Ecology and Biology of Uapaca kirkiana, Strychnos cocculoides and Sclerocarya birrea in Southern Africa - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 335

establish because of erratic germination and prolonged after-ripening effects in
seeds. The length of storage has been shown to affect the germinability of
seeds, and this varies with provenance (Mkonda et al. , 2004). In earlier studies,
Taylor et al . (1996) showed that propagation by seed was successful, giving
germination rates of 80% in 3 and 9 weeks in summer and winter, respectively.
The performance of S. cocculoides was reported to be good under on-station
trials at Msekera station in Zambia; survival was 75% across provenances but
contrasting results were reported under farmer management, with survival
declining from 60% at 9 months to 10% at 15 months (Mkonda et al. , 2004).
Provenance trials established from seedlings in Zambia started to produce fruits
after 5 years. Taylor et al. (1996) reported the response of S. cocculoides to
fertilizer application. An average fruit load of 96 kg/ha per tree has been reported
by Mateke (2004) in Botswana. Fruit number raged from 258 to 946 per tree, the
highest number being obtained for the Paje provenance. While cuttings have been
able to sprout under 50% shade in 3 weeks, root development was reported to be
poor. In Malawi, trees raised from seeds yielded fruits after 4 or 5 years, while in
Botswana the period to fruition was within 3 years (Taylor et al. , 1996).
18.3 Summary
In this chapter we have summarized the biology and ecology of three key
priority miombo fruit trees identified for southern Africa and their potential for
domestication. Constraints such as lack of knowledge of the biology, ecology
and propagation of indigenous fruit trees as reasons for not cultivating them
have been substantially addressed in the last 10 years. Thus, domestication can
be seen as a tool for saving these species from extinction and increasing their
productive value to their users, and involves selection and management.
Through the propagation and cultivation of indigenous fruit trees on farms,
there are opportunities to further exploit the economic potentials of the three
species discussed here.
However, more research is needed to develop appropriate management
protocols for U. kirkiana , S. birrea and S. cocculoides in the region. ICRAF
Southern Africa has been doing provenance testing of the three species. For U.
kirkiana and S. cocculoides , some superior clones have been identified and
captured vegetatively using participatory selection in Zambia and Malawi. The
current challenge is to develop ideotypes for the market that have fewer seeds or
are seedless, with improved fruit taste and reduced skin thickness, but this requires
more strategic research tailored to the consumers' needs and preferences.