Africa’s wooden elephant: the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) in Sudan and Kenya: a review

• Published in: Genetic resources and crop evolution Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 377 - 399
• Main Authors: Gebauer, Jens, Adam, Yahia O., Sanchez, Aida Cuní, Darr, Dietrich, Eltahir, Muneer E. S., Fadl, Kamal E. M., Fernsebner, Gabriele, Frei, Michael, Habte, Tsige-Yohannes, Hammer, Karl, Hunsche, Mauricio, Johnson, Henry, Kordofani, Maha, Krawinkel, Michael, Kugler, Florian, Luedeling, Eike, Mahmoud, Tarig E., Maina, Anthony, Mithöfer, Dagmar, Munthali, Chimuleke R. Y., Noga, Georg, North, Rabea, Owino, Willis O., Prinz, Kathleen, Rimberia, Freda K., Saied, Amina, Schüring, Martin, Sennhenn, Anne, Späth, Martin A., Taha, Mohamed E. N., Triebel, Andreas, Wichern, Florian, Wiehle, Martin, Wrage-Mönnig, Nicole, Kehlenbeck, Katja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.03.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adansonia digitata; Agricultural development; Agriculture; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Domestication; Elephants; Fruit trees; Fruits; Life Sciences; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Review Paper; Reviews; Trees; Wildlife conservation; Kenya; East Africa; Sudan; Africa; Up-side down tree; Fruit; Nutrition; Ethnobotany; Sub-Sahara; Agroforestry; Indigenous fruit tree (IFT)
• ISSN: 0925-9864; 1573-5109
• DOI: 10.1007/s10722-015-0360-1

Wild edible fruits hold great potential for improving human diets, especially in agricultural societies of the developing world. In Africa, a well-known supplier of such fruits is the baobab ( Adansonia digitata L., Malvaceae), one of the most remarkable trees of the world. Several studies in different African countries have highlighted this indigenous fruit tree as a priority species for domestication and expanded use. However, internationally available information on baobab in East Africa, particularly in Sudan and Kenya, remains scarce. This review aims to shed light on the ecology, diversity and current level of utilization of baobab in East Africa in order to facilitate domestication and conservation of the species. A list of priority research areas is provided at the end of the review to encourage further studies and investment in this unique plant taxon.