Towards a Domestication Strategy for Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 35

reported (e.g. Amin and Jaiswal, 1993), but the mechanism remains unclear. In
vitro micrografting has also been used to rejuvenate shoots (Ewald and
Kretzschmar, 1996).

2.3 Developing a Strategy for Clonal Selection

Cultivar development relies on three processes: selection, testing and breeding.
Selection identifies certain genotypes for cultivar development; testing exposes
the new cultivars to appropriate environments; and breeding creates new genetic
variability. Within the overall domestication strategy, three interlinked populations
are conceptualized: the gene resource population, the selection population, and
the production population (Fig. 2.2). The gene resource population is often the

AGROFORESTRY
CONTEXT

Non-clonal
Techniques

Domestication Strategy Clonal Techniques

Strategy for
Vegetative
Propagation

Strategy for Clonal
Selection

Strategy for Genetic
Resources

Genetic diversity

•

• Juvenile vs Mature

• Indigenous knowledge

Choice of techniques

• • Ideotypes

• Predictive Test

• Low tech vs High tech

• Stockplant management

Gene Resource
Population

Selection Population
Field trials

WILD TREES
Unproven seedlings

• Initial screening

• Candidacy testing

• Clonal performance

Proven mature trees

• Compatability trials

------------------------
GENE BANKS
In situ conservation BREEDING

Production
Population
Agroforestry
practices

Ex situ conservation

Circa situ conservation

Fig. 2.2. Relationships between a domestication strategy, a genetic resources strategy and
strategies for vegetative propagation and clonal selection.