The Domestication of Fruit and Nut Tree Species in Vanuatu, Oceania - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 134

these morphotypes because of cross-pollination. Only breadfruit and golden
apple ( Spondias cytherea ), which may also be propagated by asexual means,
provide morphotypes with stable names. Certain species with particular fruit
characteristics, for example Syzygium malaccense , will, however, produce the
same morphotype in the absence of vegetative propagation. Continuous
selection of the same morphotype, one generation after another, has produced
cultivars that have particular traits and are easily distinguishable by their fruit
colour, nut shape and other morphological characters.
Farmers observe slight variations in the form, taste, colour and size of the
fruits that they are consuming and have a marked tendency to conserve each
distinct morphotype for preference, necessity or prudence purposes, and
sometimes just for the sake of having orchards exhibiting variation. Some
farmers have developed their own collections that include morphotypes not
known to other people and that they will use to exchange with new ones,
thereby increasing diversity. They also preserve them by necessity because some
are early-maturing while others are late-maturing, thereby extending the
consumption period. Certain morphotypes of species such as Artocarpus altilis
and Inocarpus fagifer also cook more rapidly than others. Since all do not have
the same taste, each one is therefore a slightly different food. Some
morphotypes are also more resistant than others to diseases, and risk
management is important when one considers the frequency of natural disasters
in this part of the world, such as landslides, cyclones, El Niño and tsunamis.
The practice of selecting and assembling the best morphotypes has resulted
in a major transformation of the landscape. The fruiting trees are found mainly
in or near villages, gathered into small plantations, near the subsistence
gardens whose boundaries they mark. They are often assembled in orchards,
where they represent an artificial population composed of individuals differing
in provenance. The flow of genes is not controlled but the system is obviously
efficient in generating diversity.
Obviously, the most appreciated morphotypes are propagated more
frequently than the others and are therefore more abundant. The least utilized
are sometimes, but not always, cut out. There is therefore an ongoing erosion
of genetic stock in favour of genotypes that correspond to local tastes and
needs. As molecular data are not available it is difficult to assess the extent to
which inbreeding depression may narrow the genetic base in this insular
environment. It is also difficult to correlate morphological variation with
geographical distribution and centres of origin. Since these species have a long
lifespan, generally exceeding that of humans, it is difficult to determine the
genealogy of the morphotypes and their names will disappear with them.
Because in most cases these species have been introduced on these Oceanic
islands from voyaging canoes, studies using molecular markers might indicate a
significant bottleneck on each island (Lebot, 1999).
In the long term, it might be interesting to develop in situ management of
these resources with the participation of farmers. After all, they have already
demonstrated their ability to generate diversity and to preserve it. Their
traditional management system could be greatly improved by introducing into
their orchards new alleles originating from exotic germplasm, which will