Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

138 Potential for development and conservation of Dacryodes edulis

While fruit harvesting per se does not kill the tree, roasting or boiling the

fruit for consumption has a deleterious effects on the seed embryo. However,

Okafor and Okolo (1974) reported that germination was obtained with such

seeds. The intraspecific variations found in the trees and fruits (Okafor 1983;

Omaliko et al. 1998; Kengue et al. 2002) are clear indications of high prospects

for conservation. These include extending the period of fruit availability,

increasing the range of products and yield as well as choice of desirable traits,

pattern and season of yield. The shelf life is generally less than a week

(Aiyelaagbe et al. 1998), but it can be prolonged beyond eight days through

refrigeration (Okafor 1990). Under ambient conditions, some genotypes stay

beyond the normal period before deteriorating, a desirable trait for selection

of cultivars (Leakey 1999). Okafor (1990) reported an inverse relationship

between fruit length, mesocarp thickness and shelf life.

Okafor (1998) has successfully budded D. edulis, however, with some

difficulty because of the resinous exudates that makes cambial unification

between rootstock and scion difficult. Okafor (1998) advocated the adoption

of apical decapitation method, with similar advantages as in budding. However,

marcotting has been successful on D. edulis in Nigeria. This has similar

advantages as budding and decapitation. D. edulis is known to germinate easily

from seed, with over 80% cumulative germination between 10 and 21 days

after sowing (Okafor 1998).

The dietary contribution of D. edulis is enhanced because of its season of

availability, the ‘hungry season’ (Okafor 1998) when most staples such as yam,

cocoyam and rice are not mature. Potential commercial or industrial products

Photo 1. Fruit of Dacryodes edulis (Photo by H.G. Adewusi)

08dacryodes.p65 138 22/12/2004, 11:05