Understanding end-users’ preferred breeding traits and plant management practices is fundamental in defining sound breeding objectives and implementing a successful plant improvement programme. Since such knowledge is lacking for Synsepalum dulcificum, a worldwide promising orphan fruit tree species, we assessed the interrelationships among socio-demography, ecology, management practices, diversity and ranking of desired breeding traits by end-users of the species (farmers, final consumers and processing companies) in West Africa. Semi-structured interviews, field-visits and focus groups were combined to interview a total of 300 farmers and final consumers belonging to six sociolinguistic groups sampled from three ecological zones of Benin and Ghana. One processing company in Ghana was also involved. Data collected included socio-demographic characteristics; crop management systems and practices; and preferences of farmers, final consumers and processing companies and ranking of breeding traits. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independence, and non-parametric tests, generalized linear models, multi-group similarity index and Kendall’s concordance coefficient. Men (86.33% of respondents) were the main holders of S. dulcificum in the study area. The three most frequent management practices observed in the species included weeding, fertilization and pruning, which were applied by 75.66%, 27.33% and 16.66% of respondents, respectively. The management intensity index varied significantly across ecological zones, sociolinguistic groups, and instruction level (p < 0.001) but was not affected by gender (p > 0.05). General multigroup similarity indices ( $$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ ) for farmer-desired traits, on one hand, and final consumer-desired traits, on the other hand, were high across ecological zones ( $$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ ≥ 0.84) and sociolinguistic groups ( $$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ > 0.83). Nevertheless, respondents from the Guineo-Congolian (Benin) and the Deciduous forest (Ghana) zones expressed higher agreement in the ranking of desired breeding traits. Preference for breeding traits was 60% similar among farmers, final consumers, and processors. The key breeding traits desired by these end-users included in descending order of importance big fruit size, early fruiting, high fruit yielding (for farmers); big fruit size, high fruit miraculin content, fruit freshness (for final consumers); and high fruit miraculin content, big fruit size, high fruit edible ratio (for processing companies). This study revealed stronger variations in current management practices across ecological zones than across sociolinguistic groups. A high similarity was shown in end-users’ preferences for breeding traits across the study area. Top key traits to consider in breeding varieties of S. dulcificum to meet various end-users’ expectations in West Africa include fruit size and fruit miraculin content. These results constitute a strong signal for a region-wide promotion of the resource.

中文翻译：

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西非生态区和社会语言群体中神奇植物 [Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach & Thonn.) Daniell] 的管理实践和最终用户所需育种性状的比较分析

了解最终用户的首选育种性状和植物管理实践是确定合理育种目标和实施成功的植物改良计划的基础。由于 Synsepalum dulcificum 缺乏这种知识，这是一种全球有前途的孤儿果树种，我们评估了社会人口学、生态学、管理实践、多样性和该物种最终用户（农民、最终消费者）所需育种性状的排名之间的相互关系和加工公司）在西非。半结构化访谈、实地访问和焦点小组相结合，对来自贝宁和加纳三个生态区的六个社会语言群体的 300 名农民和最终消费者进行了访谈。加纳的一家加工公司也参与其中。收集的数据包括社会人口特征；作物管理系统和做法；农民、最终消费者和加工企业的偏好和育种性状排名。使用描述性统计、独立性和非参数检验、广义线性模型、多组相似性指数和 Kendall 一致性系数对数据进行分析。男性（占受访者的 86.33%）是研究区 S. dulcificum 的主要持有者。在该物种中观察到的三种最常见的管理措施包括除草、施肥和修剪，分别有 75.66%、27.33% 和 16.66% 的受访者采用了这些措施。管理强度指数在生态区、社会语言群体和教学水平之间差异显着（p < 0.001），但不受性别影响（p > 0.05）。一方面，农民期望特征和最终消费者期望特征的一般多组相似性指数（ $$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ ），另一方面，在生态区（ $$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ ≥ 0.84）和社会语言群体（ $$ {\mathrm {C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ > 0.83）。尽管如此，来自几内亚-刚果（贝宁）和落叶林（加纳）地区的受访者对所需育种性状的排名表示了更高的一致性。农民、最终消费者和加工者对育种性状的偏好有 60% 相似。这些最终用户所需的关键育种性状按重要性降序排列，包括果实大、结果早、果实产量高（针对农民）；果实大，果实奇迹素含量高，水果新鲜度（对于最终消费者）；果实奇迹素含量高，果实个头大，果实食用率高（供加工企业使用）。这项研究揭示了跨生态区当前管理实践的差异比跨社会语言群体更大。最终用户对整个研究区域的育种性状的偏好显示出高度相似性。在培育 S. dulcificum 品种以满足西非各种最终用户的期望时要考虑的首要关键性状包括果实大小和果实奇迹素含量。这些结果构成了在区域范围内推广资源的强烈信号。这项研究揭示了跨生态区当前管理实践的差异比跨社会语言群体更大。最终用户对整个研究区域的育种性状的偏好显示出高度相似性。在培育 S. dulcificum 品种以满足西非各种最终用户的期望时要考虑的首要关键性状包括果实大小和果实奇迹素含量。这些结果构成了在区域范围内推广资源的强烈信号。这项研究揭示了跨生态区当前管理实践的差异比跨社会语言群体更大。最终用户对整个研究区域的育种性状的偏好显示出高度相似性。在培育 S. dulcificum 品种以满足西非各种最终用户的期望时要考虑的首要关键性状包括果实大小和果实奇迹素含量。这些结果构成了在区域范围内推广资源的强烈信号。