Selection of sites for the <i>in situ</i> conservation of four traditional leafy vegetables consumed in Benin

Abstract

Acmella uliginosa, Ceratotheca sesamoides, Justicia tenella and Sesamum radiatum are four traditional leafy vegetables which are widely consumed in Benin. In order to document their origin, folk nomenclature, geographical distribution and ecology and to select adequate zones for in situ conservation of their genetic resources, 118 villages were randomly selected and surveyed throughout the country using a participatory research approach. All the species apart from Ceratotheca sesamoides were reported by farmers as introduced in Benin at different periods. The folk nomenclature comprising 93 different names is based on nine key criteria of variable frequencies according to the species. The geographical distribution maps revealed that the species under study are unequally distributed. Indeed, A. uliginosa is found exclusively in the northwest, J. tenella in the northeast and partially in the centre while S. radiatum and Ceratotheca sesamoides were found almost everywhere in Benin. Results from multivariate analysis combined with geographical distribution maps of the species and the soil and climate maps of Benin, leaded to the selection of the Northwest and of the Northeast regions as the appropriate conservation zones for the four species. Molecular analysis was recommended as it can help in describing genetic diversity and consequently in identifying additional sites for the widely spread species Sesamum radiatum and Ceratotheca sesamoides.

Keywords: Folk nomenclature, biodiversity, geographical distribution, site selection, in situ conservation, Benin.