Fruit, seed and seedling variation in Uapaca kirkiana from natural populations in Malawi

Uapaca kirkiana is a miombo fruit tree with a long history of human use. In Malawi, the species is rapidly gaining attention as an agroforestry tree for fruit production. Accordingly, a formal study to explore variations in fruit, seed and seedling traits within the species was undertaken at the Forestry Research Institute of Malawi. Fruits from 12 natural populations in Malawi were collected in November and December, 1994. Fresh fruit weight and dependent parameters (exocarp, mesocarp and seeds) and seed length, width, thickness and weight (following processing) varied significantly among the populations. When seedlings were raised at Zomba, there were significant differences in germination capacity and height, root collar diameter and biomass production at six months of age. None of these traits was correlated with source latitude, longitude or elevation. Variations in the traits reported emphasize the importance of selecting suitable seed sources before commencing domestication programmes. The levels of variation observed suggest useful gains might be obtained through a breeding programme following careful provenance selection.