UN~LORED AND UEDE;RUTILIZED LEGUMINOUS TREE SPECIES IN

TRADLTIONAL_FAFLïINC

by Dr. S. C. Okafor

Forrstry Commission

P.M.B. 1028

mugu, Nigeria

Paper Presented At Thc Workshops on

Nitrogen Fixin& Trees; Blological Improvemcnt Of Soil, held in Dakar (Sanegal) 17-25 March, 1986

INTRODUCTION

In the "Flora of West Tropical Airica* (Hutchinson and Dalz:eT_+.

19%) revis& by Keay (1958), Leguminos8e is treated a8 an 3rdez

COU!priBing three distfnct families: Caesalplniaceae, Mimosaceae

and ?apillonaceee. However, the current namo for the Ordcr is

Lemminales while Fabaceee bas been indlcated as an alternative

name for papilionaceoe (iiutchinssn 1973).

Tho Order is coqmsed of trees, rhrubs or herbs;

with simple to bl>imatct leaves: actiaonorph&c to rygomorphic

fl&ers; free or pertially united petals; numerous to free stamens

which are free or varioualy connate but often dladelphous; carpe1

solitary and superior; fruit often a legume or indehiscent. rama4

tioes wlnged. Tnu fruit, fa therefore not l lways a leguam, which

otrlctly 1s defined as sa fruit fomed from a single carpe1 ond

dehiscent by bath the ventral rnd dorsal suturea so aa to separate

into two vel..e3* !R&chinaon 1973). However, plant species belong-

ing to any of the three families in the Order Leguminales are

dea'gnated ar leg4mes. The rùnts of such plants contain rhlrobia

which are capable of fixlng atmospheric aitrogen.

Leguzninous plants are also si @est importance because of

'thrir diatary, nutritional, econonic, sol1 conservation, timkr,

fuel, forage/fodder, ati çther non-wood values. These non-wood

values fnclude gums, drugs, oil, dyes, ornamentals and mfscella-

neous products. In addition to these uses, some legumes are also

of cultural, religious and Receral ethnobotanical significancc.

156

DespIte the antiqJIty of thoir domestication and utIlIratIon,

several 1egumInous tree specles In Tropical AfrIca are virtually

unexplored and cleariy underut:lIzed. Thls pap?r therefore reviews

th9 roles of such treesr

(1) Ic the tradltlcaal famjng systems

(2) as smroes of food for man and animais and

(3) 01 rural taocomy.

The cument prospects for the isprovment and enhancad utillzation

of tree legumes are also higbLIghted.

2. 33IyE OF LEGUMINOUS TRES IN TRADITIONW. FARMING SY=

2.1. DefinItIon of Famizig~Ryate!n

Haviq Indlcated the choractsrlstlcs nf iogumeo fn tbe Intro.

c_uctory section of this p9p9?, It Is nov r,ecac.srry to deiiDa

fsrmIng sy.stazl. Lt 1~ de::oed as a sgecific agricultural enter-

prloe s9tIsfyIag wcXi i9firrli cbzectives, IncludIng prodtactlon

of food, CbSh crops, Itvesto?k, raw materials for Industries etc.,

9%l InvolvIng var:xm kinds o, * Inputs and resources (such as land,

labeur, cs?Itai) topether with the practlces and op9ratIons rlth

-whIch they are mansged In dIff9ront holdIngs and in a giVen

envL-onzn~~tai -- & sattlng (Norma~ 1979, CkIgbo 1979, Rutherkrg 1971).

In the cor~pfsx tradItIona famîng syst9ms of tropical Nrica, a

specific fami oystem may thsrefore consist of one or morm subsy9tm5

eaoh of vhick 3-s dIffarrntlated from others In terms of physico-

chemical (;:oIis, vater. cilmate, nutrients), biological [trop, plat2 ._-

anIm1, pentsl, _-~b +**ImconomIc (labour, wrkets, prefsr+nPes, reli-

gion) trch~.~lcpIca~ ;r,ools, !cachIncs, practlces) and mL?gerf81

(koowledge, deolslon-makîng) oieaents lnvolved In tha agricultunll

pl9ductIon proceas (Oklgbo i9?9).

