Diversity of homestead fruit crops in the south-central coastal region of Bangladesh

Abstract

South-Central Coastal region of Bangladesh rich in homestead forest as traditional multi-layered agro-forestry practices. With a view to assess the diversity, richness, distribution, and relative prevalence of fruits & agroforestry species, a survey was conducted during July 2021 to October 2021 in 300 households of five upazilas, Bakergonj, Dumki, Kalapara and Patuakhali Sadar and Amtali of Barishal, Patuakhali and Barguna districts consisting of nine major and 31 minor fruits existed in the south central coast of Bangladesh. The survey results showed significant variation amongst the studied upazilas in relation to fruit crops diversity. The largest household area (47.87 decimal) was noticed in Bakergonj with maximum number of fruits and timbers (75.1) where the numbers of fruit trees were 24.5 per household. The smallest household (30.82 decimal) was found in Kalapara with an accommodation of 34.92 numbers of fruit and timber having the lowest number of fruit trees (18.7). The maximum number of fruit species was observed in the households of Bakergonj (7.22) followed by Amtali (6.55) and the lowest (5.07) in Kalapara upazila. Among the major fruits, the maximum distribution in the homestead areas of five upazilas was recorded as mango (100%) followed by banana (98.67%), papaya (98.67%) and coconut (98.33%), whereas among the minor fruits the maximum distribution was found as velvet apple (98.67%) followed by seeded banana and golden apple (97.67%). The highest species diversity (0.825) of major fruits was recorded in Bakergonj and the lowest (0.773) in Kalapara upazila. But, in case of minor fruits, the highest (81.6) species diversity was recorded in Dumki and the lowest (0.771) in Kalapara upazila. Maximum diversity was found in banana, mango and coconut in respect of major fruits, whereas velvet apple and seeded banana in regard to minor fruit species. The mean dominance of the major fruit population showed that banana ranked top followed by mango and coconut whereas velvet apple ranked top followed by seeded banana among the minor fruits.

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 48(4): 451-467, December 2023