Introduction. Consumption of citrus fruits and their juice has strongly grown in the last few decades. However, at the present time, the traceability of these fruits is only documentary. In case of doubt or fraud, no standardized analysis makes it possible to discriminate or determine the geographical origin of culture of the fruit. Materials and methods. A method of bacterial ecology, PCR-DGGE, was used to characterize the bacterial flora of clementines imported into France from Spain and Morocco in order to show that there is a relation between the bacterial communities of the fruits and their geographical origins. The principle rests on the determination of specific biological markers for a given region. Protocols of microbial extraction and DNA amplification were optimized. Results. DGGE profiles analyzed by multivariate analysis permitted us to distinguish microbial communities from different origins. Conclusion. We propose the PCR-DGGE method as a new tool for traceability that provides citrus products with a unique bar code and makes it possible to trace back the citrus fruit to their original location.

Introduction.Barberry (Berberis aristata DC.), a small fruit,is found growing in the wild in the temperate region of northernPakistan. Materials and methods. Three different locations ofAzad Jammu and Kashmir, i.e., Topa, Banjosa andNeriyan Sharif, were explored; thirty accessions of barberry wereidentified and characterized on the basis of their growth habit,flowering, fruiting and chemical composition of fruits. Results.The accessions exhibited high diversity in their phenotypical/morphologicaltraits such as growth habit, intensity and time of flowering, fruitsetting, ripening time, productivity, and fruit shape and color.The location had a great impact on quantitative parameters. Accessionscollected from Neriyan Sharif had significantly greater plant height,higher number of branches per plant, extended flowering duration(days), took more time to maturity (days) and had high fruit setting (%),while those from Topa had large-sized leaves and fruits with greateraverage fruit weight. The nutritional composition of fruits indicatedthat the accessions from Topa had higher carbohydrate, ash, total solublesolids and Mn contents, with significantly higher juice pH, andlower acidity; while the accessions from Neriyan Sharif had significantlyhigher moisture, protein, fat, fiber, K, Ca, Na, Fe, Cu, Pb andCr contents and were highly acidic. The accessions collected fromBanjosa were almost intermediate for the quantitative characteristicsstudied. Conclusions. The results suggested that notonly the genotype but its growing location as well are the mainfactors that determine the growing habit, productivity and nutritionalcomposition of barberry fruits, and this ultimately provides importantinformation on how to make the best use of them.

Introduction. The widely recognised dietary and socio-economic value of the shea nut and its butter extract seems to have diminished the usefulness attached to the shea fruit pulp, which is also very important. This is evident from the dearth of scientific information on the nutritional content of the pulp. Materials and methods. We determined the nutritional composition of shea fruit pulp of fruits collected in seven locations spread in the southern Guinea savanna, northern Guinea savanna and the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. Results. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of agro-ecological zones on carbohydrate, protein, fibre and energy. The southern Guinea savanna zone recorded comparatively more carbohydrate and energy content than the other two zones, while maintaining lower values for protein and fibre. Conversely, all nutritional traits varied significantly across the fruit pulps for fruits collected in the individual locations surveyed in the three zones. Values for carbohydrate, protein and fat ranged from 29.3–45.3%, 2.6–7.0% and 0.7–1.7%, respectively. Correlation analysis established a positive significant relationship between carbohydrate and energy, but its relationship with fibre and protein was negative and significant. Fibre content maintained a negative relationship with energy while being positively correlated with protein. Principal component analysis identified fibre, energy, ash, protein and moisture as nutritional traits that could be used in classifying shea fruit pulp. Discussion. Our study showed that the Nigerian Vitellaria fruit pulp has adequate nutritional content that is comparable with that of other species. The strong statistical linkage between fibre and protein in shea fruits presents an attractive combination, particularly for children of the rural zones with restricted access to the more conventional and expensive food sources.

