Morphological variation of baobab fruits and seeds traits in smallholders farming systems in Benin: a preliminary study on baobab leaves production

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) leaves are important non-timber forest product (NTFP) in rural areas and increasingly in urban areas in Africa. However, the overharvesting of the leaves constitutes a threat for natural stands of baobab. This paper presents preliminary findings of an on-going study aimed at developing best agro-ecological practices for production of baobab leaves in smallholder farming systems across three biogeographical regions (Sudano-Guinean, Sudanian and Guineo-Congolian) in Benin. Specifically the study assesses the effect of organic manure (compost versus animal excrements), dose of organic manure, density of sowing and frequency of leaves harvesting on the growth leaves biomass of leaves at seedling stage. Thirty to forty fruits were collected from 30 trees in each of the three regions and used in a split-split plot design. Seeds were extracted and conserved at ambient temperature for one month before sowing. Preliminary observations of characteristics of fruits and seeds showed that fruits from the Sudanian region were the biggest (median diameter - 89.9 cm and length - 19.9 cm) and the heaviest (46.60 ± 6.98 g). The Sudano-Guinean region had intermediate values of the morphological traits except for the seeds weight which intermediate values were observed in the Guineo-Congolian region (44.89 ± 6.38 g per 100 seeds). These variations could affect growth of seedlings.