Survival, growth performance and reproductive biology of Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev., a high valued indigenous fruit tree species in Ghana

Abstract

The genus Allanblackia consists of multipurpose, valuable non-timber forest tree species found in the rain forest zones of Africa. The seed oil of Allanblackia spp. has a high commercial value and demand for industrial purpose amounting to [100,000 kg oil per year. Wild harvesting from Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania cannot meet the market demand for Allanblackia oil, hence the need for domestication. A genebank of A. parviflora A. Chev. was established in Ghana in July 2007 for conservation of the genetic resources of the species and for future use in its domestication programme, using 406 seedlings derived from collections made from eight different populations in three different provenances in Ghana. Six years after establishment, the survival rate, growth parameters (height and diameter), reproductive biology (flowering and fruiting behaviour, flower colours and sex ratio of the trees) were assessed. The mean survival rate was 73.65 %. There was no significant difference in mean tree height (cm) (F = 1.017, df = 7, P [ 0.05) and mean diameter at breast height (F = 1.683, df = 7, P [ 0.05) among the populations. Mean tree height (F = 0.309, df = 2, P [ 0.05) and mean diameter at breast height (F = 0.686, df = 2, P [ 0.05) were also not significantly different among the provenances. There was a highly significant positive correlation between the volume of the tree and the number of fruits per tree (R = 0.483, P \ 0.0001), suggesting that fast growth could be an index for productivity and should be considered during selection.

Diversity, Chemical Composition, and Domestication Potential of Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev. in West Africa

“…In Liberia, the wood (usually called lacewood) is traditionally used in house construction for walls, doors and window frames [29]. It is a potential candidate species for use in agroforestry systems due to its attributes as an alternative income source as well as its ability to provide shade to other crops such as cocoa [45]. The pounded bark can be rubbed on the body to relieve pain.…”

“…The seeds, when harvested in large quantities for export, could serve as an important income generation source for producing countries. Market value chains for Allanblackia seeds collected from wild stands and/or remnants from farmlands have been developed by Unilever (which provides a guaranteed price for harvested seeds) and other commercial parties in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Tanzania [21,45,48]. Aside from the increase in livelihood opportunities for farmers participating in this rural-based enterprise, it also contributes to biodiversity conservation in these landscapes.…”

Caregiver Experience in Potty Training Children with Down Syndrome

“…Children with Down syndrome learn more slowly than others and have difficulty speaking and understanding other people's touch cues. 5 Children with Down syndrome experience delays in cognitive development between the ages of six months and two years. The cognitive capacity of children with Down syndrome is not comparable to children in general.…”