Provenance Variation in African Wall Nut (Plukenetia conophora Mull Arg) from Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Walnut is a multipurpose liana of high economic importance and vital potentials that are yet to be exploited due to lack of adequate germplasms. The study was aimed at documenting the variation in provenance in early growth in order to generate information necessary for its management and conservation. Seeds collected from four States: Ibadan in Oyo, Igbajo in Osun, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun and Akure in Ondo were sown directly into polythene bags filled with top soil. After germination, at the two-leaf stage, thirty uniformly growing seedlings from each provenance were selected and transferred into the open nursery, and laid out in a completely randomized design in six replications. Data on length, collar diameter, number of leaves, biomass and leaf area were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Least Significant Differences p≤005. Net assimilation ratio (NAR), relative growth rate (RGR) and absolute growth rate (AGR) were also determined. Results showed that the effect of seed source on all the variables, except collar diameter, was not significant at p≤0.05. Ibadan source had the highest length, number of leaves, biomass, leaf area. NAR, RGR and AGR. The study concludes that Ibadan provenance could serve as superior gene pool