2.2. Maintenance of Soi1 ForZilIty

Agolnst ths above beckground, one of the important us9s of

19gueinous trees 1s SOI~ conservation ard fertlllty maiutsnance,

srIsIng from the fact that le-es g9nerally are ablc t0 fix

nltrogsn through syn;bIotIc nItrogen ffxation by ths rhizobia in

?heIr roots. Leguminous tracs csn therefore fulfI1this role as

157

components of fallows, and through organlc manures and mulches.

In this regard, the most widespread method of fertility maintenance

in traditIona farmlng systems of the humid tro?ics, as is well

knoull, 1s the bush fallow system. Thir system normally relies on

naturally gmwn fallow vegs*+: ",-Lon to recycle the nutrients and

restora fertility after CXTiJJ2iEg cycle. k planted fallow 0X trees

uould also serve this role even more efficiently siace the trees

codd sewe es *nutrient pumps~~ by brlnging up to the surface,

nutrients leached to the deeper soi1 horizons, in the form of leaf

lit%et and other plant residues (Grafnger 1980). When such fdlow

Yee cp=x;a .x-e Iz~xnss,,+by l&vntid alc 0 Èe of speclal importants

bec~usil tk:r ;~cvk. >ér.Wm tta auo1 roles of nitrogen fixation and

nutrient ra^ycCifn.g.

Some of ZilC le,~~Qlous traes and stkruL5 tiiat noy ba planted

in fallows or which exizt as dominant spe:!.o3 in faliows in tradi-

tional f3rmfng Sy3tQiZ:i 0: southrrn Nigeria for instance, inciude

knthonotha macrorh:-ila, Di2l:uz #n*ense, i;fzePia bella var. pelie, -- --

&erlinii grandiflcra, Alblzin z&-a, &. qla'ccrr~.ma, &. sdlenthifolLa, -

gaobfa ni?lda, Dalber&ia s~~still~, Lcu_hor.arous s?enescens, --

MiXl,et%a cboensis, 2. %o.2~~ii;, $iA*.xidia sesrun, Leucaena

IeucocephaIo and &ntacl5thre masroghvlle.

Tmprovement of fertiUti status ;i agricultural land fs thus

possible thrru.+ï additional amounts of nltrogen that could be addeC

to tbe fanaland ;by the tree lS@IUQ components sur-h as those ?i.3tei

;tCre. Ttr= c?.-ier Legumlnales therefore ofiers by fer the

F.':at.eyt .:;-fil,;? c x.' wcody specles for the traditlonal fa~Z.ing Sy3tabri

22. tWms 0: ~oriiiitp improvement and maintenance. goxever.

d~4Atrrgon fixaticn 1s not unlversally present in a11 memhërs of

!:tL prd-r?jr. :Q roported by Dair (194) out of the three fenilies

tty ma;x%ty of bath Mimosaceae and Papilionaceae arc known to flx

nitrogen as contrasted to only a smaller percentage of ?he member3

of Ceasaltlniaceae, & fer, very linited research hss b-en carrled

out on the dcvelopment of a le!.! of thrse species ard cn efficient

wq3 of managir. them in mord prod&tive and permanent cropping

syrtems (Ckafor 1978, 1979, 1981c; Kang et al. 1984) --

158

2.3. Other Us& of bec Le-es in the Traditlonal Famine S?ste~~

In addition to their role in maintenance of sol1 fertilisy,

legumlnous trees are also used in tradltlonal,farming systems as

ouith materlals. rtakes and structural materials, farmlng lmplements

and boundary plants (Gkafor 1979).

