Browsing by Author "Gituru, Robert"

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    Hyphaene compressa, an important palm in the arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya
    (2020-06) Omire, Agnes; Neondo, Johnstone O.; Budambula, Nancy; Gituru, Robert; Mweu, Cecilia
    Background: Peasant agroecosystems in Kenya are considered to be a continuum of integrated traditional farming systems and natural ecosystem conservancy programs. Hyphaene compressa (doum palm) exists in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya. While research in these areas is focusing on new plants to be brought to the areas, there is no focus on doum palm, which is already adapted to these areas. Scanty ethnobotanical knowledge exists in the form of unpublished material. The study aimed to determine domestication status, management practices, important use categories, plant part value, biotic and abiotic stresses of H. compressa. Methods: Four sampling sites in the ASAL of Kenya were selected. Tharaka Nithi, Kwale, Tana River and Turkana. Responses of 79 informants were analyzed to establish doum palm domestication profile, uses, biotic and abiotic stresses affecting its growth. Results: The domestication status varied across the sampled areas, with most regions showing no willingness to domesticate the plant. The study revealed that doum palm has fourteen uses with food (fruit) use, and prevention of soil erosion (roots) recording the highest and the least fidelity level scores, respectively, in the sampled areas. The most observed biotic stress was human interference and pest infestation, while the observed abiotic stress was drought and salinity. Conclusion:The most important doum palm use is food. Due to the high usage and poor domestication, doum palm could be losing its gene pool and hence genetic diversity studies are important for its conservation.
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    Phenotypic Diversity of Doum Palm (Hyphaene compressa), a Semi-Domesticated Palm in the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Kenya
    (Hindawi, 2020-12-29) Budambula, Nancy L. M.; Neondo, Johnstone; Gituru, Robert; Mweu, Cecilia; Omire, Agnes
    Hyphaene compressa is an economically important palm in Africa. Despite its significant role in the livelihoods of rural communities, the diversity of doum palm is poorly documented and studied. In addition, it has no model descriptor that can aid such studies. Ninety H. compressa accessions collected from Northern, Eastern, and Coastal regions of Kenya were examined to determine the morphological variability of the vegetative and fruit traits of H. compressa and to identify its morphotypes for improvement. A total of 19 morphological characters including seven quantitative and 12 qualitative traits of fruit and vegetative traits were selected. Linear mixed-effects models, principal component analysis, and linear discriminant analyses were used to assess the variation in the morphological traits of doum palm based on the regions. Hierarchical clustering was performed to identify the morphotypes of H. compressa. )ere was variability in H. compressa morphological traits, particularly at the Kenyan Coast. All seven quantitative traits were able to effectively discriminate doum palm phenotypically (p ≤ 0.001). )e 90 accessions clustered into five morphotypes designated as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Morphotype 4 was specific only to the Coastal region. Morphotype 5 had the tallest trees with the biggest fruits and included palms from Eastern and Coastal regions making it the best morphotype for fruit traits. )is study will inform the domestication, improvement, and conservation of H. compressa by selecting elite accessions.