Efforts to develop the potential of minor vegetables

Abstract

Abstract. Widyawati AT, Zulchi T. 2018. Efforts to develop the potential of minor vegetables. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 5: 117-122. Research program on vegetables to date is still focusing on several priority commodities such as red chili, onion red, potatoes, cabbage and tomatoes in consideration of harvested areas and its contribution to production. Meanwhile, the reality in the field show that various commodities minor of minor vegetable are still used in society, although it tends to be on a small scale and locally specific. On the other side, the reality happened shows that public attention, in particular in terms of on this vegetable groups is still very minimal, even inclined neglected. As a result, the existence of groups are threatened because they are replaced by several cultivation species. When associated with development issues minor vegetables, then an attempt to lift the potential benefits of minor vegetables to be equal or compete with major vegetables that have been developing is a must. In this case, the concept of marketing must be consumer oriented (market-focused), oriented on the needs and desires of consumers, so that customer satisfaction can be achieved. These following minor vegetables are of economic value and have a potential to be developed : Kenikir (Cosmos caudatus Kunth), Genjer (Limnocharis flava (L.) Buchenau), Poh-pohan (Pilea melastomoides (Poir.) Bl.), and Leunca (Solanum americanum Miller). Minor vegetables have role to help for overcoming nutritional problems in Indonesia, especially for pre-family prosperous, because it havebeen adapted to the local environment by means of easy cultivation and low cost. However minorvegetables still require a study on their economic values, potential nutritional content as well as its prospects to be developmented as a promising commodities.