Traditional Vegetables Research Articles

Bio-Banking on Neglected and Underutilized Plant Genetic Resources of Nigeria: Potential for Nutrient and Food Security

The poor quality of habitual diet and lack of dietary diversity in Sub-Sahara Africa are grossly contributing to deficiencies of micronutrients in the menu of poor rural and semi urban communities particularly in Nigeria, leading to the high incidence of hidden hunger. This has manifested in the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as stunted growth, goiter, blindness, kwashiorkor and marasmus. Five underutilized traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs) of southeast Nigeria were assessed by standard methods to determine their physiochemical and antioxidant values. These TLVs were Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Monench (Okra), Ageratum conyzoides Linn (Goat weed), Acanthus montanus (Ness) T. Anders. (Leopard’s tongue), Bombax buonopozense P. Beauv. (Kapok Tree) and Mucuna flagellipes (Devil bean). Results showed that the leaves of Bombax buonopozense and Abelmoschus esculentus contained appreciable amounts of protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate and mineral elements, and generally low level of toxicants. Furthermore, the anti-oxidant contents of the five TLVs highlighted their biological values as medicinal plants with the high potency in fighting diseases. The above results showed that these vegetables could be valuable and important contributors to the diets of the rural poor and semi-urban people of southeast Nigeria for improved human nutrition, reduction of hidden hunger and food security.

Protein and iron composition of cowpea leaves: An evaluation of six cowpea varieties grown in Eastern Africa

Mineral element, protein-energy and micronutrient deficiencies are primary public health concerns in Eastern and Southern Africa. Promoting the consumption of traditional vegetables such as leaves of cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp could provide cheap sources of protein, micronutrients and mineral elements that can improve the nutritional status of resource-poor subsistence farmers. This study evaluated leaves of two Ugandan cowpea landraces (Icirikukwai and Ebelat) in comparison to four Tanzanian varieties (UG-CP-9, Dakawa, Ex-Iseke and IT 93K2045-29) for leaf crude protein and iron contents. Tender vegetable leaves of landraces, four cowpea varieties and all possible 2-way, 3-way and 4-way combinations were harvested from three trial sites in the villages of Serere, Kikota and Kogili in eastern Uganda. Near Infrared Spectrometry (NIRS) was used to determine the crude protein content and iron concentration of open-air dried leaf samples. ANOVA for the leaf crude protein content and iron concentration data was done using the GLM procedure of SYSTAT. Leaf crude protein of Icirikukwai and Ebelat was 33.0 and 31.3%, while iron concentration was 332.8 and 379.4 µg/g, respectively. Leaf crude protein for the individual varieties was highest (31.84 %) in UG-CP9 leaves and lowest (28.02%) in Ex-Iseke variety. Leaf crude protein for 2-way, 3-way and 4-way mixtures was 30.99, 29.98 and 30.32%, respectively. Leaves from Dakawa variety had the highest iron concentration (349.1 µg/g) of the four Tanzanian varieties tested. The mixture involving leaves from all the four varieties had the highest iron concentration values of 266.1 µg/g while 2-way mixtures gave the lowest iron concentration of 253.2 µg/g. Compared to the tested varieties and their mixtures, iron concentration of landraces was not significantly higher. The protein content varied significantly across all the treatments and sites and was relatively high for a plant source. In addition, cowpea leaves are available as food throughout the cropping season and, thus, can be used for improved food security. These benefits, thereby, make cowpea leaves an indispensable tool to improve the nutritional status of resource-poor subsistence farmers in countries where cowpea is grown.

