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Water status of four Sudanian woody plant species in Nazinon forest, Burkina Faso Volume 12, issue 2, Juin 2001

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Authors
Institut de l'environnement et des recherches agricoles/ Département productions forestières (INERA/DPF), 03 BP 7047, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
  • Page(s) : 87-94
  • Published in: 2001

The compatibility of woody plant species with respect to the water balance ar the site is a key factor for successful replanting and forest production in the Sahel. To enhance the overall understanding of the water status of forest tree species, pressure-volume curves, daily and seasonal dynamics of leaf water potential and root-system morphology of Isoberlinia doka Caib. & Stapf., Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr., Piliostigma thonningii (Sch.) Miln. & Redh. and Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr. were studied in southern Burkina Faso. The results revealed between-species differences in water status and root-system morphology. The species can be classified according to drought tolerance on the basis of the water parameters: Isoberlinia doka < Detarium microcarpum = Piliostigma thonningii < Terminalia avicennioides. In Detarium microcarpum, the transpiration organs (leaves and young branches) fall at the onset of the dry season as a drought avoidance strategy. The decline in Isoberlinia doka populations could have been due to the irregular and insufficient rainfall in recent years. To increase the seedling survival and growth potential, I. doka could be artificially regenerated in natural stands in areas with suitable rainfall levels.