Ibadan, Nigeria
Original language: English
Copyright © 2016 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food security crop for poor rural communities, particularly in Africa. At household level, cassava landraces used for cultivation are mainly selected based on farmers' interests, leading to very particular diversity evolution over generations. The structure, composition and factors influencing cassava diversity at that level is not well monitored and under documented. This study aimed at capturing and analyzing local knowledge on cassava genetic diversity and the key parameters affecting it in Benin, for better and sustainable local cassava genetic resources management. The methodological approach was based on field visits, interview using questionnaire and group discussion with farmers. Data were collected from one hundred and ninety eight (198) respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The majority (82%) of the respondents were male, generally 20 to 80 years old. Positive correlation was found between cassava diversity maintained per household with cultivated area and household size (R2 = 0.162). Farmers used mainly stem and leaves characteristics to identify cassava varieties. Plant materials for next season were mostly selected according to the disease (mainly plant free of viral infection) status, size of the stem and number of nodes. The study revealed existence of a high diversity of cassava at the household level. However, various factors constrained cassava production and threats on cassava diversity were observed. Establishment of community field genebank, introduction of new varieties were some of the on-farm conservation strategies proposed by cassava farmers.
Author Keywords: Benin, cassava, diversity, Manihot esculenta on farm conservation.
How to Cite this Article
A.P. Agre, G. Badara, A. Adjatin, A. Dansi, R. Bathacharjee, I. Y. Rabbi, M. Dansi, and M. Gedil, “Folk taxonomy and traditional management of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) diversity in southern and central Benin,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 500–515, February 2016.