Plant Hunting Expeditions of David Fairchild to The Bahamas

The plant hunting expeditions made by David Fairchild on board the research boat Utowana represented some of the most important contributions in the history of plant exploration. These expeditions targeted all the continents except Australia and Antarctica and provided germplasm for the United States Department of Agriculture. As part of our current research to document the details and outputs of David Fairchild’s plant hunting expeditions, in this paper we present an account pertinent to the three trips that he made to The Bahamas. Two of these trips were on board the Utowana and were part of larger expeditions that David Fairchild undertook to the West Indies, Central America and the Guianas between December 1931 and April 1933. No plant material was collected on the third trip when David Fairchild and his wife flew to Nassau in April 1939. We believe that the main focus of this last trip was to meet with Anne Archbold to make arrangements for the Cheng Ho expedition to the East Indies. This Asian endeavor was the only major expedition undertaken by David Fairchild to collect plant material for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG). During the Bahamian expedition eleven islands/cays were visited, 94 germplasm accessions (73 species) were collected, and 132 photographs were taken. Our research has been largely based on documents and photographs that belonged to David Fairchild and that are deposited at the Library and Archives of FTBG. “The more than ten years that I spent in the office that Fairchild founded for our Department of Agriculture made me a great admirer of Dr. Fairchild and to appreciate even more the work that he, Wilson Popenoe, and others in the Division had done for our country. Among their accomplishments was the encouragement or establishment as a crop or industry the date, fig, avocado, mango, pistachio, and other lesser known crops. These explorers were also concerned with introducing germ plasm, or breeding stock, for the improvement of traditional field crops, vegetables, and fruit plants, as well as the introduction and establishment of ornamental and other economic plants such as bamboos and Meyer’s Zoysia grass.” [Donovan Correll, from his unpublished autobiography “Notes from a Singing Plant Explorer," January 1983 (Korber et al., 2013)].

Characteristics of aoma compounds in murayama wase gobo which are one of the traditional vegetables of nagano

Characteristics of aoma compounds in murayama wase gobo which are one of the traditional vegetables of nagano

Diagnosis of seeds supply of leafy vegetables in Yaoundé, Cameroon

The traditional leafy vegetables play a major role in the Cameroonian diet. In the metropolitan zone of Yaoundé, these vegetables are produced year round in family and commercial exploitations. The quality of the seeds, their mode of production and their system of distribution are little known. With the aim to better understand the seed system of traditional vegetables, a study on the supply, the production and the quality of these seeds was carried out. The data were collected using questionnaires on a sample of 133 traditional leafy vegetable producers of the urban and peri-urban zone of Yaoundé. The data were analyzed using SNAP 9 software. The study showed that the most produced species are amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus), nightshade (Solanum scabrum) and jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius). The market-gardeners are influenced in their choice of vegetable to cultivate by the preference of the customers (85.7% of the respondents) and the productivity of the cultivars (66.2% of the respondents). More than 40% of the respondents buy seeds in the markets while 7.5% buy seed from other producers and 10.5% in the agricultural inputs stores. About half (47.4%) of the respondents produce seeds by leaving plants in the field after the first or the second harvest while 36.8% of the market-gardeners select the most vigorous plants for seed production. On average, 58.7% of respondents preserve the seeds in hermetically closed bottles and plastic bag. Storage on field is practiced by a significant part of market-gardeners (41.4%). A total of 79.7% of the producers reported constraints with the produced seeds. Poor seed germination (81.1% of respondents) and the non uniformity of the seed (48.1% of the producers) were reported as the major constraints. The principal source of seed supply in the metropolitan zone of Yaoundé is the self production with rudimentary production and storage techniques subject to many qualitative constraints.

New Meanings for Old Vegetables in Kyoto

In 1987, chefs, farmers, scholars and government officials collaborated to designate thirty-seven varieties of produce as “traditional Kyoto vegetables.” The definition of traditional Kyoto vegetables provides a case study of how one community capitalized on national interest in nostalgia and gourmet food in the 1980s; however, this example also illustrates what happens when stakeholders subsequently disagree about the future of traditional food. Prefectural farmers, the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives group and specialty greengrocers benefited from new marketing opportunities for traditional Kyoto vegetables and the high prices these foodstuffs garnered, while the same trends troubled many chefs and prompted city officials and urban farmers to coin alternative designations for local produce. At stake in this debate is not only how traditional local vegetables can be defined (and who benefits from that), but also the extent to which local foods reflect real communities of producers and consumers.

