TITLE:
Vegetative Propagation by Suckering of a Multipurpose Plant: Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. Subsp. Birrea (Anacardiaceae Family) in the Sahelian Zone of Ouaddaï (Chad)
AUTHORS:
Brahim Abdoulaye, Naddelni Roland Begoto, Ali Brahim Béchir, Pierre-Marie Mapongmetsem
KEYWORDS:
Vegetative Propagation, Suckering, Domestication, S. birrea, Sahelian Zone, Chad
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.16 No.12,
December
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: The present study was carried out in the Sahelian region of Ouaddaï in Chad on Sclerocarya birrea, a species of great socio-economic importance. The aim of this work was to contribute to its domestication. Socio-economic surveys were carried out among local farmers. The aim of these surveys was to identify local knowledge of vegetative propagation and, in conjunction with the people surveyed, to select morphotypes to be used as clone heads for suckering induction. Two suckering induction methods were used on these morphotypes and compared. These were: suckering induction by light wounding and suckering induction by complete root sectioning. The results of the survey showed that most respondents were aware of the degradation of the plant cover but had little perception of suckering (3.44%). Sucker induction trials were carried out on two morphotypes of Sclerocarya birrea. After 13 months of observation, the overall suckering success rate was 58.75%. This rate varied from 35.83% for induction by light wounding to 53.33% for induction by complete sectioning. Induction by complete sectioning was significantly more effective than induction by light wounding (p