P?ulch Materials

Exemples of tree legumes which are colrpnonly used as mulch ln

the feI¶SS lnclude Pentaclethra macrnphylla, Dlallum gulneense.

TetreDleura tetraptera, Anthonotha macrophylla, Alblrla adlanthl-

follaand Berllnia nrandlflora. Those species vhich shed thelr

leeves qulckly from branchlets are mest popular. Yem mounds ere

ofkn QappedW with the twlga of such specles. Leaves of non-

legumlnous specles such as Oil pdlm'(Elaefs~~îneensis) are also

used es mulch.

Zrkcs and Structural Materials

VeriOUs SpeCieS of le,ytu:nous trees such as Aftrlra africana,

parkia 6pp., Fterocarpus spp., Pentaclethra macrophylla, Dlallum

guineense, Erythrlna seneaa1ensis grown in fanns and along bounde-

ries are used aa living stakes for support of dlfferent climblng

$G?c? plants such as Dloscorea spp., Tetracarpldbum conophorum,

Mucuna sloanel, Vlgna hn~o~e~ , Gongronema,latifolium. The

peler of 0. guineense and g. mecrophylla are elso used for cen&rue-

tlon of fart huts.

Fanslng Imlements l nd Utenslls

The woods OfmhrOnhleUn suaveolens, Afzelia afrlcena,

~rtohystegla spp., Dlalium gulneense, Berllnla spp. and Pentaclethra

~::~chylla, whlch ere very durable, are used for manufecturtig of

tiro handles (hoes and matchatsj and housaid titéisils (morters

and pestles, wooden spoons and forks).

Hedges and Boundary Planta

Leguminous trees and ahruba whoae branch cuttings and twigs

sprout easlly are sometimas planted as hedges and living fentes

f?r keeplng out domestlc livestock and poultry from gardens and for

dtiarcatlon of compound boundarleo, Such boundaryplants lnclude

159

:?*r3cu=r.:::, santalinoides, Erythrina sencgalansis, Cliriciciio

3. lT!?.mLM;uMEs i SOVR-OF FOOD FOR MAK AND LNIMALS . . 2.1. Human Food --

Leg~&s as sources of protein of higher biological value thaa

non-legumes mska slgniflcant contributions to local diet in

developing, non-industrlalized countries, where oonslneptlon of

anime1 protein 1s rether inrdequete (Roche 1974). In oucb

countrlea, tree legumes provide several iteme of food nsmalyt

(1) leefy vegatables (2) edible fruits and seeds (3) condiments

for thickening and flavourlng SOU~S. The distribution of t!r.c

srecies in compound, near fa*rms and out1y:r.g fanes (Okigbo 19$..,

Okefor 1975b). 1s related to their roles as Ïood. For exam'ple,

those located in compound fanes such as pterocarnus sp~.~ ir::-:.ide

r-rady food moterials while those in outlying fanes rr:r .req:l?_rs

processlng before being used. 2xamples of these fiai- Ltsns are

LndLceted belowr

(1) Le617 !ep;ttables -A

Young shoots and leaves of pterocarpus soyauxli, g.

mildbraedii. E. santalinoides are widely used as fresh vegetables

Leaves of Wzelia bella ver. belle and i;fzelis africane ers bath -.-

fermented and used also as vegetebles.

(ii) Edibla Fruits and Seeds

Fruit pulps of Dialium guineense and Parkfa biglobose, syn.

D. "'II -_: ;_Q _ppertonin?a (Hopklnsl983) Temarfndus indica are eatan tresh

er.6 elso used in preparetion of fruit drinks. The seeds of

fi;;iilo_lethra macronhylla (011 bean) are boiled, sliced, ferz.*nted

Ann. us& ln prcparatlon of native selads and as vegetable souce

for eating yem and cocoyom.

