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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
2Laboratoire de Botanique et Ecologie Végétale (LaBEV), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC)
3Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources, Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa, Polytechnic University of Abomey, BP 14 Dassa-Zoumè, Benin
Banana and plantain are important economic and food crops in Togo but neglected by scientific research and development programs. Its production is still marginalized and its diversity is unknown. To assess the varietal diversity of both Banana and plantain at the community level and define strategies for its management, 36 villages and 188 households were selected and surveyed using participatory research appraisal tools (questionnaire) and techniques (focus group discussion, individual survey, field visit). A total of 113 farmer-named varieties were recorded among which 57 banana varieties and 56 plantain varieties. The number of the local varieties found varies from3 to 12 with an average of 8 per village. The analysis of distribution revealed that on average 3 varieties per village are grown by many households on large area and considered as elite varieties. In the villages where some varieties are threatened, the rate of endangered varieties varies from 16.75% to 75% with an average of 40.07%. The principal reasons of diversity loss identified were of agronomic, economic and nutritional nature. Producers’ varietal preferences criteria and production constraints were also documented.
Participatory evaluation,
Plantain,
Togo,
Varietal diversity
