Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 603-10. 2009.
Conservation
and Biodiversity Erosion in Ondo State, Nigeria: (2). Assessing Botanicals Used
in the Storage of Farm Produce in Akure region
J. Kayode1,3, O.E Ige1
and B. M. Ojo2
���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
1 Department
of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekule Ajasin University,
Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
2Department
of Plant Science, University of Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
3E-mail:
jokayode@ymail.com
Issued 01
May 2009
Abstract
Semi-structured questionnaire matrix was
used to identify plant species used for storage purposes in five communities
situated within 5kilometre radius from Akure, the Ondo
State
capital, south-western Nigeria.
A total of 32 botanical species were found to be commonly used in the
preservation of farm produce in the study area. The leaves constituted the
major part of the botanical that were widely utilised while the major farm
produce common in the study area were kola nuts and bitter kola The
descriptions of the indigenous knowledge of the various methods of
application of the botanicals were identified and documented. Only nine of
the botanicals were cultivated abundantly in the study area. The household
farm, forest and common area constituted the major primary sources of the
storage botanicals. Strategies that could ensure the continuous supply of the
storage botanicals were proposed.
Key words: Conservation,
biodiversity erosion, botanicals, storage
Introduction
����������� In Nigeria,
recent initiatives had called for comprehensive inventory of natural
resources in the country particularly the floristic composition of the
various vegetation types as basis for management planning (Ekete et al. 2008).
This is particularly necessary in Ondo
State
where about 200hectares of forest areas are being destroyed annually (Fuwape 2001) through exploitation of timber, fuelwood, shifting cultivation and bush burning.
����������� The effects of such massive deforestation, particularly
on the rural dwellers cannot be over-emphasised. Previous studies, such as Akindele (1992), Peters (1996), Olagoke
and Adekunle (2008) had enumerated the dependence
of rural dwellers on the use of non-timber forest products for their
livelihood. One of such utilisations is the use of forest as source of
storage materials. Unfortunately, apart from ethnomedicinal
utility, gross dearths of documentations abound on
other ethnobotanical utilities (Kayode
2003).
Thus, the study being
reported here is part of on-going collaboratory studies on the ethnobotanical
utilizations in Ondo State being conducted by the Department of Plant Science,
University of Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria and the Department of Plant Science and
Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods
����������� Five
communities viz: Ita-Ogbolu,
Ayede-Ogbese, Oba-Ile, Ijare and Odudu, all situated
within 5kilometre radius from Akure (70 17�N,
50 10�E) the Ondo
State
capital, south-western Nigeria,
were used in this study. In each community, twenty respondents were randomly
selected and interviewed with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire
matrix. The interviews were focused, conversational and involved two-way communication
(according to Martins 1995). The information obtained was further ascertained
by PRA method (according to Balick and Cox 1996).
����������� Plant species used for storage purpose were identified
during the interviews. The part(s) of the plant used, method(s) of
application, source(s) where the plants were derived were defined. Voucher
specimens of the identified species were obtained and kept in the Herbarium
of the Department of Plant Science, University of Ado-Ekiti,
Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
Vegetation samplings aimed at the definition of the abundance of the species
in the study area were also carried out.
Results and Discussion
����������� A total of 32 botanical species were found to be
commonly used in the preservation of farm produce in the study area (Table
1). The leaves constituted the major part of the botanical that are widely
utilised while the major farm produce common in the study area are kola nuts
and bitter kola (Table 2). Table 2 also give the descriptions of the
indigenous knowledge of the various methods of application of the botanicals.
The conservation features of the botanicals (Table 3) revealed that only nine
botanicals were cultivated abundantly in the study area. These species were
cultivated mainly for their economic values. They have edible fruits and/or
seeds that serve as source of income in the study area. 11 botanicals were
cultivated occasionally in the study area for purposes other than for the
storage of farm produce. This tends to suggest that the storage potentials of
these species could be regarded as secondary or bi products from these
botanicals.
����������� The leaves constituted the major part of the botanicals
that were utilised. Though the harvesting of the leaves might not be regarded
as being inhibitory yet the utilisation of the leaves of non cultivated
species whose wildlings were usually unpreserved in the study area might be
quite unsustainable. The use of stem bark from E. suaveolens and R. vomitora were inhibitory in
harvesting. Previous study by Fasola and Egunyomi (2002) had revealed that such harvesting method
might be detrimental to the health of plants or might even lead to their
death. The inhibitory nature of harvesting these plants is further
complemented by the fact that they were uncultivated species in the study
area. These might lead to the scarcity of these species in the study area.
The harvesting methods utilized in E. guineensis and
Z. mays might not necessarily be inhibitory as
the two species were important economic crops that were widely cultivated in
the study area.
