Ethnobotany and Germplasm Collection of Two Genera of <i>Cocoyam (Colocasia</i> [Schott] and <i>Xanthosoma</i> [Schott], Araceae) in Edo State Nigeria

Abstract

Article Information Ethnobotany describes the realm between human interactions with plant in their environment. Colocasia [Schott] and Xanthosoma [Schott] (Araceae) are important staples in Nigeria. This study aims to document the traditional knowledge base of these crops amongst tribes in Edo state. Using random stratified sampling technique, fifty respondents were selected and primary data obtained through semi structured questionnaire. Fifty-four cocoyam (61.11 % Xanthosomaand and 38.89 % Colocasia) germplasm were collected and documented. Respondents were mostly between 41-50 years (29.63 %) while farming (33.33 %) is the dominant occupation. The dominant ethnic groups encountered were Bini (22.22 %) and Esan (25.93 %). Status of cocoyam collected was 94.44 % and 5.55 % for cultivated and wild respectively. Local names were significant with over twenty recorded. Food use (94.26 %) is higher than non-food use (5.74 %). Use for medicine is the dominant non-food use. Preference is related to uses, adaptation and palatability. More study is recommended to characterize these germplasm.

Farmers perception of agromorphological traits and uses of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) grown in Ethiopia

“…The meanings of the local names were linked either with the area of collection or the crop"s particular trait such as the growth condition. Similar study conducted in Edo State, Nigeria indicated that the local people distinguish cocoyam local types by area of collection (Osawaru and Ogwu, 2015). Various local names have also been used for X. sagittifolium worldwide (Morton, 1972;Giacometti and Leon, 1994;Mayo et al, 1997;Raemaekers, 2001;Maundu et al, 2009;Lebot, 2009;Quero-Garcia et al, 2010).…”

“…Most of the farmers" preferred traits of the study survey are the traits of preference by Nigerian farmers (Osawaru and Ogwu, 2015). In another way round, in Ethiopia, farmers disliked traits such as low palatability, corm inedibility, hardness and acridity hinder its potential to be a major crop.…”

“…Morton (1972) noticed that the familiarity of Xanthosoma had been burdened by highly localized vernacular names hence she proposed the general adoption of the euphonious and appetizing term, cocoyam, as a collective trade name for Xanthosoma species. However, the term cocoyam has been used not only for Xanthosoma rather it has been used for both Xanthosoma and Colocasia (Lebot, 2009;Owusu-Darko et al, 2014;Osawaru and Ogwu, 2015).…”

“…Onwueme (1999) wrote in her book Cocoyam Cultivation in Asia and Pacific that taro (C. esculenta) should not be confused with the related aroid Xanthosoma species. Recently, molecular markers based studies have been applied to resolve cocoyam and taro (Doungous et al, 2015;Osawaru and Ogwu, 2015).…”

“…Early advances in ethnobotany provided us with utilitarian benefit of plants and on that basis plants were classified. Today, such documentation is essential for the conservation of earth"s vast biological resources (Osawaru and Ogwu, 2015). Knowledge on different qualities that affect the use, preparation and consumption is important to plant breeders because it is critical for the acceptance of new cultivars by consumers (Matthews, 2002).…”