Authors:
Ella Sede Maforikan, Armand Dossa Makponse, Elie Antoine Padonou, Achille Ephrem
Assogbadjo, Romain Lucas Glele Kakai
, Brice Augustin Sinsin
,Christian Anthony-Krueger |
Abstract:
The Baobab, Adansonia digitata L, is one of the major multi-purpose local woody species which
are widely sold and used for food, medicine and crafts. It is threatened by a decline in its
population because of deforestation and its overuse. This study aims at investigating the effect of
baobab seed weight (A. digitata) on the seed germination and seedling growth in the nursery in
Benin. A total of 420 seeds have been collected from trees randomly selected and remote from
each other at least 10km apart in order to avoid collecting seed species genetically very close. All
the seeds were weighed. The numerical classification is carried out using Microsoft Excel
software to generate 3 morphotypes based on seed weight. The results showed that the
morphotype 1 and morphotype 3 had heavy seeds weight whereas the morphotype 2 had of light
seeds weight. In morphotype1, the seeds from Guinean and Sudanian zone are dominant in a
percentage of 38.07 and 32.48 per cent respectively. The morphotype 2 is mostly made up of
seeds from the Guinean and Sudano-Guinean zone; that are represented in proportions almost
identical in the percentage of 37.5 and 35.7 per cent respectively. The morphotype 3 is
dominated by the seeds from Sudanian zone (50.98%), followed by the seeds from SudanoGuinean
zone (43.13%). Plants from Sudano-Guinean zone are averagely heavy in weight and
are very tall, with largest diameter, high germination rate (91, 66%) and highest number of
leaves, and high germination rate (91, 66%). Trees of Sudanian zone have heaviest seed weight
and have tallest seedlings and the best germination rate (94.44%). Trees of Guinean zone have
seeds which are light in weight and are relatively short. They have low germination rate
(54.16%) with low number of leaves. |
