En Afrique tropicale, dans les plantations forestières, la majorité des espèces autochtones ont été délaissées au profit d’espèces exotiques à croissance initiale rapide. Cette tendance est encore plus marquée dans les zones soudanienne et soudano-guinéenne à longue saison sèche. Ainsi s’explique le manque de connaissances sur les potentialités et la sylviculture des espèces d’arbres autochtones ou « locales ». Pour contribuer à l’acquisition de ces connaissances indispensables, un arboretum de 2,56 ha a été installé en 1990 à proximité de Korhogo dans le nord de la Côte d’Ivoire. Sa particularité réside dans la mise en place de grandes parcelles de 1 596 m² avec 224 plants par espèce afin d’y mener une sylviculture qui conserverait de 10 à 16 arbres adultes de chaque espèce, exploitables notamment pour le bois d’œuvre, au terme de la révolution. Par manque de maîtrise des techniques de pépinière pour certaines espèces, seules 12 espèces sur 22 ont été plantées avec les 224 plants p...

This booklet on trees that are useful for North Cameroonian farmers has been designed as a resource for development practicioners. It is gathering on data sheets species that are the most used by farmers, based on field studies and our field knowledge, free of consideration on what is good or not for farmers or what he/she can handle or not. The spirit is firsly to build up a range of possibilities of development agents could propose to farmers. These data sheets on useful fruits aim to help farmers, nurserymen and agroforestry agents to discuss the best trees to be promoted on the different areas of the terroir, and the best management to apply.

ABSTRACT TITLE : Characterization of coconut settlements (Cocos nucifera L.) and their fruits in the niaye zone. The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) is one of the most widespread cultivated tree in the world. It exists since several million years as attests some of the fossil coconut discovery in New Zealand. This species is regenerated with difficulty, it is propagated only by seed and its biological cycle lasts a long time. Moreover its surface of distribution decreases considerably because of human actions and the climatic risks. . This present study aims to characterize the natural settlements of coconuts in particular their structure, the characteristics of the fruit and to show the socio economic importance of this species. The settlements of coconut in niayes are old and regeneration is quasi non-existent. The heights vary from 7 to 17,5 m, the circumferences at the base from 72 to 218 cm and the circumferences to 1,30 m go from 60 to 182 cm. The coconuts are generally healthy and show a weak death rate (2 to 5 %). The morphology of coconut is variable like its weight and among that of its components (husk, water, copra). The coconuts of niayes have a weight average approximately 1,5 kg. Water volume of coconut varies from 350 to 430 ml for nuts with water and without copra, 38 to 70 ml for ripe nuts. These last, have an average weight of fresh copra varying from 170 to 210 g, for a thickness from 7 to 11 mm. It would be indicated to analyze existing variability in order to exploit it in a program of improvement. With the aim of preserve the existing settlements and to support their regeneration, we will have also to consider in the short run a replanting of the coconuts on vast area extended along niaye. Key words: Cocos nucifera, coprah, coconut, Niaye, variability

planter en conditions salines et arides