Aikpokpodion Peter O., Badaru Kolawole, Kolesnikova-Allen Maria, Ingelbrecht Ivan, Adetimirin Victor O., Eskes Albertus.
2005. Farmer-researcher participatory on-farm selection of improved cocoa varieties : The nigerian experience.
In : Proceedings of the International workshop on cocoa breeding for improved production systems, 19th-21th October 2003, Accra, Ghana. Bekele Frances L. (ed.), End Michelle (ed.), Eskes Albertus (ed.). INGENIC, CRIG
Résumé : Selection of superior progenies for release and distribution to farmers is often done on-station within researcher-managed breeding trials. From an on-going study on the collection of germplasm in farmers' plots carried out in all three cocoa growing regions in Nigeria, several findings which have great implications for a successful breeding programme and ultimate adoption of research results by farmers were obtained. From interactions with more than 120 farmers in over 200 farm units, we found that although farmers show some interest in improved materials distributed from research stations, they often select outstanding trees on their earlier established plantations as the source of planting materials for new plantings and rehabilitation of old plots. Farmers were able to identify outstanding trees on their farms, e.g. for yield and black pod resistance and low vigour trees amenable to high density planting, indicating their ability to monitor and select proven individual trees. Analysis of their selection criteria shows that the most important factor for the farmers is the tree yielding capacity, irrespective of its disease resistance potential. The yield capacity is defined in two terms: number of fruits produced per harvest round within a season and number of harvest rounds per fruiting year. Farmers tend to select trees that produce ripe pods throughout the year, and particularly those that produce appreciable number of pods during the off-season (dry months of January to March). The elimination of spraying costs and provision of some income at this time outweigh the reduced bean size, in the farmers' consideration. In terms of selection for black pod resistant materials, farmers were able to identify less susceptible trees. They identified related traits, such as very thin pod husk and medium rugosity of the pod wall. In the farmers' opinion, local materials from the West African Amelonado population were more resistant to Phytophthora pod rot than the Amazon cocoa, though the latter was higher yielding. Farmers were able to differentiate between Amazon and Amelonado cocoa using phenotypic characteristics such as pod size and shape, pod content (pod-filling) and tree vigour. The implication of these findings is that there is a need for a shift in breeding strategies to incorporate 'expert' farmers in a more dynamic selection process, making use of the potential of the genetic resources conserved in farmers' plots.
Mots-clés Agrovoc : Theobroma cacao, participation, amélioration des plantes, sélection, recherche à la ferme
Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Nigéria
Classification Agris : F30 - Génétique et amélioration des plantes
Auteurs et affiliations
- Aikpokpodion Peter O., CRIN (NGA)
- Badaru Kolawole, CRIN (NGA)
- Kolesnikova-Allen Maria, IITA (NGA)
- Ingelbrecht Ivan, IITA (NGA)
- Adetimirin Victor O., University of Ibadan (NGA)
- Eskes Albertus, CIRAD-CP-CACAO (FRA)
Autres liens de la publication
Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/527688/)
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