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   Fruits 73 (3) 141-152 | DOI: 10.17660/th2018/73.3.1
ISSN 0248-1294 print and 1625-967X online | © ISHS 2018 | Fruits, The International Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture | Original article
Participatory identification and characterisation of shea butter tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) ethnovarieties in Burkina Faso

A. Sandwidi1, B.O. Diallo1,a, N. Lamien1, B. Vinceti2, K. Sanon1, P. Coulibaly1, S. Paré1 and M. Sawadogo3
1 Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
2 Bioversity International, Rome, Italy
3 Université Ouaga I Pr. Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

SUMMARY
Introduction – Vitellaria paradoxa (shea) is an economically important edible oil-producing tree for local populations in African savannahs. However, domesticating these trees requires that scientific information is fully exploited. The objective of this study is to identify and characterize the different morphotypes of shea in three areas of Burkina Faso, assuming that the different varieties of shea are morphotypes for which the local populations hold the key to their description and their denomination. Materials and methods – This study used a participatory approach involving local communities in data collection, thus combining local knowledge with biometric measurements of shea fruit and leaves. The different variants of shea, classified according to local criteria, received the denomination of ‘ethnovarieties’ (EV). Data were collected over two years in three villages: Yarci, Yantenga and You. Results and discussion – Local communities use the characteristics of fruits and leaves to identify and describe EV. In the three study sites 13 EV were identified and classified in four groups: (i) Pulp/flesh fruits; (ii) Fruits with a high yield of almond butter; (iii) Pulp and butter fruits; (iv) Pulp fruits unfit for human consumption. Conclusion – Local people have a strong knowledge of shea morphotypes significant in the management of natural resources. Further study using molecular analysis of microsatellites would contribute to better understand the observed morphological variability.

Résumé
Identification et caractérisation participative des ethnovariétés de karité (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) au Burkina Faso.
Introduction – Vitellaria paradoxa (shea) is an economically important edible oil-producing tree for local populations in African savannahs. However, domesticating these trees requires that scientific information is fully exploited. The objective of this study is to identify and characterize the different morphotypes of shea in three areas of Burkina Faso, assuming that the different varieties of shea are morphotypes for which the local populations hold the key to their description and their denomination. Materials and methods – This study used a participatory approach involving local communities in data collection, thus combining local knowledge with biometric measurements of shea fruit and leaves. The different variants of shea, classified according to local criteria, received the denomination of ‘ethnovarieties’ (EV). Data were collected over two years in three villages: Yarci, Yantenga and You. Results and discussion – Local communities use the characteristics of fruits and leaves to identify and describe EV. In the three study sites 13 EV were identified and classified in four groups: (i) Pulp/flesh fruits; (ii) Fruits with a high yield of almond butter; (iii) Pulp and butter fruits; (iv) Pulp fruits unfit for human consumption. Conclusion – Local people have a strong knowledge of shea morphotypes significant in the management of natural resources. Further study using molecular analysis of microsatellites would contribute to better understand the observed morphological variability.

Keywords African savannah, shea, Vitellaria paradoxa, genetic diversity, morphological traits, traditional knowledge, underutilized species

Mots clés savanes africaines, karité, Vitellaria paradoxa, diversité génétique, caractères morphologiques, savoirs traditionnels, espèce sous-utilisée

Significance of this study

What is already known on this subject?

  • Shea tree is an oilseed endemic to Africa that grows naturally in African savannahs.
    There are two subspecies of Vitellaria paradoxa namely: (i) subsp. paradoxa in Western and central Africa, (ii) and subsp. nilotica in Eastern Africa.
    Within these two subspecies, there is a multitude of morphotypes.
What are the new findings?
  • This study established a varietal typology of shea trees based on endogenous knowledge.
    There is a strong phenotypic variability of the fruit observed in the park systems, despite the empirical selection made by the farmers.
    Local and scientific knowledge are complementary in the description of ethno-varieties.
    It is possible to go from the concept of ecotypes to the notion of varieties in the shea butter tree which is only at the beginning of domestication.
What is the expected impact on horticulture?
  • A total domestication of the shea tree is onwards, with assignment of ethno-varieties according to production objectives in food technology (butter, jam, beverage, syrup, etc.).
    Thanks to the knowledge of the nutritional values of each ethno-variety, the establishment of production plantations is currently underway in some localities.

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E-mail: ousboukdiallo@yahoo.fr  

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Received: 17 October 2017 | Accepted: 22 February 2018 | Published: 22 May 2018 | Available online: 22 May 2018

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