[iii) Condiments ana Clavourlng Agents --

Tba seeds of ?arkt? bielobosa, Prosonis africena (bath

feznented), Mzrlia africane, Brachystegia spp. and Detarium --

s;roc*rp:ee arr couaeonly used as flevouring and thfckoning agents

:? ::.o.oj _

160

In a.%%t3n i.2 t!,elr dietary contributions, the above Woody

IV ,LL\S *, : z.3 :zntsin appreciable amounts of protein, fats and vitamins . .

;~:+.fcr 198ï.c. Okigbo 1976) as indicated on Table I.

3.2. Animal Faed

Most households in the rufal areas of the humid tropics of :Je::

..fr%ce keep some gosts. sheep and poultry. Feeds for theso domestLG

liVestOck, especially thoae kept in pens, comprise browse plants,

PastWes, or tut fodder, kitchen ano household refuse, and Irait

residues. Several of the browse trees which bave been ldentifiiai

are legumea. These includo Diallum gulneenso, Baoh5.a ni.tida I --

_.4iu app., Berlinis sppr In the semi-arld.troplcs. Farkla

Oglobosa, Acacia alblda .&zelia airicana, Daniellia 01J.v2rf-, - P’ - _--...

Ta.~~srlndus indlca are among the trac legumas also com~~orl~* I!L+- 25

ixwae OP fodder (Okafor 198Ob). f. oomprehx,sf.Ye accourt oc trc?icti

fonds incluoing browses is available (FAO 1975).

Proximete composition of fodder sample, as ~~rc~r.'_a~~ ci <?y

matter, of Dlalium guineense ano nf the sbove brc:zn a+;Ié~ :.a

given on Table 1.

OUS TREES DJ RURAL ECOIZOXY

In addition to the uses of legumes in consctvatlon of the soi;.

ond maintenance of $011 fertllity, and other roloa fn the tradI-

tlonal farming q-i';,-me, as well es food for maxa xx! hk enimals,

legrrmlnous trees are also of great importance in 3xn3 if their

Contribution to the economy and culture of the rural people in the

trcpics. Ti:f3 protection and cultivation of some cf tha tree

ligUeeS are Ynus related to thelr generel fnportance and grest

i?hnoiotenlcrl signlffcance, aa souroea of timber, fuel, ct:awlng-

st:.:.aa F tanning meterials, guma, dyes, drugs, games, rclig:cJvs

r*:****5i:, artifacts, oracle, and ornamentals.

(i) Tinter and Firewood

Japortant commercial leguminous timbers of the huaid zropics

sr.?rrar*:.stegit spp., osun, Mrelia africzna, Farkia -----

ti_ù2or ..-- __", , .Rrrlinia sgp., Pentaclethra macrophylla, Pf.allz!! --S-M

ci_:'L<-*J:.;L: , P~l;i:~de~lastm africanum and Stemonocoin;ls ;zLrxanthc:. _ .S.__._- U _----

161

Thrse species can.LLso be used as firewood, especiaUy

pentaclethra mecrophylla and Dialium puineense. On the other

hsnd, Dialium pineense, Aftelia efricana, Prosonis-afrlcana and

Daniellia w are good sources of charcoal which are suitable

rot iron smelting (Lucas 1977). The fruit pods of Pentaclethra

~scronhylla are also used as fuel. Some quick-maturlng legumes

e.g. Cassis siamea, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaene leucocetihaia

ers l Iso grown for firewooà.

(fi) & hewlng Sticks

The tips of branchlets of some leguminous trees and shrubs

are chewed end used as tooth brush. These include Baphia natida,

Dialium pineense, and Millettia spp.

(iii) Tannin Materials

Tannin 1s one of the important non-wood products of trees.

It ia essential in local leother industry, especially in the

ssmi-arLd tropics. Irvine (1961) has provided a genorol list or tmnin producing trees. The legumes among them include Acacia

albida, 6. nilotica, &. polyacantha subsp. camnylacantha,

& sioberiana,' Periconsis *, hlbirla coriaria, Burkea

airicana, Parkia biglobosa, Pterocarpus erinaceus, p. osun,

0. aoyauxii, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Tamarindus lndica (Lucea

1977, Okafor 19Cld).