달맞이순과 다래순 에탄올 추출물의 in vitro 항산화효과 및 항염증효과

ABSTRACT To investigate the biological benefits of Korean traditional vegetables, anti-oxidative and anti-in-flammatory effects of ethanol extracts from blanched and dried sprouts of evening primrose ( Oenothera laciniata , OL) and gooseberry ( Actinidia arguta , AA) were measured. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of OL were higher than those of AA; OL contained 60.4 mg tannic acid/g dry weight and 31.9 mg rutin/g dry weight, while AA contained 33.0 mg tannic acid/g dry weight and 20.3 mg rutin/g dry weight. The IC 50 value for DPPH radical scavenging activity was 58.2 μg/mL for OL ethanol extract and 122.1 μg/mL for AA ethanol extract. The reducing power upon 500 μg/ mL of ethanol extract treatment was as strong as 52.1 μg ascorbate eq./mL for OL and 45.3 μg ascorbate eq./mL for AA. Regarding anti-inflammatory effects, inhibition rate against 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activities were 29.5% and 79.5% for OL, as well as 11.5% and 39.1% for AA, respectively at a concentration of 250 μg/mL. Lipopolysaccaride (1 μg/mL)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells subjected to OL ethanol extract at various concentrations (0～25 μg/mL) showed significantly reduced synthesis of nitrite oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG) E2, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity, although TNF-α synthesis was not affected. In conclusion, both OL and AA sprouts showed strong antioxidative activity, whereas OL showed very strong anti-inflammatory activity via effective reduction of NO, PGE2, and IL-6 synthesis in LPS-activated macrophage cells.

Potential of Underutilized Traditional Vegetables and Legume Crops to Contribute to Food and Nutritional Security, Income and More Sustainable Production Systems

Agriculture is under pressure to produce greater quantities of food, feed and biofuel on limited land resources. Current over-reliance on a handful of major staple crops has inherent agronomic, ecological, nutritional and economic risks and is probably unsustainable in the long run. Wider use of today’s underutilized minor crops provides more options to build temporal and spatial heterogeneity into uniform cropping systems and will enhance resilience to both biotic and abiotic stress. Many traditional vegetables and underutilized legume crops are an essential source of vitamins, micronutrients and protein and, thus, a valuable component to attain nutritional security. Vegetables in general are of considerable commercial value and therefore an important source of household income. Significant research, breeding and development efforts are needed for a range of promising crops to convert existing local landraces into competitive varieties with wide adaptation and promising commercial potential. Access to genetic diversity of these selected crops is a pre-condition for success. Three underutilized minor crops—amaranth, drumstick tree, and mungbean—are highlighted and briefly described. All three crops are well-represented in AVRDC’s genebank with substantial inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity, and already have demonstrated their potential for wider adoption and commercial exploitation.

伝統野菜のタネの地域内保全の現状と課題

伝統野菜のタネの地域内保全の現状と課題

Changing Peddling Activities in a Traditional Vegetable Producing Area: The Case of Kamigamo district, Kyoto

Changing Peddling Activities in a Traditional Vegetable Producing Area: The Case of Kamigamo district, Kyoto

콩나물 식미 결정 성분 요인 분석

Soybean sprout is a year-round traditional vegetable that is easily produced and relatively inexpensive in Korea. In addition, the sprout is known as a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. The quality of the soybean sprout has been mainly evaluated only by its appearance like length, width, color, and the others without considering any odor or taste attributes. We studied the chemical factors affecting taste of soy sprouts cultivated with 5 recommended soybean cultivars through evaluation of chemical constituents in relation to their sensory characteristics. Correlation coefficient among the chemical constituents and sensory characteristics of soybean sprout showed that the linolenic acid and Ca contents were positively correlated with total acceptability of soybean sprout and histidine, aspartic acid, and serine showed a negative association with beany odor of soybean sprout. Multiple regression analysis was done to formulate selection criteria for good taste of soy sprout. The estimation of step-wise regression analysis conducted by 47 chemical components for major quality-related characteristics showed that linolenic acid and mineral contents were the main components increasing the acceptability of soybean sprout.