����������� The household farm, forest and common area constituted
the major primary sources of the storage botanicals as 41%, 32% and 16%
respectively, of the botanicals were sourced from them. The common area and
the household farm constituted the main secondary and tertiary sources of the
botanicals. 50% and 25% respectively, of the botanicals were sourced from
them. These tend to suggested that while the cultivation of most of the
botanicals in household farms is practicable, the forest and common area
still play considerable role as the repositories of the storage botanicals in
the study area. Thus the continued and wantonly destruction of the
environment is quite undesirable to the indigenous communities of the study
area. Thus while deforestation is being discouraged in the study area,
efforts should also be made to encourage reforestation and afforestation activities in the study area.����
References
Akindele, S. O.
1992. A survey of non-timber products. In Akinwumi,
F. A. (Ed.). Proceedings of the 24th Annual Conference of Forestry
Association of |Nigeria, Ibadan, Nigeria.
�����������
Balick, M. J. and
Cox, P. A. 1996. Plant, people and culture. Scientific American Library, New York, USA.
Ekeke, B. A., Ankwuru, M. A., Amakiri, M. A.
and Abere, S. A. (2008). Natural tree regeneration
in abandoned pulpwood plantation in Niger-Delta lowland rainforest in Nigeria. Pp.
48-51. In: Onyekwelu, J. C. et al. (Eds.). Research for Development in Forestry, Forest
Products and Natural Resources Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
Fasola, T. R. and
Egunyomi, A. 2002. Bark extraction and uses of some
medicinal plants. Nigerian Journal of
Botany 15, 26-36.��
Fuwape, J. A. 2001. Forest resources
and economic development in Ondo Satate. Paper Presented at the Ondo State Economic Summit, Akure, April 2001, 15pp.
Kayode, J. 2003. Conservation and Yoruba forest taboos. The
Nigerian Field 69:
53-61.
Martins, G. J. 1995. Ethnobotany
method manual. Chapman and Hall, London, United Kingdom.
Olagoke,A. O. and Adekunle, V. A. J. 2008. Harnessing forestry potentials
in achieving the millennium development goals in Nigeria. Pp.
121-126. In: Onyekwelu, J. C. et al. (Eds.). Research for Development in Forestry, Forest
Products and Natural Resources Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
Peters, C. M. 1996. The ecology and management of
non-timber forest resources. World Bank Technical Paper No. 322, Washington, D.C,
156pp.�
Table 1. Botanicals
used in the storage of farm produce in Ondo
State, Nigeria.
S/N��� BOTANICAL�� VERNACULAR���������� FAMILY������ PART(S)���� MAJOR SOURCES+
������������������������������������� �������NAME�������������������������������������������
USED*�� ���������1�������� 2������� 3
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1.
�Alchornia cordifolia��� Esin���������� ���������Euphorbiaceae������� L������������� CA����� FR����� HF
2.
Alchornea laxiflora���� �Pepe������������������� Euphorbiaceae������� L������������� FR����� CA������ -��
3.
Alium cepa������������������ Alubosa������������� Alliaceae����������������� BU����� ����PS������
-���������� -����
4.
Artocarpus integrifolia��� Ade����������������� Moraceae��������������� L������������ FR������ CA���� HF
5.
Azadirachta indica�������� Dongoyaro������� Malvaceae�������������� L������������ HA����� CA������ -
6.
Calotropis procera�������� Bomubomu����� Asclepiaceae���������� LA���������� HF����� HA����
CA
7.
Carica papaya���������������� Ibepe��������������� Caricaceae������������� F������������ HF����� CA������ -
8.
Capsicum
fruitecens����
���Ata
wewe��������
Solanaceae������������ F� �����������HF����� PS������ -
9.
Celtis zenkeri������������������ Uta����������������� Ulmaceae��������������� CH��������� FR����� CA������ -
10.
Chrysophylum albidium�� Agbalumo������ Sapotaceae������������ L������������ HF����� PS���� CA
11.
Citrus
aurantifolia��
���������Osan wewe���� Rutaceae����������������
F����������� HA���� HF����
PS
12.
Colocasia esculenta���� ���Koko��
������������Araceae������������������� L����������� HF����� PS����� -
13.
Costus afer������������������ ���Ireke orisa������� Costaceae������������
���L����������� FR���� CA����
HF
14.
Costus lucanusianus��� ���Obibo��������������� Costaceae��������������� L����������� FR����� CA����
HF��
15.
Cymbopogon citratus����� Tee������������������� Poaceae������������������ L����������� HA���� HF����
CA
16.
Elaeis guineensis����������� Ope������������������ Areceae������������������� IF���������� HF���� CA�����
-������
17.