Lists*of some gum yielding species in Nigeria heve also

ksn compilsd (Soladoye 1977 and Okafor 196ld). The legumes

smong them are Acacia &, _& sieberiana var. sieberiane,

A. m, &. polyscenths subsp. cawylacantha. Ervthrophleum

susveolens, Brachystesla niserica, 2. eurycoma, 2. kennedyi,

Albirie ry&s, h. adianthifolia. Mtelia africane, Burkea

africane, Cynometra vogelif, Dgnklfi$ ogee, 0. oliveri,

Dialium puineenae, Detarium senegelense, Isoberlinia e,

pintadeniastrum africanum, Prosonis africçna, Pterocarvuq

erinaceus, p. santalinoides and Tamarindus indica.

162

The indigo dye which is widely used in local textllee io

B W m&onchocarl3ys vaneseeu f&c=&m anQgc&

whlch is often protected or cultivated for this purpose. The

berk, leaves ond twigs of onother lcguminous shrub, Indigofora

arrecta, also provide dyes. The roots of Cassia aleta are used --

in tattoo-like skin dyeing, while the heartwood of Benhîa nitlda.

~erocaroup 05yp. p. gpvawcii yield oemwocd, which is ground to

produze reddish dye uaed for cosmetic purpcaes. Leanes of

Mucuna slocnei, a woody climber are used for colnrrring emd --

beautifying mud walls aad floors.

(vi) Dru~s

blany leguminous plants found under cultfvation or im fhe

wlld in the humid troplcs are used In folk medlcine oc SS sources

&~r.rge SS4 &occtid.doe (Qklgho IgfO, Oliver 1960). L more

recent rtudy (Okafor 1984) has ldentifled 228 spsoier mf euch

medic:.nal plants, comprlsing 120 genera, representlng 66 flovering

PlentS, of whlch the familles with the grratest number of species

(i .e. those with 4 species snd over) included Papilfarreceee

(wlth 10 spp.), Caesalnlniacese (5 spp~) and Mimosaceme (4 spp.).

It was also found that the following legumes provlded cure for tbe

U&ents shown agafnst them: Lonchocalpus cyanescene (ulcer;

scebles) Pterocarcus santallnoides, (stomach ache) Tetreuleure

tet;aotere (convulsion), Cadanua celan (meeslea), Cesmia alate,

(ecreme), pentaclethra macrophylla (malarle), Diallm guineease

(dtcfihoea). Liso, sccording to Lucss (19771, the foXlowf.ng

legumes are also used locslly as medicinal herbar Mconsis

laxiflora (for teething troubles in children), Llbim5.e zygia

(skln diseases lncluding yews), Cyllcodlscus gabunensls (vapour

from berk inhaled for cure of cold and fever), Daniellie ollver%

(tooth ache; colic), Distemonanthus benthamianus (skin rash),

Perkie bicolor (pulverished bark used in dressing woulds), --

Pintadeniastrum africanum (used as an enema, tooth acbe),

pterocarpus erinaceus (fever and dfarrhoea). Plants of tbe

163

Tephrosia spp. and Erythrophleun suavealeus are sometimes grown

in eompound farms for use as fish poison.

(vii) Cames

Seeds of legumes are sometimca used for playing games, for

exemple Caesalpinia bonduc and Mucuna sloanei. --

(viii) Religious worship, artifacts 2nd Oracle

Several species of legumes are 21~0 sources of traditional

religiouq artifacts. Such species ara frequently protected or

grown, and are used as fetish in sacred graves. These species

include Bauhia nitida, Pterooarous s, p. soyauxii. p.-

rildbraedii, Detarlum microcarpum, 0. senegalense, Erythrins

senegalensis. The articulated branches of Detarium spp. are of

5peciïl significance in heathen worship. The shell of fruits

(endocarp) of Detarium spp. are also used as items of oracle

(soot'-raying).