Screening of African traditional vegetables for their alpha-amylase inhibitory effect.

Diabetes is a syndrome of disordered metabolism resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). The one possibility of lowering postprandial glucose levels is by the inhibition of α-amylase activity. In this study, aqueous extracts from leaves, fruits and flowers, stems and roots of twenty African traditional vegetable plants were tested for their inhibitory effect on α-amylase. The results showed that leaves of Centella asiatica (3 and 5 mg/ml) and Ceratotheca triloba (5 mg/ml), roots of Cleome monophylla (5 mg/ml), fruits and flowers ofAmaranthus hybridus (3 mg/ml), Justicia flava (3 mg/ml) and Chenopodium album(3 mg/ml), stem parts of J. flava (3 mg/ml), Portulaca oleracea (3 mg/ml) andCleome monophylla (3 mg/ml) showed significant (more than 70%) reduction in α-amylase activity. Though results from this study showed significant α-amylase inhibition at higher concentrations (3 and 5 mg/ml), traditionally used anti-diabetic medicinal plants are found to have α-amylase inhibition at very low concentrations, mostly less than 1 mg/ml. These traditional plant species regularly consumed as vegetables by rural people, will not only give dietary nutritional benefits, but also play vital role in inhibiting α-amylase activity, thereby reducing the blood glucose level and benefiting diabetic patients. Key words: African leafy vegetables, anti-diabetic, α-amylase, inhibitory effects.

Use of weeds as traditional vegetables in Shurugwi District, Zimbabwe

BackgroundMost agricultural weeds are usually regarded as undesirable and targeted for eradication. However, weeds are useful to human beings as food and traditional medicines. Few studies have been done to document the uses of weeds as traditional vegetables. This study was therefore, done to document indigenous knowledge related to the diversity and use of agricultural weeds as traditional vegetables in Shurugwi District, Zimbabwe, emphasizing their role in food security and livelihoods of the local people.Materials and methodsSemi-structured interviews, observation and guided field walks with 147 participants were employed between December 2011 and January 2012 to obtain ethnobotanical data on the use of edible weeds as traditional vegetables. Based on ethnobotanical information provided by the participants, botanical specimens were collected, numbered, pressed and dried for identification.ResultsA total of 21 edible weeds belonging to 11 families and 15 genera, mostly from Amaranthaceae (19%), Asteraceae and Tiliaceae (14.3%), Capparaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae (9.5% each) were identified. Of the documented edible weeds, 52.4% are indigenous while 47.6% are exotic to Zimbabwe; either semi-cultivated or growing naturally as agricultural weeds in farmlands, fallow land and home gardens. Among the main uses of edible weeds were leafy vegetables (81%), followed by edible fruits (19%), edible corms (9.5%), edible flowers and seeds (4.8% each). The most important edible weeds were Cleome gynandra, cited by 93.9% of the participants, Cucumis metuliferus (90.5%), Cucumis anguria (87.8%), Corchorus tridens (50.3%) and Amaranthus hybridus (39.5%). All edible weeds were available during rainy and harvest period with Cleome gynandra, Corchorus tridens, Cucumis anguria, Cucumis metuliferus and Moringa oleifera also available during the dry season, enabling households to obtain food outputs in different times of the year. The importance of edible weeds for local livelihoods was ubiquitously perceived, with all participants reporting their contribution towards food security and nutrition.ConclusionThe present study confirm findings from similar studies conducted elsewhere that rural households engage in harvesting of wild edible vegetables and other non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as a survival strategy. Based on their potential nutritional and medicinal value, edible weeds could contribute in a major way to food security, basic primary health care and balanced diets of rural households and possibly urban households as well.

