Agize Mathewos, Asfaw Zemede, Nemomissa Sileshi, Gebre Tizazu
Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Science, Wolaita Sodo University, POBox 138, Woliata Sodo, Ethiopia.
Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2025 Jan 11;21(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s13002-024-00746-0.
Homegardens (HGs) are well-time-honored traditional land use systems in small plots of land with purposely designed intricate structure and a mixture of planted vascular plants (VPs) for different purposes. Hence, the present study was initiated to investigate the ethnobotanical information of vascular plants of homegardens and their use, conservation and management practice by the people of Dawuro in southwestern Ethiopia.
A total of 162 farmer informants were selected and interviewed within a distance of < 2 km, 2-4 km and > 4 km between the natural forest and homegardens, and 0.8-1 km between the homegardens. Quadrats of three 5 m × 10 m were laid (except front yard) around each living houses. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used for analysis of diversity.
There were 345 vascular plants in the homegardens distributed in 252 genera and 79 families. The most frequently recorded plant families were Fabaceae with 38 (11%), Asteraceae 33 (10%), and Lamiaceae 26 (7.5%). The species richness recorded per homegardens ranged from 13 to 59. Ensete ventricosum, Persea americana, Colocosia esculenta, Coffea arabica, Solanum capsicoides, and Ocimum basilicum were the most frequently occurred species. The homegarden was enset-based agrobiodiversity system providing food, medicine and other uses where the highest, 290 species were for medicine. Men are responsible for planting and propagating large-sized plant species in the homegardens, while small-sized were managed by women and children. The α-diversity (H') ranged from 1.4 to 3.4 and the gamma diversity was 4.2. Culture has positive effect on diversity however, the diversity of species is affected by distance from natural forest (x = 14.825, df = 4, p = 0.005) at P < 0.05 level.
Awareness raising designed and executed by farmer experts and researchers focusing on managing homegarden is necessary to fill the observed gaps in knowledge and attitude of the new generation. The enset-based homegarden management knowledge and practice as well as avoiding the diseases and other constraints of enset should be given attention. Furthermore, decisions on avoiding the growth and management of invasive exotic plant species like eucalyptus tree in the homegardens have to be made.
家庭菜园（HGs）是历史悠久的传统土地利用系统，分布于小块土地上，具有精心设计的复杂结构，并混合种植了用于不同目的的维管植物（VPs）。因此，本研究旨在调查埃塞俄比亚西南部达乌鲁地区家庭菜园维管植物的民族植物学信息及其用途、保护和管理实践。
共选取162名农民 informant，在距离天然森林和家庭菜园小于2公里、2 - 4公里和大于4公里的范围内进行访谈，家庭菜园之间的距离为0.8 - 1公里。在每个居住房屋周围（前院除外）设置三个5米×10米的样方。采用香农 - 维纳多样性指数进行多样性分析。
家庭菜园中有345种维管植物，分布在252属79科。记录最频繁的植物科为豆科，有38种（11%），菊科33种（10%），唇形科26种（7.5%）。每个家庭菜园记录的物种丰富度范围为13至59种。埃塞俄比亚香蕉、鳄梨、芋、阿拉伯咖啡、刺茄和罗勒是最常见的物种。家庭菜园是以埃塞俄比亚香蕉为基础的农业生物多样性系统，提供食物、药物和其他用途，其中用于药用的物种最多，有290种。男性负责在家庭菜园中种植和繁殖大型植物物种，而小型植物则由妇女和儿童管理。α多样性（H'）范围为1.4至3.4，γ多样性为4.2。文化对多样性有积极影响，然而，物种多样性在P < 0.05水平上受与天然森林距离的影响（x = 14.825，df = 4，p = 0.005）。
由农民专家和研究人员设计并实施的旨在管理家庭菜园的提高认识活动对于填补新一代在知识和态度方面观察到的差距是必要的。应关注以埃塞俄比亚香蕉为基础的家庭菜园管理知识和实践，以及避免埃塞俄比亚香蕉的病害和其他限制因素。此外，必须做出关于避免在家庭菜园中种植和管理入侵外来植物物种（如桉树）的决策。