(ij) Ornemental Plants

?;any leguminous trees and shrubs are excellent ornamentals

becaxe of their beautiful flowers, colourful Young leaves, and

shede. Legumes of the tropicscommonly grown as ornamentals

inc1uc.e Cassis nodosa, 2. sieberlana, c. siamea, Bauhinia spp.. --

klbiz:.a spp., -_ Delonix regla, Baphia nitida, Eryt hrina spp.

aenanthera pavoniana, Millettia spp., Lfzelia africane, A. belle --

ver. belle, Brachystegia spp., Parkla biglobosa, Pentaclethra

mecrophylla, Tamarindus indica, Pterocarpus santalinoides,

Dlstemonanthus benthamianus (wlth red bole).

5. prosPprcrS FOR ~OVEMENT AND EN&JCED UTILIUTION

5.1. Potential for Selection

The very great potential for selection and improvement of

leguminous trees, which has been ldentified in the course of #e

work done on indigenous West ;Jrican fruit and multipurpose trees

in Nigeria (Okafor 1981c, 1982b) relates particularly to the

following features:-

164

a) a great deal of variability observod within some of the species

b) phenological differences in their leaf flush;

c) tha incidence of precocity in ternis of early flowerlng.

(a) Speciea Diversity

The great range of specles of tree legumes ln

tropical West Kirica. and their corresponding multlfarious

classes of food item and other useful products &d roles,

as indîcetad earlier, illustrate one aspect of their

diversity. The other aspect is the existence of discer-

nlble fruit forms, which owing to leck of correlation

wlth other characters bave, however, not been recognlzed

as distinct taxa. For example, four fruit fonns are

discernible in Pentaclethra macrophylla namely (i) long +

broad (ii) long + narrow (iii) short + broed and

(iv) short + narrow. Similarly, a study of the local

uariation in Parkia biglobose (syn. p. clapziertoniana)

and prosoDis africena bas also showntit~ variation

in the slze and shap~ of pods and seeds, respectively~

(Okafor 1980b). The existence of intraspecific varia-

tion, ruch as in these species, increase their genetic

base and is therefore useful in their selection,

breeding and utilization (Whîtmore 1976, OkaZor 1978).

tb) Phenological dlfferences

Some leguminous tree specles exhibit distinctive

patterns of leaf flush. For instance, lt is a well

known fact tbat trees of &acla elblda bave the peau- --

liarity of bearing new leavea only in the dry seawn

whila belng more or less leafless durlng the ralns.

Some trees of Pentaclethra macrophylla are elso leafleas

during the reiny season. ha reported by Okafor (19808)

trees of Pterocarpus soyeux11 and g. mildbraedil appear

to differ in thclr petterns of leaf flush; the former

sheds its old leaves and produces new flushes almost

spontaneously, especlally during the dry season, while

165

the latter does SO lntermittently throughout the Yeef,

including durlng the rainy season. The variability in

the phenology of leaf flush in acacia olbida and --

Pentaclethra UiaCrODhylla fs si&ficant for agroforestry,

whlle that of pterocalpus spp. has both economlc and

utilizstion implications.

(e) precocious Flowering

Esrly flowering within 2-J years hes beau observed

in s few seedlings of Tamarindus m rJ Tetraaleura

tatreDtera. The potentlsl value of such materiel in

future improve&ent work remsins to be axplored.

5.& Develoamcnt af ère Techniaoas

One of the major aspects of the work on jzxiigenoum fruit

trou, including legumes, referred to obove, 1s the deuelopmeat of

propagation procedureb for the plants, in order to anhance their

popaerity, economlc potentials and contînued and regular produ+

*b, $a tradM@naL snd futurs farming systems. The methods of

pra9sgation SO fsr ae&ully developed portsin to the vegetstive

ones, consisilng of budding (budgrafting) and stem cut*f&gs

(Oksfor 1978).

