Ackee is an underutilized species native to West Africa important for the livelihoods of rural population and candidate species for domestication. However, because the species was neglected for so long, key knowledge essential to elaborate a clear domestication strategy is very sketchy in the region. This book provide data from Benin on farmer’s indigenous knowledge and perception of variation taking into account the difference among ethnic groups and gender, the morphological variability in tree and fruit traits in relation to the environment, and the genetic structure (using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism, nuclear and chloroplast microsatellites markers) of wild and cultivated populations. Strategies for sustainable domestication and conservation of ackee genetic resources are discussed.

Marius Rodrigue Mensah EKUE is native from Benin. In 2000, he graduated from the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin as Agronomist Engineer in Natural Resources Management. Between 2003 and 2009, he undertook his postgraduate studies at Georg-August University of Göttingen, Germany with an MSc degree in Tropical and International Forestry, and a PhD degree in the section of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Büsgen-Institute.