Erythrophleum suaveolens� �Obo�������������� Caesalpiniaceae���� SB���������� FR����� CA����� -
18.
Ficus exasperate������������ Pinpin��������������� Moraceae��������������� L������������� FR����� CA����
HF
19.
Leea procera������������������ Aigbokuta��������� Leeaceae���������������� L������������ FR������ CA���� HF
20.
Jatropha curcas������������� Lapalapa������������ Euphorbiaceae������� L������������ CA������ HA���� HF
21.
Mitragyna stipulosa������� �Gbago���������������� Rubiaceae��������������� L����������� HF������ CA���� FR���
22.
Musa paradisiaca����������� Ogede agbagba��� Musaceae���������������
L����������� HF������ HA������ -
23.
Musanga cacropioides��� Agbao��� ���������������Moraceae��������������� L����������� CA������ FR������ -
24.
Nicotiana tobacum��������� Taaba�������������������� Solanaceae������������ L������������ HF������ PS������ -
25.
Rahia hookerii����������������� Iyo���������������������� Areceae�������� ����������T������������ HF����� CA������ -
26.
Rauvolfia vomitoria��������� Asofeyeje����������� Apocynaceae��������� L, SB������ FR������ CA����� HA
27.
Sarcophrynium brachystachyum�� Gbodogi����� Marantaceae�������� L����������� FR������ CA����� HF
28.
Senna siamea ����������������Kasiaa���������������������� Caesalpiniaceae����� L���������� CA������ HA����� -
29.
Spondia mombin������������ Iyeye����������������������� Anacardiaceae�������� L���������� CA������ HF���� HA
30.
Thamautococcus danielli� Uran�������������������� ��Marantaceae����������� L����������� HF����� CA����� FR
31.
Theobroma cacao������������ Koko���������������������� Sterculiaceae���������� L����������� HF������� -�������� -
32. Zea mays������������������������� Agbado�������������������� Poacea����������������� ��S����������� HF����� PS������ -��
��������������������������������������������
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�* BU= Bulb,
CH= Charcoal, F= Fruits, IF= Inflorescence, L= Leaves, LA= Latex, S= Seeds,
SB= Stem bark.
+ CA= Common area, FR= Forest, HA= Household
area, HF= Household farm, PS= Purchased
�
Table 2.
The indigenous knowledge of respondents� on storage botanicals in Ondo
State, Nigeria.
�� S/N�������������� BOTANICAL�������������������������������������������
APPLICATION
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1.
�Alchornia cordifolia �Used
for the preservation of fresh kola nuts. It is used to cover the���������������������� fresh kola nuts in a
container
2.
Alchornea laxiflora�� Used for the
preservation of fresh kola nuts. It makes the nuts firm. Its
�leaves
are laid on the container, the kola nuts are placed in it and the container
is covered with the leaves. It is also used for the preservation of bitter
kola. The leaves are placed inside a nylon which is sandwiched within the
bitter kola in a container.
3.
Alium cepa Used to
prevent tomato seedlings from pest by planting the species near the
seedlings, the odour irritate pests.
4.
Artocarpus integrifolia Used for
the preservation of kola nuts where it helps in the maintenance �����������������������������������������of the colour of the kola nuts.
5.
Azadirachta indica Used for
the preservation of cocoa trees from insects and pests. The aqueous
extracts from the leaves are sprayed on the trees.
6.
Calotropis procera Used for
the preservation of local cheese by adding the latex to the cheese.
7.
Carica papaya Used together with R. Vomitora as
describe below.
8.
Capsicum
fruitecens Used for the
preservation of beans and other legumes. Dried fruits of this �����������������������������������������botanical are scattered on the beans in
container
9.
Celtis zenkeri Used for
the storage of kola nuts where it prevents the nuts from having black
spots. Little quantity of the charcoal is sprinkled on the nuts in the
container.
10.
Chrysophylum albidium Used for
the preservation of kola nuts where it prevents the nuts from ������������������������������������������breaking. The nuts are wrapped with the
leaves of the species in a container.
11.
Citrus
aurantifolia Used for the
preservation of kola nuts from weevil. The whole fruit is �������������������������������������������inserted into the container containing
kola nuts. It is also used for the preservation of cake. The juice is
squeezed into the prepared flour to be baked. The species is also used for
the preservation of �Fufu�, a carbohydrate food, during fermentation.
The juice is squeezed into the fermented cassava during the preparation. �
12.
Colocasia esculenta Used for
the preservation of okra. The okra is placed in a container and �������������������������������������������covered
with fresh leaves of C. esculenta.
13.
Costus afer Used for
the storage of bitter kola. The leaves are inserted inside the container that contain bitter kola.