For early flouering, it wes consfdered crucial to collect

Uwood and cuttlngs materisl, used in the exercise, from the

exposed crown of selected adult trees, which hed compencad

rruiting. This is in compliance with the phenomenon of cycloDhysls

(Oleson 1978). The corresponding phenomenon of topo9hysis could

elso be of practical vslue in developing cuttings whicb would

develop plegio-tropic growth habit. For example, in pterocarpus

spp* it 1s possible to produce bushy, early flushing trees, tbst

are convcaient to hervest, at low heights. Apics pruning was

9reliminsrily found to be useful in Parkla biglobosa, with some

pruned trees fruiting In four years.

The results of the vegetative propagation investigationa

(Oksfor l981o) SO far indicate that at least 26 species of

iadîgenous food trees, in the humid tropics, are buddable using

166

hfftelia afrlcana

k. bella var. bells Detarium microcarpum

Dialium nuineense

Perkia blnlobosa (syn. p. clappertoniana)

Pentaclethra macrophylla

Pterocarpus mlldbroedli

p. santalinoides

p. soyauxfi

Tetrapleura tetraptera

Out of these, budded trees, of 0. guineense and E. mscrophylla

lasva produced viable fmits in about 3 years. Similarly, out of

the 17 species of Woody food plants which have beau successfully

propagsted by adult stem cuttings, the tree legumes include

Detart- microcaroum, Dialium -_ gu ineense, Pterocarpus mildbraedil.

p. Etallnoides and p. soyauxfi. 1. leguminous non-food tree,

E?ythrina seneRalensis, is also easily propagated by stem cuttinga.

Stern cuttings of 0. pineense have produced flowers withln two

years.

5.3. gnhenced Utilization of Leguminous Trees

a) Convenirnce Foods

Fzuits and seeds of some tree legumes cari,, because of

their nutritional status, be used in production of enriched

convenience food products. For example, procasse& fruit

juice cari be prepored from pulp of Dlalium gulneense, parkia

biglobosa (both rich in Vitamln C) and Tamsrindus indfca.

F’ruit Jam axxi Jelly cari also be made from 0. yineenae.

The protein rich seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla cari also

be prepared into flour and explcred in food fortifications.

Vegetables of Pterocarpus spp. (also rich in protein) CE~

be processed, and packaged, as In froren spinach, to extend

the perlod of availabillty and reduce wastage. The processed

and fermented seeds of Psrkla blulobosa snd Prosopls

africana, which are extensively used as flavouring agents

167

fU3o&@s, in a11 parts of Nigeria, cen be more approprtately

packa&ed H ia %!aggie cubee*. These food producis whleh

lmve graat 6cmom2c and împort substitution potenttsls,

owht therefore to be more fully explored 6nd utilitod.

h) k~fOre'6trY i@iC6tiOn6

Inteneified u6e Of legwiaoU6 treer wlthin the faming

6y6tem6 16 justifiable because of their nitrogen fixation

ability, a6 well a6, their ovwall colo & #-km

md fertllity meltatenance. For b6tSnCe. it 16 COIpmon

knowladge~tb6ttreee of.--. gOaOi6 elbide,

p6OB44 efrfceQQJ&a dcb significent sormnat~

Ua6 soil thetcropr gzmm oloae tothem, inttm f6rm6,

perforw &Mer ttm thore growa farther 4weyI sIrmthr&

&&ba&&&~~~~rryaS- bOd a6 f8llOW 6peCie6 in SOuthee6tera Nigeria on SCCOLIDt

of thalr fertilfty rertoretion abillty, a6 well ea, thee

multlferiotu u6e6 (Oklgbo 1976). In this conneetlon, treeo

Of & macloDhYiia which 6r6 686OOiStad With the development

of a 6peoial muehroom, elro provide wrapping leeves which

ara important, locally, in peckaglng of fenuented food

prOduCt6.

