Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) is an indigenous leafy vegetable which leaves are very rich in amino acid and essential minerals and they form part of the meals of people of Asia, Middle East and parts of Africa. The plant is also used as a medicine and source of income for local communities. The aim of this study is to highlight the ethnobotanical importance of Corchorus olitorius L. in Benin. To contribute to the enhancement of C. olitorius, 14 localities of Benin were visited and 129 people were interviewed, during the investigation. Data were collected about social and phytomedicinal uses of jute. These investigations have led to the understanding that C. olitorius is cultivated in all localities of Benin by both women (53.40%) and men (46.60%). The plant has a vernacular name in each local dialect but the term '' Ninuwi '' in the '' Fon '' language is the most used (33%). On the ethnomedicinal plan, it is used in the treatment of several pathologies such as malaria, typhoid
Original Research Article
Background: Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] plays an important role in ensuring food security and incomes for local communities. It is particularly grown in southern region of Benin, and its production over the last few years has declined due to disease and severe pest infestation. Therefore, it was imperative to carry out this study to identify the main constraints related to the recent decline in sweet production and more specifically analyzing the production and marketing constraints of sweet potato in the townships of Dangbo and Bonou. Results: The results of the survey revealed that many varieties of sweet potato were grown, mainly "Vobodouaho" (local name in Goun language), the most preferred variety by producers. Weedicides and insecticides were used to control weeds and insect pests, respectively. There was no efficient control methods against black rot, Alternaria blight, cylas spp., and caterpillar among the pathogens and insects that damaged sweet potato production in the study areas. The main constraints reducing sweet potato production in the townships of Dangbo and Bonou are: lack of adequate methods for controlling pest and diseases, lack of financial resources due to no access to credit, absence of modern equipment, scarcity and high cost of labor and absence of best methods for long-term storage. The average yield of sweet production per hectare ranged from 6.5 to 15.1 tons fresh matter/ha. The market value of sweet potato is still low at farmers' level when compared to that of other stakeholders along the value chain. Conclusion: This study calls for the attention of public and private sectors and policy makers for more investment in sweet potato research. Avenues for further research on sweet potato have also been suggested.
Africa and Asia bear the greatest cases of vitamin A deficiency whereas Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) as a possible solution to vitamin A deficiency, brings income, food and nutritional security for smallholders involved in its production. Reports indicated low adoption of OFSP in West Africa due to poor value chains and wide adoption of White-Fleshed Sweetpotato (WFSP). Here, we reviewed OFSP interventions and programmes undertaken in West Africa, identified constraints limiting OFSP production, and updated the required actions for OFSP value chains development in West Africa. We reported 10 significant interventions and 20 released OFSP varieties within 4 countries. The main bottlenecks to OFSP value chains development are the lack of improved cultivars exhibiting high and stable yield potential, predominance of WFSP, non-exposition of whole population to OFSP varieties, limited number of improved OFSP varieties available, and inadequacy of improved OFSP varieties to smallholder preferences. The roles of donors, research institutions, local partners, and smallholder's contributions in increasing OFSP production and consumption are provided. This will fuel the development of strong OFSP value chains in West Africa.
RESUMEJatropha curcas est un arbuste à usages multiples très connu des populations africaines. Il est cultivé comme une plante médicinale dans plusieurs pays tropicaux et subtropicaux. Ses graines contiennent de l'huile qui peut être transformée en biocarburant. Les caractéristiques agromorphologiques de huit accessions nouvellement introduites au Bénin et un écotype local ont été étudiées à partir de douze caractères qualitatifs et quantitatifs. Une analyse de la variance a été réalisée en vue de ressortir les différences entre accessions. Les résultats obtenus montrent que la provenance Equateur (Salinas) a la hauteur la plus élevée, le diamètre au collet le plus grand et les feuilles les plus développées. Par contre, la provenance Sénégal a le nombre de ramifications le plus élevé, les feuilles les plus réduites et la production en fruits la plus importante, compte tenu du fait que les ramifications fructifient au fur et à mesure de leur apparition. Il existe une différence très hautement significative (seuil 0,1%) en ce qui concerne le diamètre au collet, la largeur et la longueur des feuilles. Les caractères agromorphologiques évalués ont permis d'identifier parmi les provenances cultivées, les écotypes pouvant rentrer dans un programme d'amélioration et de sélection variétale en vue de mettre à la disposition des producteurs de nouveaux cultivars plus performants et plus précoces.
Article InfoThe present work has been conducted in order to valorize the traditional cotton genetic diversity through an ethnobotany survey. Within this framework, prospections and collections were carried out in three producing agro-ecological zones of cotton in Benin through 38 townships. The results of the investigation put in evidence 135 traditional cotton made up of four types of cotton (61% box, 26% feral, 10% volunteer and 3% wild) and belonging to five species: Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium trilobum, Gossypium herbaceum and Gossypium barbadense. G. hirsutum regroups the most traditional cotton (28.1%). All age groups are holders of the accessions of traditional cotton with a prevalence of the producers aged of 40 to 50 years. The organs of the traditional cotton are used without rituals and with rituals to cure natural and para-natural diseases. The diffusion of the seeds (100%) is made between themselves in endogenous way and no lucrative. The survey seems to confirm the localization of Benin in a geographical area with strong morphological diversity of cotton. These cottons constitute significant gene bank for gene recombination in breeding program.
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