14.
Costus lucanusianus Used for
the preservation of bitter kola. The bitter kola is wrapped with the leaves
of this species.
15.
Cymbopogon citratus Used for
the preservation of local concoction. The leaves are added to the
ingredients and steamed together. It os also used
in the preservation of kola nuts where the fresh leaves are inserted inside
the container that contain the kola nuts.
16.
Elaeis guineensis Used for
the storage of palm oil, soup and foodstuff from ants. When the �������������������������������������������inflorescence is burned near ants� habitat
or the place of storage, the ants are irritated. They are subsequently
driven away.
17.
Erythrophleum suaveolens Used for
the preservation of kola nuts from weevils and spiritual attack.������������������������������������������ �The dried bark is grinded and little
quantity is tied inside small paper that is later inserted in the container
containing the kola nuts.
18.
Ficus exasperate Used for the storage
and prevention of beans from weevils. The leaves are sandwiched within the
beans in the container.
19.
Leea procera Used for
the preservation of kola nuts where its leaves are used to wrap the kola
nuts in a container.
20.
Jatropha curcas Used for
the preservation of kola nuts still within the seed coat against black
spots. The extracts of the leaves squeezed on little quantity of the local
black soap is placed in the container that contain the kola nuts.
21.
Mitragyna stipulosa Used for
the preservation of dry kola nuts. The leaves of this species are laid in a
basket then dried kola nuts are placed on it after which the leaves of the
species are used to cover the kola nuts.�
22.
Musa paradisiaca Used for
the preservation of fermented locust bean seeds, locally known as Iru. The iru is wrapped inside the leaves of this species which protect the
shelve life of the Iru.
23.
Musanga cacropioides Used for
storage of fresh and dried kola nuts. Its leaves are used to wrap ����������������������������������������the kola nuts
in a container.
24.
Nicotiana tobacum Used for
the preservation of eggs that is yet to be hatch or being hatched from
insects and snakes. The leaves are burnt near the storage area. The
resulting odour irritates the insects and snakes.
25.
Rahia hookerii The
thread-like substance obtained from this species is used to tie kola nuts
and keep it in shape.
26.
Rauvolfia vomitoria Used for
the preservation of beans flour and other powdered foodstuffs ��������������������������������������������from weevil. The leaves are inserted
within the powdered foodstuff in a container. It is also used for the
preservation of dried kola nuts from weevils. Extracts from its bark is
mixed pawpaw juice and the mixture is poured into a nylon bag that is
inserted into a basketful of kola nuts.
27.
Sarcophrynium brachystachyum Used for
the preservation of kola nuts. Dried leaves of this species ���������������������������������������������are placed within the kola nuts in the
container.
28.
Senna siamea Used for
the preservation of immature fresh kola nut. The leaves of this species are
laid in a basket the immature kola nuts are placed on it after which the
leaves of the species are used to cover the kola nuts.�
29.
Spondia mombin Used for
the preservation of bitter kola. The leaves are used to wrap the �������������������������������������������bitter
kola in a container.
30.
Thamautococcus danielli Used for
wrapping pounded yam, eba and fufu- both
are local food ��������������������������������������������prepared
from cassava, eko and Moinmoin-local foods prepared from maize and beans respectively. It
maintained their tastes and prolonged their shelve lives.
31.
Theobroma cacao Used for the
preservation of dried kola nuts. The leaves are wrapped around the kola nuts.
Also used for the storage of already processed locust bean against
termites. The leaf of this species is used to wrap the processed locust
bean.
32. Zea mays Used for
the preservation of fresh and dried kola nuts. Dried maize seeds are
scattered inside the kola nuts in a container.��� �������������������������������������
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Table 3.
The conservation features of the botanicals in Ondo
State, Nigeria.
Cultivated
Species
(a)
Species cultivated
abundantly in the study area
A.
indica, C. fruitecens,
C. aurantifolia, C. esculenta,� C. papaya, E. guineensis,
M. paradisiaca,
T. cacao,�
Z. mays
(b)
Species cultivated
occasionally in the study area
C. albidium, C. procera, C. citratus, F. exasperata, J. curcas, M. stipulosa, N. tobacum, R. hookerii, S.siamea, S. mombin, T .daniell,
(c)
Species cultivated
elsewhere but made available in the study area
A.
cepa,
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Non-cultivated
Species
(a)
Species whose
wildlings are preserved in the study area
A.
integrifolia, C. zenkeri,
C. afer, C. lucanusianus,
E. suaveolens, L. procera,
M. cacropioides��
R.� vomitoria, S. brachystachyum������
(b)
Species that grow as
weeds in the study area
A. cordifolia, A. laxiflora �����������������������������������������������
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