Introduction. This method is used to forecast the harvest date of banana bunches from as early as the plant shooting stage. It facilitates the harvest of bunches with the same physiological age. The principle, key advantages, time required and expected results are presented. Materials and methods. Details of the four steps of the method (installation of the temperature sensor, tagging bunches at the flowering stage, temperature sum calculation and estimation of bunch harvest date) are described. Possible problems are discussed. Results. The application of the method allows drawing a curve of the temperature sum accumulated by the bunches which have to be harvested at exactly 900 degree-days physiological age.

 Introduction. Pithecellobiumdulce is a legume native to tropical America that producesedible arils which can be white or red. The plant is also grownin Asia and, to date, predominantly fruits produced in Asia havebeen the subject of scientific studies. We studied white and redarils produced in America. Materials and methods. Whitearil and red aril fruits were evaluated in an array of reagent-basedassays to determine nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Resultsand discussion. White arils and red arils showed similarphysicochemical characteristics, with high content of vitamin C(79.7–82.6 mg·100 g–1 fresh weight) and dietary fiber (5.83–6.12%fw). The anthocyanin content of red arils (29.5 mg·100 g–1 fw, ascyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents) was similar to that of strawberry.Total phenolics (517 mg·100 g–1 fw, as gallic acid equivalents)and antioxidant activities (ABTS, 224 mg; DPPH, 223 mg, as vitaminC equivalents) of red arils were 1.3 times higher than those inwhite arils. The methanolic extract of red arils showed a higherα-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 2.9 mg·mL–1) than acarbose (IC50 4.9 mg·mL–1).The methanolic extract [(50, 100 and 500) μg per tube] of red and whitearils showed positive-strong antimutagenic activities (inhibitionin the range 25–70%) in the assay (Salmonella typhimurium YG1024strain, 1-nitropyrene as mutagen, 200 ng per tube). We are reportingfor the first time remarkably high characteristics (i.e., antioxidant,inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase and content of dietaryfiber) of P. dulce fruits, mainly of the red ones;properties which combined permit us to suggest that consumptionof these fruits could have beneficial health effects in people withdiabetes.

Introduction. Albinism is a serious physiological disorder of strawberries in which fruits appear bloated, develop poor color and flavor, and become susceptible to fruit rot during storage. Many factors have been reported to be associated with albinism, but vigorous vegetative growth of the plants is considered as the primary factor. Mulching is the most important cultural practice in strawberry, which is known to influence plant growth, yield and fruit quality. Our studies aimed at observing the influence of different types of mulch materials on strawberry growth and albinism disorder. Materials and methods. Studies were conducted with five cultivars (Sweet Charlie, Chandler, Douglas, Fern and Etna) cultivated with three types of mulch materials (black polyethylene, white polyethylene and paddy straw). No mulch was used as a control. Observations were recorded on plant growth parameters, albinism incidence and fruit quality parameters of five cultivars under different mulch materials. Results and discussion. All growth parameters were better with mulching than with control. Among the different types of mulch materials, plants had the best growth with black polyethylene, but the fruits were more affected by albinism as compared with those cultivated with paddy straw mulch. Among the cultivars, the plants of Etna showed the most vigorous growth, but their fruits had the highest incidence of albinism (49.88%); those of Sweet Charlie had the lowest incidence (20.74%), primarily because of the close relationship between plant growth and albinism. Conclusion. Black polyethylene mulch favored better plant growth in strawberry, but enhanced the incidence of albinism in a sub-tropical climate as compared with paddy straw. Thus, paddy straw is the best option for use as mulch for strawberry in warmer localities.

Introduction. The respiration of living plant tissues and the diffusion of gases through the packaging material modify the atmosphere composition in the fresh product package. This modified atmosphere (MA) can be beneficial to the storage of fruit tissues, but, if the permeances of the films are not properly optimized, the MA may be inefficient or even detrimental. To define the optimal permeances (or permeability) for O2, CO2 and water vapor of the packaging film, the respiration rate of plant tissue must be measured as a function of temperature and atmosphere, and the O2 and CO2 concentrations that maximize shelf life must be determined. The best combination of packaging films, type and condition of fresh produce and storage temperature may be computed and verified experimentally. Materials andmethods. The work presents methods for measurement of the respiration rate of plant tissue, then the influence of temperature and the influence of O2 and CO2 contents are studied. This makes it possible to determine the optimal O2 and CO2 concentrations and the optimal gas transmission rates of packaging material. Lastly, experiments regarding the simulation of modified atmospheres are described. Conclusion. The methodology presented in our work provides helpful information to meet the need of optimal fruit and vegetable packaging.

