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Project

Characterization of the morphological, ecophysiological, cell physiological and molecular response of Baobab (Adansonia digi L.) to drought stress.

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is a multipurpose, widely-used tree species with medicinal properties, numerous food uses, and bark fibres used for a variety of applications. In this way, the tree is playing an essential role in the rural communities of Western Africa as a supplement of the local diet, a buffer against crop failures and a support of the local economy. Although baobab is being used by millions of people on a daily basis, the species has not yet been given the right attention and is being underutilized at this moment. Baobab is usually not cultivated for example, and rural people are dependent on variable weather conditions and wild, unimproved and generally 'unknown' plant material to supply them with the vital products. The general aim of this project is to give an overall picture of the different mechanisms of baobab to anticipate on drought conditions. In a first part, the morphological adaptations of the tree to different environments are being studied by a field survey in Mali. At the same time, seed material is collected from different provenances. The seed material is being used to set up different field- and environmental-controlled experiments, which are used for the characterization of the ecophysiological, cell physiological and molecular response of baobab to drought conditions.
Date:1 Jan 2008 →  31 Dec 2009
Keywords:ECOPHYSIOLOGY
Disciplines:General biology, Plant biology