hrisig from t&a ebove feeturea sud cepebilitiee of

tree lewe6, lt 16 now nece66uy to develop cropplag

6y6tem6 UhiCh. 6hould SnhSnCS thae UtuZ6tiOXh 6& COli’&ibu-

tiO!l6 in tb fa- 6y6telM in thS trOpiC6. time Of the

6pecie6 are promislng for the hlley cropplng ryeter. They

6hoUld tharefore be used ln Sddltion, or in place of,

&eUcSeru 1aucooaMela 6~x4 Gllrlcldio S~D~WCI (KSng et Sl

19&) a6 dicteted by tha pnveillng adaphic, 6ocîo-e00n0mf6

l nd Culturel condition6 of the area. -ample6 of promlshg

leguminow woody 6pecle6, for alley cropping, include

Penteclethra mecrODhYlle, hcaeie elblde, Psrkla blnlobose, --

pr060~16 efricena, Anthonothe mecro~hylle, Casela 6femee. --

Dlalium guineense, Be~llnle grandiflore, Btiphie nitida,

&lbirie gleberrime, k. rygla, f~zelle belle ver. belle end

Pterocarpua 6entalinoides. l .*/l4

168

In addition to the use of such leguminous trees, in alley

cropping, they should also be more intenslvely used as

"farm trees" and planted fallows (Okafor 1982a. 1989),

within the traditional farming systems.

CONCLUSIONS AM) RECO~JDJ~TIONS

6.1. General Conclusions

Rom the foregoing the following general conclusions cari be

dramt-

1.

2.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Several leguminous tree species make signlflcant contribu-

tions to the protein supplies and other esaential nutrienta

of people in tropical West hfrica.

1: is wfdely acknowledged that legumlnous trees olso make

substantial contributions to soll conservation and fertllity

u.lintanance, through nitrogen fixation. nutrient recycllng,

ed suppliesof organio manuras and muluhes.

L~gumfnoua tracs also provide various necessary materiela

$0* the tradltional farming systems.

I'mumerable miscellaneous useful products are alto derived

f?om tree legumes.

.Kmy of the specles exhibit great variablllty in plant types,

CC different yield potentials.

Techniques of vegetative propagation which have been develope4

for some of the treea, are capable of lmprovlng thelr yleld

and reducing their age and height to facllitate harvestlng.

For exemple budding 62 Pentaclethra macrophylla (011 bean)

has reduced the period of bearing irom 6-7 yearr to 3-4 yearr.

There are greet potentialities for preparation of._convenience

fo0d product8 from fruits, seeds and vegatables of tree

legumesr

There are therefore greot prospects for improvement,

enhamcad utllltation, and realitation of full potentiala of

legwses, towards improved standard of living, and well being

of the people In tropical West Mrica.

169

6.2.. Research Needs for develooment

Deapite the above prospectsLand poten~lalltlea of tree

legrnnea, in the farpaing systems and rural economy in tropical

Ueat Urice,. hi&h priority should be gfven in reaearch to the

followingr -

1.

2..

3.

4.

5.

6.

Economie appraisal of the leguminoua tree speciea identi-

fied: fn this paper, 1s now necesaary, since nost of them,

~11th. exception of parkia biglobeaa. Tamarindua indlca, and

Acscia app- are not yet w fully explored and utilfred.

Nltrogen flxation studiea and use of tree legumea in soi1

conservation and fertllity maintenance, including develop-

ment of cropping ayatems eg. alley cropping.

-1 prapsgation methoda, including controlled pollina-

tien, to take advantage of the results of vegetative

propagation studiea.

Studp of foad values tkough proxîmate analyaia of varioua

adfble-parts.

Stdiea of pxvoeaaing and storego of eonvenîence food

pmducts.

Eennplaam collections and evaluatioo, of aa maay relevant

apeeiaa $6 poaaible.

170

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173

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