Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

13 Zaboka
Species: Persea americana L.
Family: Lauraceae
Synonyms: Laurus persea L., Persea edulis Raf, P. gratissima Gaertner, P. leiogyna
Blake, P. persea (L.) Cockerell.
Common Names: H - avocat (zaboka), avocatier, zabelbok; DR - aguacate; C - pagua;
US - avocado, alligator pear.
Importance: The fruit is an important source of oil and nutrition in the Creole cuisine,
while the tree provides shade and wood in an agroforestry setting. It is well adapted to
a wide variety of soil types and, along with mango, citrus and coconut, adds an element
of food security to the harvest of annual crops.
Taxonomy and Botanical Features: The Lauraceae family is well known in Haiti for
its timber genera, including Ocotea (lorie blan), Cinnamomum (lorie woz) and Licaria
(lorie jon). But the best-known member ofthe family is the avocado. Though there are
10 recognized species represented in the Persea genus, P americana is by far the most
popular and is cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics for its ediblefruit. The
species is divided broadly into 3 races as distinguished by the characteristics ofthe fruit.
'Mexican' (P. americana var. drymifolia Mez = P. drymifolia Cham. & Schlecht.),
sometimes considered a distinct botanical variety, is a small-fruited race that is adapted
to poor growing conditions and can withstand frost to _6° C. 'Guatemalan' is large-fruited,
with thick, rough skin, and a small kernel, being able to withstand frost to -4.5° C.
The race in Haiti is known as the 'West Indian,' and is also large-fruited with a smooth
and leathery skin, but it is more tropical and not able to withstand temperatures below
_2° C (Rehms and Espig, 1991).
The West Indian race is distinguished by 1) the foliage lacking an anise-like scent
of the Mexican race, 2) the young branches and leaves being lighter green than the
Guatemalan race, 3) the smooth and leathery skin ofthe large fruit, weighing up to 1.3
kg and ranging in color from yellow-green to maroon, 4) the kernel being large in proportion
to the fruit, often loose in the seed cavity, and 5) the t10wering season from
January through May with fruit maturing from June to November.
Varieties are classified into A and B types according to the manner in which the
t10wers function. "A" type stigmas are receptive in the morning and anthers shed pollen
in the afternoon of the following day; "B" type stigmas are receptive in the afternoon
and anthers shed pollen in the morning ofthe next or second day (Malo and Campbell,
1988). It is disputed whether this is of practical significance, because bees and other
insects are the main pollinators of avocados.
Hybrids have been developed among the 3 races, some of which are described in
Table 13.1. Many of these are available in Haiti through private owners and non-governmentalorganizations.
Distribution and Ecology: The species is considered native to Mexico and Central
America, but not to the Caribbean. It was introduced to Jamaica around 1650 and spread
later to the rest ofthe Caribbean, where it has become naturalized (Purseglove, 1968a).
Most of the avocados in Haiti occur in the moist and wet regions, with annual rainfall
above 1200 mm and elevations from sea level to 800 m elevation. The West Indian race
105