Characterization and Inhibitors of Polyphenol Oxidase from Chinese Toon

Chinese toon is the unique and traditional woody vegetable in China. Enzymatic browning catalyzed by polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is prone to happen during the harvest, storage, and processing of Chinese toon so that the sensory quality and the nutritional content of Chinese toon products are seriously influenced. In order to prolong shelf life and storage period, the characterization of Chinese toon PPO (CtPPO) has been analyzed in this study. The PPO was extracted and fractionated by 25–70% (NH4)2SO4, and the biochemical characteristics were analyzed. Based on the Vmax /Km ratio, pyrogallol was the most suitable substrate, followed by catechol and gallic acid. CtPPO exhibited no affinity with methyl gallate. The molecular mass of CtPPO was approximately 84.55 kDa estimated by SDS-PAGE. The native PAGE showed four prominent bands. Optimal pH and temperature were 6.2, 40°C and 8.5, 80°C for catechol and pyrogallol, respectively. CtPPO showed high and stable activity at pH ranging from 5.0 to 7.2 for catechol and pH 7.4 to 9.5 for pyrogallol. Activation energy (Ea) values were 263.79 KJ/mol for catechol and 103.91 KJ/mol for pyrogallol. In addition, CtPPO showed stronger heat resistance above 70°C for pyrogallol than catechol in the half-life values, D-values and other thermodynamic parameters. Ascorbic acid was the most effective inhibitor, followed by L-cysteine and citric acid. Purple onion peel extract and pomegranate rind extract were effective natural inhibitors, but the former was more valid.

Assay of Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Three Dioecious Momordica Species of South East Asia

Phytochemicals including minerals, total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity were measured with ferric reducing antioxidant power and radical scavenging capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl or DPPH) in fruits of three wild/semi domesticated Momordica species (Momordica dioica, M. subangulata subsp. renigera and M. cochinchinensis) of south east Asia. Momordica dioica had significantly high crude protein (1.86 g/100 g), crude fat (1.0 g/100 g), total sugar (11.36 g/100 g), reducing sugar (9.6 g/100 g) and starch (8.72 g/100 g) in comparison to other species. Among the minerals analysed, phosphorus, iron and copper content was maximum in M. subangulata subsp. renigera (0.37 %, 119.80 ppm, 10.80 ppm respectively) while magnesium and zinc content was maximum in M. dioica (0.18 %, 37.40 ppm respectively). Interestingly, in contrast to all other minerals, manganese content was significantly higher in M. cochinchinensis (178 ppm). The total phenol, total flavonoids, DPPH and FRAP values ranged from 26.08 to 106.89 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g, 0.99–12.45 mg catechin equivalent/100 g, 43.56–81.73 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g, 5.75–65.84 mg ascorbic acid equivalent anti-oxidant capacity/100 g, respectively. Among the species studied M. dioica showed the highest antioxidant activity as it contains total phenol (106.89 mg/100 g), total flavonoids (12.45 mg/100 g), DPPH (81.73 mg/100 g) and FRAP (65.84 mg/100 g). From the present study, it is concluded that these traditional vegetables may contribute in a significant way to the food and nutritional security and balanced diets of both rural and urban households besides being a potential source of natural antioxidant.

Determination of the variations in levels of phenolic compounds in soybean (Glycine max Merr.) sprouts infected by anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides )

Soybean sprouts (Kongnamool) are one of the most popular and nutritive traditional vegetables in East Asia. Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most serious diseases of soybean sprouts. In order to obtain basic information for breeding and/or selecting soybean genotypes with increased natural defense against anthracnose, phenolic compounds were profiled for healthy and infected soybean (Glycine max Merr.) sprouts by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Tryptophan and eight phenolic compounds (daidzin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, malonylgenistin, daidzein, glycitein, genistein and coumestrol) were determined from healthy and inoculated sprouts. Total identified phenolic content was 40.02 ± 0.03 mg kg⁻¹, 99.4% of which was isoflavones. The monitoring suggested that de novo induced glycitein appeared to act as a phytoalexin in the defence mechanism of the soybean sprouts against C. gloeosporioides, and constitutively formed seven phenolic components that functioned as phytoanticipins in the diseased soybean sprouts.