Introduction. Plant water stressindicators have become valuable for moving towards deficit irrigationstrategies and saving water. In this case evapotranspiration (ET)is below its maximum value for the crop and stage (ETc),and a stress coefficient (Ks) is applied to obtainactual ET (ETa). Predawn leaf waterpotential (Yp) can be related to relative transpiration(RT), the ratio between transpiration of a stressedplot (T) and transpiration of a well-irrigatedplot (Tm). Estimating RT fromYp allows calculating ETa fordetermination of irrigation amounts, if deficit irrigation practicesare used, as RT corresponds approximately to Ks. Materials and methods. RT and Yp were measuredwith the aim of establishing a relationship to estimate RT undermoderate water stress for irrigation scheduling, in a peach orchardin south Portugal. RT was calculated using sap flowmeasurements (heat balance method) in two plots, one well-irrigated(daily drip irrigation amounts calculated for Tm) andanother temporarily without irrigation. Results and discussion. Ahigh correlation was found between RT and Yp,allowing the estimation of RT for the studied conditions.Significant differences regarding the relationship RT-Yp obtained for another peach orchard in the sameregion and similar soil conditions were found for Yp inthe range between –0.11 and –0.45 MPa. The results suggest that thedifferences resulted from the different irrigation systems: dripand micro-sprinkling, as they determine different temporal and spatialwater distribution and therefore different geometry of root systems.A formerly proposed equation to estimate RT fromYp with a general form for different fruit treespecies was tested, proving to be adequate within some limits: when RT is lowered to 0.7, the error was below 9%. Thethreshold value RT = 0.7 was considered a minimumas it was successfully tested in deficit irrigation practices for peachorchards.

Introduction. This study was carried out in French Guiana, over ten years (1994–2003) by three institutions (SPV, FDGPC and CIRAD); it updates the current state of knowledge of Tephritidae (both Dacini and Toxotrypanini tribes) species present in this country. Materials and methods. The work was mainly conducted in inhabited areas (from the Brazilian border to the Surinamese border) where cultivated fruit crops are located. Specimens were obtained by adult trapping and fruit sampling in nearby orchards and at the edge of the rainforest. Trapping was done consistently for 10 years, while fruit sampling was a discontinuous activity. We present only the results for fruit sampling from three consecutive years (2001–2003) in which a total of 880 kg from 45 fruit species in 22 plant families were collected. Results. Twenty-nine plant species from fourteen plant families were found to be hosts of twenty-one Anastrepha species and one Bactrocera species, Bactrocera carambolae Drew and Hancock. During this period, no specimen of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was collected in traps or fruit samples. We registered the main fruit trees which were hosts for B. carambolae and Anastrepha spp. Five hymenopterous parasitoid species were identified. Among them, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is an exotic species and was introduced into French Guiana in collaboration with Brazilian authorities (EMBRAPA) in 2000 and 2001 within the framework of a classical biological control program. Conclusion. Our data provide baseline information about the tephritid species of economic importance present in French Guiana and assist in developing potential future control programs of both the B. carambolae and Anastrepha species in the Amazon Basin. These preliminary results are discussed in the light of their implication for rainforest conservation efforts and also evolutionary relationships between fruit flies and their hosts.

