Wild Vegetables Research Articles

Chloroplast genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Pellionia scabra

Pellionia scabra belongs to the genus Pellionia in the family of Urticaceae, and is a high-quality wild vegetables with high nutritional value. In this study, high-throughput techniques were used to sequence, assemble and annotate the chloroplast genome. We also analyzed its structure, and construct the phylogenetic trees from the P. scabra to further study the chloroplast genome characteristics. The results showed that the chloroplast genome size was 153 220 bp, and the GC content was 36.4%, which belonged to the typical tetrad structure in P. scabra. The chloroplast genome encodes 130 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes in P. scabra. Among them, 15 genes contained 1 intron, 2 genes contained 2 introns, and rps12 had trans-splicing, respectively. In P. scabra, chloroplast genomes could be divided into four categories, including 43 photosynthesis, 64 self-replication, other 7 coding proteins, and 4 unknown functions. A total of 51 073 codons were detected in the chloroplast genome, among which the codon encoding leucine (Leu) accounted for the largest proportion, and the codon preferred to use A and U bases. There were 72 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in the chloroplast genome of P. scabra, containing 58 single nucleotides, 12 dinucleotides, 1 trinucleotide, and 1 tetranucleotide. The ycf1 gene expansion was present at the IRb/SSC boundary. The phylogenetic trees showed that P. scabra (OL800583) was most closely related to Elatostema stewardii (MZ292972), Elatostema dissectum (MK227819) and Elatostema laevissimum var. laevissimum (MN189961). Taken together, our results provide worthwhile information for understanding the identification, genetic evolution, and genomics research of P. scabra species.

Bitter Is Better: Wild Greens Used in the Blue Zone of Ikaria, Greece.

The current study reports an ethnobotanical field investigation of traditionally gathered and consumed wild greens (Chorta) in one of the five so-called Blue Zones in the world: Ikaria Isle, Greece. Through 31 semi-structured interviews, a total of 56 wild green plants were documented along with their culinary uses, linguistic labels, and locally perceived tastes. Most of the gathered greens were described as bitter and associated with members of Asteraceae and Brassicaceae botanical families (31%), while among the top-quoted wild greens, species belonging to these two plant families accounted for 50% of the wild vegetables, which were consumed mostly cooked. Cross-cultural comparison with foraging in other areas of the central-eastern Mediterranean and the Near East demonstrated a remarkable overlapping of Ikarian greens with Cretan and Sicilian, as well as in the prevalence of bitter-tasting botanical genera. Important differences with other wild greens-related food heritage were found, most notably with the Armenian and Kurdish ones, which do not commonly feature many bitter greens. The proven role of extra-oral bitter taste receptors in the modulation of gastric emptying, glucose absorption and crosstalk with microbiota opens new ways of looking at these differences, in particular with regard to possible health implications. The present study is also an important attempt to preserve and document the bio-cultural gastronomic heritage of Chorta as a quintessential part of the Mediterranean diet. The study recommends that nutritionists, food scientists, and historians, as well as policymakers and practitioners, pay the required attention to traditional rural dietary systems as models of sustainable health.

Exploring the Use of Indigenous Wild Vegetables by the Basotho People of Southern Africa: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature and Nutritional Analysis of Selected Species.

Wild indigenous vegetables have recently been receiving attention due to their accessibility and potential to fight malnutrition. The current study investigated the nutritional profile of 10 selected wild indigenous vegetables, namely Asclepias multicaulis, Lepidium africanum, Erucastrum austroafricanum, Solanum nigrum, Sonchus dregeanus, Sonchus integrifolius, Sonchus nanus, Rorippa fluviatilis, Tribulus terrestris, and Urtica lobulata, consumed by the Basotho people of southern Africa. This was done by first compiling a comprehensive literature review to identify the knowledge gaps and further analysing the selected vegetables for mineral contents and proximate compositions using standard analytical procedures of AOAC. The literature survey revealed that 90 wild plants are used as vegetables by the Basotho people, and there are knowledge gaps on the nutritional value of many species. Mineral analyses of the wild vegetables showed that Asclepias multicaulis and Sonchus dregeanus are rich in minerals such as Al, Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, and S and can compete favourably with commercialised vegetables such as lettuce and spinach in terms of mineral components. Also, all the wild vegetables studied have more than 12% recommended caloric protein value except Tribulus terrestris (10.07%) and Lepidium africanum (11.32%). The crude fat content in Asclepias multicaulis, Lepidium africanum, Rorippa fluviatilis, Erucastrum austroafricanum, and Urtica lobulata fall within the range required for healthy living. The concentrations of cadmium, copper, and lead in all the vegetables studied are below the detection level, thus making them non-toxic and safe for consumption.