山口県伝統野菜‘田屋’ナスの嗜好特性

山口県伝統野菜‘田屋’ナスの嗜好特性

Vegetable consumption patterns in Yaounde, Cameroon

A survey was conducted in August and September 2008 in Yaoundé, Cameroon to assess vegetable consumption attitudes, constraints and factors that stimulate households’ consumption. Stratified sample based on district size, socioeconomic status and ethnics groups were used. Three hundred households were interviewed using a questionnaire and t here were four times as many women as men in the sample. Data were analyzed using SNAP. More than 80% of the respondents were educated at the secondary (54%) and tertiary (30%) levels. The respondents were generally the wife (35%) or children (30%), and sometimes the husband (20%). More than 50% of the respondents were landlords living in their own homes and the rest were tenant s. On average, the population of Yaoundé consumed vegetables frequently ( 2 to 4 times per week ). Tomato, onion, carrot, and chili pepper were the most preferred exotic vegetables while bitter leaf (>80%) and okra (>70%), were the most preferred traditional vegetables. Attitudes towards vegetables varied according to socio economic and ethnic group. Main constraints to vegetable consumption were preparation time for respondents in the upper class (30%) and social taboos (amaranth is an ominous crop and can cause impotency in men; okra can inhibit the traditional treatment of some diseases) for the middle and lower classes. Freshness, wholesomeness, and color of the fruit or leaves determined the decision to purchase vegetables. Diversification of diet which is good for health , the preference of family members, and taste were the main reasons for consuming vegetables. Taste, degree of sliminess (okra), and smell after cooking were f actors that increased satisfaction during consumption. Two- thirds of the respondents knew the benefits of vegetable consumption but their knowledge was not specific and is influenced by social taboos. Willingness to pay for processed traditional vegetables was higher among respondents in the upper income class (56.9%) than the lower (45.8%) and middle (37.1%) classes. The study revealed a need to further promote the consumption vegetables and inform consumers of their nutritional benefits.

Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Polygonum Minus, Alpinia Galanga and Etlingera Elatior

The Malaysian traditional vegetables Polygonum minus (Pokok Kesum), Alpinia galanga (Lengkuas) and Etlingera elatior (Bunga Kantan) are commonly used in local cuisines and traditional medicine [1, 2, 3]. In this study, antioxidant and anticancer properties of extracts from these herbs were evaluated. This may provide insights on their nutritional and medicinal values. The herbs were extracted sequentially using solvents of varying polarity (apolar to polar: hexane>methanol>ethyl acetate>water). Antioxidant activities were determined using Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), 2,2-Diphenyl-1picryldydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and 2,2’-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. Antiproliferation activity was assessed by MTT assay. The methanol extract of P. minus exhibited the highest polyphenols content. This extract also showed the highest radical scavenging activities based on DPPH and FRAP assays, which were 1276.81±12.26 µmol TE/g and 1728.33±1.66 µmol Fe 2+ /g extract respectively. The water extract of P. minus showed the highest antioxidant activity based on ABTS-radical scavenging assay. All plant extracts were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity using colon cancer cell line HCT116, with CCD841 as the normal non-cancerous cell line for comparison. Kesum hexane extract showed promising and selective anti-proliferative activity against HCT116 cell line, with an IC 50 value of 40.00±2.04 µg/ml. This study demontrates that traditional herbs could provide sources of antioxidant and anticancer compounds. REFERENCES

Wild Leafy Vegetables Consumed in Buhera District of Zimbabwe and Their Phenolic Compounds Content

A questionnaire was used to gather information on the wild leafy vegetables consumed. The phenolic concentrations were determined by the vanillin, butanol, and tannin binding assays. Seventy-nine traditional vegetables were mentioned by the respondents and 20 of these were classified according to their species. The contents of flavonoids varied from 1.2 mg/g for Cleome gynandra to 8.0 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The levels of proanthocyanidins ranged from 1.9 mg/g for lettuce to 11.2 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The tannin contents of the vegetables ranged from 5.7 mg/g for Cleome gynandra to 8.3 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The present study showed that these vegetables are valuable sources of phenolic compounds as compared to some exotic species.