Introduction. Loquat shares with other pomes, such as apple (Malus domestica) and pear (Pyrus communis), flowering habits, but, in contrast with them, the tree is considered a self-compatible species. However, when planted in solid blocks under mesh, low fruit set and small fruit size are often reported. To explore in which way restrictions of bee activity and/or impediments for cross-pollination can be responsible for low productivity and poor fruit quality, we carried out controlled pollination on flowers of loquat cv. Algerie. Materials and methods. A first experiment checked cross-pollination response by comparing fruit set and quality from self-, open-, and cross-pollinated flowers. A second experiment explored poor pollination effects by modifying the number of stigmas being hand cross-pollinated. Results. Cv. Algerie loquat flowers cross-pollinated with pollen of cvs. `Tanaka' and `Golden Nugget' loquat flowers produced more fruits of higher quality (larger, heavier and more precocious) than flowers under self-pollination. Benefits of cross-pollination can be explained by an earlier and higher level of fertilization. Observations under microscopy showed, however, that self-incompatibility of cv. Algerie flowers is not complete, and a certain level of self-fertilization occurs. The second experiment demonstrated that limiting the number of stigmas pollinated resulted in a significant reduction in the number of seeds formed that, in turn, affected fruit size and shape. Flowers with only one stigma pollinated seldom formed more than two seeds while flowers with all five stigmas pollinated produced fruit with an average of four seeds. Conclusion. Our results emphasize a dependence of cv. Algerie flower pollination on both adequate activity of pollinator insects and appropriate placement of pollinizers.

Introduction. This protocol describes a method for obtaining in vitro germination of zygotic embryos from open-pollinated wild seedy bananas and controlled hybridizations. The principle, key advantages, starting plant material, time required and expected results are presented. Materials and methods. This part describes the required laboratory materials, medium preparation, embryo extraction and culture. Results. Embryos typically begin germination in the dark about 15 days after inoculation on germinating medium. After 30––40 days of culture, plantlets are subcultured on a plant growth medium and placed in the light to achieve plant growth and rooting. The ratios of zygotic embryos obtained vary with the types of crosses achieved between Musa sp. genotypes.

Introduction. Knowledge of tephritid diversity in Senegal was poor before 2004, so PIP-COLEACP and CIRAD, in collaboration with Cérès-DPV, carried out, in 2004, trapping for preliminary detection of fruit flies in six orchards in the Niayes zone. Materials and methods. We selected three mixed mango orchards and three homogeneous mango orchards in this zone. In each orchard, we used three attractants: Terpinyl acetate (Ter), Trimedlure (Tri) and Torula (Tor). Traps were serviced weekly. Results. We captured 77 642 fruit flies in more than 4 months including mango season; they were represented by 18 identified fly species, including ten Ceratitis, six Dacus and two Bactrocera species. Two very serious pests were identified with the confirmation of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) for cucurbit crops and the detection of B. invadens Drew Tsuruta & White for fruit crops. The two most abundant species of Ceratitis were C. cosyra and C. silvestrii. Discussion. We captured more fruit fly species in mixed mango orchards than in homogeneous mango orchards. Bactrocera invadens was also more abundant in mixed orchards, probably because of its polyphagous status. This new invasive species, B. invadens, can have many hosts in mixed mango orchards, enhancing its breeding potential. Conclusion. Effective management to deal with this alien species requires: (i) improvement of basic and applied research; (ii) an effective IPM package; (iii) an area-wide management approach; (iv) a sub-regional effort on the part of researchers, extension services, growers, exporters, farming associations and the different actors in fruit value chains (mainly mango).

