Genetic variation among half-sib families of the multipurpose indigenous fruit tree Vangueria infausta in Malawi
摘要
Vangueria infausta Burch, commonly known as wild medlar, is an indigenous fruit tree species with significant potential to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Widely distributed across southern, central, and eastern Africa, this multipurpose species plays a vital role in rural livelihoods through its nutritional, medicinal, and economic benefits. However, the resource base is limited to sourcing from the forest. There is a need to bring the species into cultivation through domestication, breeding, and selection. Domestication and selection of this species faces challenges due to a limited understanding of the genetic and environmental factors that affect its growth and productive traits. Despite its potential value, there is little information available regarding key traits such as fruit yield, pulp content, and morphological attributes. This study evaluated fruit yield traits (fruit yield, fruit count, seed count, and pulp content) and vegetative growth traits (tree height, leaf size, primary branches, and stem number) of 4-year-old half-sib families of V. infausta at one site near Lilongwe, Malawi. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among families for several traits. Mean tree height ranged from 123 to 175 cm and leaf size from 75 to 150 cm2. The mean pulp weight ranged from 2.1 g to 3.5 g, and differences among families were significant (P > 0.05). These findings although based on a small number of families from one locality, the observed variability among V. infausta families demonstrate the potential for domestication of the species by selection and breeding.