Sustainable management of a natural threatened resource: The case study of Vepris heterophylla (engl.) Letouzey (rutaceae) in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon

Useful trees are believed to be threatened. However most evidence about these concerns is anecdotal. The objectives of the study were to document uses of Vepris heterophylla (Engl.) Letouzey, management patterns, determine its population structure and assess the influence of mountain sides in the sudanosahelian zone of Cameroon. The study was carried out using ethnobotanical and quantitative ecological methods. The results showed that the species was found to be multipurpose and produced six different products and services. The most mentioned services were conservation of the foodstuffs and medicine. Community responses indicated that the species became rare and there were no strategies developed to preserve it. The quantitative inventory supported this community view: the species had a low density (28.8 individuals/ha) and a weak size class distribution with calculated least-squares regression slopes of a1=-0.435 (Sahelian section) and a2=-0.263 (Sudanian section). The opposition of the side had an influence on the population (÷2=33.15; df=9; P <0.001). The species appeared to be threatened by the overexploitation and poor attitude to its conservation. Respondents claimed that they were not interested in conserving it because they lacked propagation materials and skills. The sensitization and the domestication of the plant should be considered urgently.Keywords: Vepris heterophylla, Threatened species, Sustainable management, Sudano-sahelian zone, Opposition sides

Predominant melliferous plants of the western Sudano Guinean zone of Cameroon

Between September 2003 and March 2005, melissopalynological methods were used to access the predominant melliferous plants (PMP) in 104 honey samples collected from the Soudano Guinean highlands zone of west Cameroon. A total of 19 PMP from 11 families were identified, Asteraceae is the most represented. Trees and herbs were frequently exploited. Spontaneous PMP were more represented. Perennial PMP were highly visited by Apis mellifera adansonii. PMP with white colour flower are the most utilized by bees compared to other colours. When seasonal exploitation was considered, the proportion of PMP exploited in the rainy season was higher. Eucalyptus saligna, Terminalia mantaly and Pterocarpus soyauxii were frequently exploited.Key words: Apis mellifera adansonii, melliferous plant, predominant, harvested

Physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of honey from the sudano-guinean zone of West Cameroon

The physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of honey from the sudano-guinean zone of West Cameroon were determined. The indices obtained were within their respective ranges recorded forhoney in temperate countries, except for calcium content whose value was on the upper side of its reference range. A bacterial type and eight fungi species contamination were found to have contaminated the honey from the local markets. However, there were no microbes present in honey harvested from the Bee Research Farm of the University of Dschang. This indicated contamination from secondary sources, during handling and or adulterations of honey from our local markets. Honey used in this study showed medium crystallisation tendency and granulation was faster when stored under dark than light at similar conditions. The mixed floral or nectar sources, fluctuating environmental conditions and processing procedures played major roles in the physico-chemical differences observed between the local and temperate honeys