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Germination and Initial Growth of Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance, a oleaginous Species of Niger. The study conducted in parallel in the real environment, nursery and laboratory to better understand the characteristics of germination and seedling development Neocarya macrophylla, a species of oleaginous Niger. The treatments applied to seed have a waiting time shorter than the untreated seeds. The control has a staggered germination (30 days) and shelling of nuts influenced seed germination bundled (16 days). Unprocessed nuts are the best germination rate (89.53%). Soaking nuts during 72 h and 120 h is fatal for germination. The shelf life has significant effects on the germination of walnuts and almonds. The observation shows a germinating seed cryptogeal. The low germination rates nuts without water shows that water is a limiting factor to the spread of this tree species. The seedlings are very sensitive to dampingoff and tolerant enough to transplantation with a survival rate of 79%.

Sylvicultural and Cultural Practices in Agroforestry Parklands According to a North-South Rainfall Gradient in Maradi Region, Niger. A study on sylvicultural and cultural practices in the parklands was conducted in three village territories of Maradi region following a rainfall gradient. Surveys conducted with farmers coupled with sylvicultural data collection are used as the methodological tools. The results showed that farmers` managed natural regeneration in the village territories has lasted at least 10 years. It is practiced by imitating relatives and neighbors or initiated by development projects or extension services. The reasons that guided farmers to care and protect trees are wood provision to households, soil fertilization, fodder, and pharmacopeia and erosion control. Plant diversity is more important in Moulmouchi than Batchaka and Koda. Also, species with high agronomic, economic and food values are preferred by farmers. The different sylvicultural operations carried out in the village territories indicate that farmers pay attention to the protection and management of trees in their farms. Some species like Acacia senegal, Azadirachta indica and Adansonia digitata inventoried in the farms have been planted and conserved with others from natural regeneration. Sylvicultural and cultural operations used by farmers for tree management in the fields are many and diverse. The more used operations are improved clearing, pruning and by staking plant. Nevertheless, farmers use some practices which do not favour the preservation of trees in the farms. Some of them are abusive cutting, groundnut growing, bark removal, use of animals for plowing and illegal cutting of trees by transhumant herders. Pharmacopeia, construction and energy, fodder, human food are the principal uses of tree species in this region. The most harvested tree organs are wood, leaves, fruits and barks. Benefits derived from trees are what make farmers to manage and protect trees in their farms without external intervention.

Trees in the Agrarian Systems of the Sahelian Zone of Niger: Management Practices, Benefits and Constraints. In the Sahelian regions, tree is an integrated part of the farming systems. The present study concerns the tree management practices, their benefits and constraints. A survey was conducted in 7 village sites of the southwestern part of Niger according to a southnorth aridity gradient in order to understand how rural people manage trees in their farms. The objective was to analyse the systems, tree management practices, benefits and constraints. The results show that rural people of the arid zone manage and preserve trees in their farms better than the population of the semi-arid zone. Land fallow is practiced in 87.91% of the plots for a mean period of 4.4 years. Land clearing was also practiced by 98.9% of the questionned farmers and the mean number of trees that were not cut varied from 8 in the semi-arid zone to 20 in the arid zone. Trees in the farms were used to delimitate farms boundaries, improve soil fertility, to prepare traditional medecine and as energy source and timber. The sociocultural habits of the people are the main constraint to an adequate management of the tree resources. To change the current situation, sensitization and extension efforts of the new developped tree management techniques have to be carried out especially in the semi-arid zone.