Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
Cassia acutifolia Del., known in the Sudan as ‘Senna Makka’ and in commerce as ‘Alexandrian Senna’ (Tothill, 1948), is indigenous to the Sudan and grows wild in the Northern and Central Provinces. It is used locally as a laxative and itsactive ingredient senoside is extracted for pharmaceutical purposes in England, U.S.A. and Germany. The Sudan has been exporting pods and leaves of Senna for many years and the crop has been steadily growing in economic importance. The exported produce is obtained from wild or cultivated Senna plants. Recently a breeding programme has been initiated to provide improved varieties that can both meet the growers’ need for high yield and satisfy the market's demand for uniform high quality produce. Before a proper plant breeding programme can be established, the mode of reproduction must be known since crop breeding procedures are largely determined by the reproductive system. This paper reports on studies made to determine the breeding system in Alexandrian Senna.