Introduction. Physalis has been known for a long time in Egypt. Amongunexploited tropical fruits, Physalis is a very promising fruit. Recently, the economicimportance of Physalis has risen, due to its high acceptance for local consumption,achieving great success in the African, Latin American and European markets. One of thechallenges of recent years has been to participate in the development of Physalis as acommercial crop of economic utility. In order to understand the nutraceutical andmedicinal characteristics of Physalis fruits cultivated in Egypt, the biochemicalcomposition of the raw Physalis pubescens juice was determined.Materials and methods. Whole fresh fruits of Physalis pubescensfrom Egypt were preserved at –20 °C for the duration of the experiment. Thejuice was extracted from Physalis fruits by using a fruit pulper then filtered oncheesecloth to separate seeds and skins. Contents of oil, fatty acids, proteins, aminoacids, sugars and minerals of the juice were analyzed, and were compared and discussed inrelation to the biochemical composition of other fruits and vegetable oils.Results. Yield of the juice was high (64%) and it is a rich source ofminerals such as potassium (11.32 g·100 g–1 dm), phosphorus(5.55 g·100 g–1 dm), zinc (0.02 g·100 g–1 dm) and boron(0.01 g·100 g–1 dm), polyphenols (76.6 mg·100 mL–1) andcarotenoids (70 µg·mL–1). It contained good amounts of vitamin C(38.77 mg·100 mL–1) and it could be a good potential source of essentialamino acids such as isoleucine, valine and tryptophan [(4.2, 3.9 and3.9) g·100 g–1 protein], whose amounts were higher than those recommended bythe FAO / WHO / UNU. Additionally, it contains a low amount of oil(1.1 g·100 g–1 dm). Conclusion. Physalis juice should attractgreat interest because of its composition. Its potential nutraceutical quality couldparticipate in the development of Physalis as a commercial crop. Certain molecules such asantimicrobial molecules and bioactive withanolides, which have the famous ethnomedical andmedical effects of Physalis juice, still have to be studied.

Introduction. The fruits ofthe Brazilian Savannah have potential to improve the human diet,income generation and, consequently, the quality of life for sociallyvulnerable families. Among the native fruits of the Savannah, onethat stands out is the ‘jatobá do cerrado’ (Hymenaea stigonocarpa).Therefore, the physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, soluble solids, pH, moisture, ash, proteins, lipids andtotal dietary fiber), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbicand dehydroascorbic acids), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthinand lycopene), vitamin E (α, β, γ and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols)and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in pulp of ‘jatobá do cerrado’ from the BrazilianSavannah. Materials and methods. The length, diameter,mass and fruit yield were evaluated. The titratable acidity wasdetermined by volumetric neutralization; pH by potentiometry; solublesolids by refractometry; moisture using an oven; ash using a muffle furnace;proteins by the micro-Kjeldhal method; total dietary fiber by thegravimetric non-enzymatic method; and lipids with a Soxhlet extractor.Vitamin C and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin Eand folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results anddiscussion. The jatobá do cerrado’ presented low pulp yield (17.1%)and moisture (8.8 g×100 g–1), and high contents of total dietaryfiber (44.3 g×100 g–1), protein (5.6 mg×100 g–1) and energy (193.0 kcal×100 g–1).The fruit presented reduced contents of carotenoids and vitamin C [(0.4and 8.9) mg×100 g–1, respectively]. The contents of vitamin E andfolates [(53.5 and 495.5) μg×100 g–1, respectively] were higherthan in other widely consumed fruits. Conclusion. The‘jatobá do cerrado’ is a source of vitamin C, good source of folates, andexcellent source of dietary fiber. Due to its nutritional value,‘jatobá do cerrado’ is an important dietary alternative; thus, its consumptionshould be encouraged.

