Ethno Apicultural Survey of Melliferous Plant Species in the Great Green Wall Widou and Koyli Alpha, Senegal

Abstract

This study has surveyed honey plants used by Apis mellifera in the Great Green Wall  of Senegal by  involving 38 people (21 in Widou, 17 in Koyli Alpha). The study  revealed seventeen species divided into fourteen genera and nine families. Fabaceae was the most represented family with 5 species followed by Combretaceae (3 species), Malvaceae and Rutaceae each with 2 species, and Anacardiaceae, Balanitaceae, Rhamnaceae, Sterculiaceae, Meliaceae each with one species.  The most frequent melliferous plant species were : Combretum glutinosum, Guiera senegalensis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Acacia radiana, Lannea acida, Terminalia avicennoides, Sclerocarya birrea, Sterculia setigera and Maytenus senegalensis. The trees were more large with 58.82% followed by shrubs (35.29%) and herbs (5.88%). Spontaneous plants represent 76.47% and cultivated plants represent 23.53%. The melliferous flora was largely dominated by African and Afro-Indian species, which together accounted for 70.58% of the species. According to their apicultural value, the nectariferous species represented 58.82% and the reamining were  polleniferous (41.18%). The species that bloom in the rainy season were more numerous with 52.94% of the species. This  study enabled  us to identify  nine (09) species with  high melliferous value. Further studies on foraging activity and nectar production would be highly useful to test real melliferous potential of these plants and their value further.