Observations on in vitro behaviour of the zygotic axes of fluted pumpkin

Fluted pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis Hook. f., is an important leaf and seed vegetable and a local medicinal plant across West Africa. Many biological constraints have become potent threats to the existence of the plant necessitating an urgent need to collect and conserve the existing narrow genetic diversity. However, conservation by seed storage is impossible because the seed is recalcitrant, that is desiccation- and chilling-sensitive. Micropropagation is the only immediate alternative option for the conservation of fluted pumpkin germplasm. In order to facilitate this, the behaviour of excised embryonic axes and shoot tips of fluted pumpkin under in vitro conditions were investigated. Systemic infection of seeds from field led to frequent and high microbial contamination in culture. There was interaction between the type of microbial contamination and the storage environment of seeds prior to excision of the axes. Axes greened under low light intensity and root growth was dependent on the orientation of the axes. In general, zygotic axes of the plant are easy to grow in vitro under a range of nutrient media and culture condition

Influence du mode de plantation sur la production de Sesamum radiatum (Lin.), un légume feuille traditionnel en domestication au Bénin

Sesamum radiatum est un légume feuille traditionnel de cueillette très consommé au Bénin. La culture de l’espèce nécessite la mise au point de technique de production adaptée. La présente étude vise à déterminer la technique de plantation la plus appropriée pour une meilleure productivité de l’espèce au Bénin. L’essai a été réalisé sur le site expérimental de l’AfricaRice au sud-Bénin dans un dispositif de bloc aléatoire complet (BAC) comportant cinq traitements et quatre répétitions. Les traitements sont les suivants : T1 = plants repiqués 20 jours après semis (JAS) en pépinière; T2 = plants repiqués 25 JAS en pépinière ; T3 = plants repiqués 30 JAS en pépinière ; T4 = plants repiqués 35 JAS en pépinière ; T5 = semis direct. Les résultats ont montré que les plants repiqués 25 jours après semis en pépinière ont produit plus de feuilles (P < 0,05) à chaque récolte sur l’ensemble de l’essai. Le rendement en feuilles de S. radiatum a été supérieur à celui des tiges.Mots clés: Sesamum radiatum, mode de plantation, Bénin, meilleure productivit&#233

Evaluation agronomique de trois espèces de Egusi (Cucurbitaceae) utilisées dans l'alimentation au Bénin et élaboration d'un modèle de prédiction du rendement

Agronomic evaluation for three Egusi species (Cucurbitaceae) used as food in Benin and model analysis for yield prediction. Six varieties of Egusi from three species of cucurbit were evaluated for the fruit and the seed yield at the Agricultural Research Centre of Niaouli (South-Benin). Using randomised blocs, the agronomic characters such as the germination percentage, the fl owering date, the number of fruit per plant, the average fruit weight, the weight of 1,000 unhulled seed, the weight of 1,000 hulled seed, the ratio kernel/seed, the fruit yield, the unhulled seed yield and the hulled seed yield (kg.ha-1) were measured. Out of the six varieties, Aklamkpa (Lagenaria siceraria) showed the highest yield for dehulled and unhulled seed. It is followed by Kilonon and Kakoun (Citrullus lanatus) which yielded more than 200 kg.ha-1. In contrary Zohan (Cucumeropsis edulis), well appreciated by consumers for its organoleptic qualities, appeared to have the lowest yield in addition to the fact that it is a late variety. The prediction model analysis indicated that the number of fruits per plant and the average fruit weight are good estimators of the unhulled and hulled seed yield and could effectively contribute to the increase of seed yield in egusi crops