Introduction. Le drageonnage et le marcottage aérien de trois fruitiers à usages multiples, Balanites aegyptiaca, Diospyros mespiliformis et Sclerocarya birrea, ont été étudiés dans le secteur climatique sahélo-soudanien à Kéring en vue de contribuer à la régénération à faible coût de ces espèces surexploitées. Matériel et méthodes. Dans trois stations représentatives de cette localité (jardins de case, brousse, berges de cours d’eau), un inventaire de 90 arbres par espèce a été réalisé au préalable pour détecter la présence d’éventuels drageons ou marcottes terrestres naturels. Ensuite, les possibilités d’induction de drageons au début de la saison des pluies par blessure ou sectionnement de racines et l’aptitude au marcottage aérien en fin de la saison des pluies ont été testées sur les pieds ciblés. Résultats et discussion L’espèce Sbirrea a présenté une aptitude très élevée pour le drageonnage naturel par rapport aux deux autres espèces. D. mespiliformis a drageonné moyennement alors que B. aegyptiaca, espèce  fourragère très broutée, a montré ici une faible aptitude au drageonnage. L’effet de la station a été significatif; il y a eu une plus forte fréquence de drageons au niveau des berges des cours d’eau. Le marcottage terrestre naturel n’a pas été remarqué sur les 270 arbres observés. L’induction du drageonnage réalisé au début de la saison des pluies par sectionnement complet de racines superficielles a été plus efficace après 9 mois (taux de 57,7 %, toutes espèces confondues) que la méthode d’induction par blessure légère des racines traçantes (37,7 %). L’exposition à la lumière des racines stressées a amplifié le drageonnage. Les drageons induits apparaissent généralement sur la racine stressée, du côté proximal de l’arbre-mère, mais ils peuvent se former aussi du côté distal. Réalisés en fin de saison pluvieuse, les essais de marcottage aérien de B. aegyptiaca ont montré 95 % de marcottes enracinées alors que, à cette saison, les deux autres espèces se sont révélées réfractaires après 5 mois d’observation. Conclusion En dehors des facteurs génétiques, physiologiques et environnementaux qui peuvent influencer la réussite du marcottage aérien ou du drageonnage, S. birrea et D. mespiliformis semblent nettement mieux prédisposées dans l’écosystème du secteur de Kéring à l’induction du drageonnage que B. aegyptiaca, plus apte au marcottage aérien. Ces résultats ouvrent de nouvelles voies à la multiplication de ces trois espèces surexploitées par les populations.

Caractères morphologiques de Detarium microcarpum Guill. et Perr. au sud du Mali.Résumé - Introduction.Detarium microcarpum est une espèce fruitière importante au sud du Mali. L'objectif du présent travail a été la caractérisation morphologique de certaines populations de D. microcarpum, qui serait un préalable nécessaire à l'étude de la structure génétique de l'espèce. Matériel et méthodes. Les observations morphologiques ont concerné vingt-trois caractères agronomiques étudiés sur 25 arbres par peuplement de dix populations réparties sur l'ensemble du sud du Mali. Résultats et discussion. L'étude a montré qu'il existait une variabilité entre les populations, qui a porté sur les caractères mesurés chez le fruit, la graine et la feuille. Trois formes de fruits à maturité et une forme de graines ont été identifiées. Conclusion. Les résultats obtenus ne permettent pas d'affirmer l'existence de variétés différentes au sein de l'espèce D. microcarpum. L'étude devra donc être élargie à l'observation d'autres caractères et porter sur l'ensemble de l'aire de répartition de l'espèce au Sahel.

Introduction. Consumption of Physalis fruits is quite recent and the products are poorly known among consumers. This plant has been known for a long time as an ornamental in Europe, for at least 200 years. Traceability is increasingly becoming important across the agri-food industry; however, at the present time, the traceability of this fruit is only documentary. In case of doubt or fraud, no standardized analysis can determine the geographical origin of the fruits. Materials and methods. In order to discover the relationship between the fungal communities of the fruit and their geographical origins, 28S rDNA-PCR-DGGE was used to analyze the variation in fungal communities in three species of Physalis fruit (Physalis ixocarpa Brot., Physalis pruinosa L. and Physalis peruviana L.) from Egypt, Uganda and Colombia. Results. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints of 28S ribosomal DNA (28S rDNA) analyzed by multivariate analysis could distinguish different fruit origins by their fungal communities. Conclusion. We propose the PCR-DGGE method as a new traceability tool which provides fruit in general, and Physalis in particular, with a unique barcode for each country by using 28S rDNA fingerprinting of fungi.

