Domestication and sustainable use of genetic resources of a native tree with high economic potential in Ghana

Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev., an underutilized fruit tree species commonly found in tropical rainforest of West Africa, has potential for integration into agroforestry systems for economic and environmental benefits. The seed oil of A. parviflora is considered economically important but wild fruits collection produces an average of 40 tons of oil annually. However, over 100,000 tons of Allanblackia seed oil is needed annually by food and cosmetics industries. The need to domesticate and conserve A. parviflora to ensure adequate sustainable supply of seed oil and to sustainably manage the genetic resources is therefore critical. This paper reviews the current state-of-the art on domestication and sustainable use efforts of Allanblackia. Propagation methods have been developed to encourage large scale commercial cultivation, include grafting, rooting of stem cuttings and research into improved seed germination. Range-wide germplasm collection has been undertaken leading to establishment of 140 accessions in a gene bank for future source of germplasm. Mother blocks, i.e. established plots consisting of grafts, seedlings and cuttings, have been established at Rural Resource Centres with 58 elite clones, which have been recommended for distribution to farmers. The diversification of cropping systems to include A. parviflora trees is projected to contribute to community livelihoods development and poverty reduction through large-scale production and supply chain development of the species. Furthermore, the integration of A. parviflora into agroforestry systems is important for the conservation of the genetic resources of the species.

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4236/ojf.2015.57060

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