Study on Fruit Production and Fruit Characteristics of Oxytenanthera abyssinica ( A . Richard Munro ) in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State , Northwestern Ethiopia

O. abyssinica is a multipurpose plant that can contribute to the economic development of a nation. To investigate the fruit production and fruit characteristics of the species a study was conducted in Pawe and Bullen districts of Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. The bamboo growing areas were stratified in to four classes based on disturbance levels. In each class, one central or nearest to central clump was selected and three central culms in each clump were considered for fruit collection. The fruiting portion of the culms was equally divided in to three equal parts and the aggregate fruits were harvested. Two sites and three fruit-collection heights (top, middle and bottom) were treated as factors. Number of fruits per aggregate fruit, number of seed bearing fruits per aggregate fruit and their percentages, and number of fruits per collection height were determined.The study revealed that the studied parameters did not show statistically significant difference among fruit collection heights on the culm as well as on fruit collection sites and fruit collection height interaction effects (=0.05). It was also found out that O. abyssinica has low number of seed-bearing fruits. It is possible to collect fruits on the culm, regardless of sites and fruit collection heights as most of fruit characteristics were found almost the same along the different fruiting portion of the culm. Flowering of O. abyssinica is a critical stage and hence appropriate management and development interventions need to be considered whenever the species is flowering and setting seed.

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