Introduction. Agricultural cooperatives play an important socio-economic role in European (EU) countries, especially in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. For this reason, in an economic perspective, the measurement of their efficiency has become an area of investigation which attracts great interest. Given that Spain and Italy are the biggest producers of fresh fruits and vegetables, the aim of this paper was to recognize the evolution of their technical efficiency. Materials and methods. Performance analysis in the economic field is rather controversial. Following Parkan (2002), it is possible to classify three main approaches to measure performance: index numbers; frontier methods and the non-parametric approaches. In this paper, efficiency was evaluated by applying the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique considering two separate frontiers. Through the AIDA database for Italian agricultural cooperatives and the SABI database for Spanish cooperatives, two different sets of 81 and 106 firms, respectively belonging to the fruit and vegetable sector, were selected over a five-year period (2001–2005). Results. The analysis of the DEA results underlines the higher ability of Italian cooperatives to calibrate and optimize the inputs, and to maximize the results (technical efficiency), as well as the ability of Spanish cooperatives to exploit scale economies. Conclusions. Over the period taken into consideration, the average value of global technical efficiency decreased for Spanish as well as Italian cooperatives. In the case of Spanish cooperatives, this situation is due to the loss of ability to calibrate and optimize the inputs, even if the considered firms reveal ability to develop scale economies. In the case of Italian cooperatives, the results reveal the substantial firm technical efficiency, even if scale inefficiency undermines the global efficiency.

Introduction. Pulasan and lychee are from the same family and closely related, therefore the SSR markers are expected to be highly transferable between these two taxa. We investigated the transferability of 12 lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci to pulasan (Nephelium ramboutan-ake L.). Materials and methods. Genomic DNA was extracted from 20 accessions of pulasan for the PCR amplification of the SSR loci using 12 pairs of SSR primers derived from lychee. The PCR products were resolved on denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Results. The percentage of SSR transferability from lychee to pulasan was 58.3% and the percentage of polymorphic SSR markers was 25%. Discussion. The moderate transferability and low polymorphism rates suggest the possibility of interruptions within the repeat motif and mutations in the flanking sequences of SSR repeat motifs. Our results did not reveal a high rate of transferability between lychee and pulasan. However, this study showed that the SSR markers developed in lychee are a good source of molecular markers for pulasan.

Introduction. Les aires protégées représentent un immense réservoir de ressources biologiques dont dépendent fortement les populations riveraines. La non-prise en compte des savoirs locaux constitue souvent un frein aux politiques de conservation et d’utilisation durable de la biodiversité dans ces aires. La réserve de Pama, située en zone soudanienne au sud-est du Burkina Faso, est un bon exemple de la divergence existant entre les besoins d’autosubsistance des populations riveraines et la nécessité de conserver la biodiversité. L’évaluation de l’importance socio-économique de cette réserve pour les populations riveraines pourrait permettre de mieux adapter la stratégie de gestion des ressources naturelles. Matériel et méthodes. Des enquêtes ethnobotaniques ont été menées en se basant sur des interviews individuelles. Les informations obtenues à partir de l’interrogation de 30 personnes ressources ont permis (1) de recenser les différentes utilisations faites de la réserve par les populations locales ainsi que l’impact de ces utilisations sur la flore et (2) d’évaluer la perception des villageois sur la façon de gérer les ressources de leur forêt. Résultats. Un total de 58 espèces végétales de la réserve, soit plus de 15 % de la flore locale, fournissent diverses ressources aux populations riveraines, dont du matériel de construction (90 % de réponses), des plantes médicinales (73,33 %), des plantes alimentaires (73,33 %), etc. Les espèces végétales les plus sollicitées se sont révélées être entre autres Vitellaria paradoxa (80 %), Parkia biglobosa (66,67 %), Diospyros mespiliformis (33,33 %), Gardenia erubescens (33,33 %), Lannea microcarpa (33,33 %), Tamarindus indica (33,33 %), Andropogon gayanus (26,67 %) et A. chinensis (26,67 %) Certaines de ces espèces se sont révélées de plus en plus rares du fait de la dégradation des conditions climatiques, de l’exploitation abusive de bois vert et de l’appauvrissement des sols. Conclusion. L’étude que nous avons menée sur la réserve de Pama nous conduit à préconiser un renforcement des mesures de protection de l’environnement par l’implication des populations riveraines. Par ailleurs, la plantation en champ d’espèces utiles en voie de raréfaction serait une action apte à limiter la pression d’exploitation sur la réserve