Ethnobotanical, Bioecological and Phytocoenological Analysis of Species of the Genus Chenopodium L. in Arid Zones of Azerbaijan

The research was carried out in the arid regions of Azerbaijan in 2021-2023. The main goal of the research was to provide a bioecological and phytocoenological analysis of species of the genus Chenopodium, widespread as a weed plant, in the composition of coenosis, and to reveal the possibilities of use based on ethnobotanical surveys among the population. Floristic, phytocoenological, ethnobotanical methods were used during the research. It was determined that 15 species of the genus in Azerbaijan flora are more widespread in the plains and mid-mountain belt, mainly in the desert, semi-desert steppe vegetation, and in cultivated areas. During the surveys conducted among the local population, it became clear that only 10 species of the genus are used, of which 5 species are used only as wild vegetables, 3 species are used only for treatment in folk medicine, and one species — Chenopodium album is used by the population both as a medicinal plant and as a vegetable plant. It has been recorded that one species (Chenopodium foliosum) of the genus is used as a dye plant.

Phytochemical Investigation of Crude Methanol Extracts of Different Wild Vegetables from the Bhandara District of Maharashtra

Abstract: Background: Wild vegetables are available in different seasons throughout the year in the Bhandara district. It has been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases including diabetes, immunity booster, cancer, infertility, anemia, jaundice, etc. also use as food. It’s good for humans because of the absence of synthetic chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers that are causing Endo-destructive. a phytochemical screening of five (Bauhinia varigata, Capparis zeylanica, Chenopodium album, Discoria bulbifera and Olax Only a few people know about it, especially those living near forest areas. Some use wild vegetables for animal fodder, and some throw away or burn wild vegetables as useless because unknown about the value of wild vegetables. However, comprehensive information on these wild vegetables is important. Therefore we aimed to provide comprehensive information on wild vegetables' ethnobotanical use, pharmacological activities and phytochemistry. Main body: The study includes imbricate) wild vegetables in methanolic extracts. Very important phytochemicals i.e. bioactive compounds are present in wild vegetables which are used to treat various diseases. Conclusion: the presence in the phytochemical wild vegetables makes them more important. Wild vegetables are used as medicines as well as food by local people in daily life. Wild vegetables are more nutritious for human health than cultivating vegetables containing chemicals.

Proximate and mineral composition of some wild leafy vegetables consumed in Katsina State Nigeria

In Sub Saharan Africa, people utilised wild leafy vegetables and herbs in order to meet the daily recommended nutritional requirements for the betterment of health and general well being, In this study, seven wild leafy vegetables consumed in Katsina State, Nigeria were studied for their proximate analysis and mineral composition. B. salicifolia (Capparaceae), T. globiferus (Loranthaceae), F. glumosa (Moraceae), C. religiosa (Capparaceae), M. angolensis (Capparaceae), S.occidentalis (Fabaceae) and P.thonningii (Fabaceae), were evaluated using standard methods. The results showed that, Carbohydrates is the most abundant nutrient present in the selected plants. The crude protein ranged from 13.23– 9.33.% with F. .glumosa and B. salicifolia providing the highest amount. The elemental analysis in ppm/l revealed the presence of Iron, Calcium within recommended daily values and low level of heavy metals in all the samples. The selected plants may therefore be considered as viable and cheap sources of dietary nutrients and their incorporation in diets may be said to be scientifically justifiable..

Contribution of Nontimber Forest Products Earn to Livelihood in Rural Households and the Type of Use: A Systematic Review

The researcher conducted a review of 83 articles published between 2011 and 2021 to determine the nontimber forest products (NTFPs) income contribution and usage types based on spatial and temporal patterns. The study used a search, synthesis, appraisal, and analysis framework for review. The review included articles that only focused on the contributions of NTFPs for livelihood income and NTFPs usage type, while others not related to these two topics were excluded. For its literature search, more than half of the articles used Google Scholar, followed by Research4life, Scopus/Elsevier, EMBASE, and PubMed, respectively. In this study, excluding papers that (i) did not provide evidence on the income contribution of NTFPs, (ii) did not include articles that did not clearly explain the NTFPs use types, and (iii) were published before 2011, the reviewer was able to reduce the number of included articles (eligibility criteria or inclusion and exclusion criteria). 83 article papers were reviewed for the current review. The majority of the research for this review was carried out in India (19%), Ethiopia (13%), and Nigeria (11%). India was the first of the 17 both Asian and African countries to do research on the NTFPs’ contribution to rural household income and type of use. NTFPs contribute significantly to rural household revenue in 17 countries, ranging from a minimum of 9.5% in Zambia to a maximum of 40.19% in Myanmar. The average percentage of revenue from NTFPs across the 17 nations was 23.56%. Wild fruit, wild vegetables, medicinal plants, firewood, and crafts were the five NTFP usage types that were used by people in every country studied. Despite the fact that different countries utilize different types of NTFPs, the most commonly used types of NTFPs do not differ statistically ( P > 0.05 ). To prevent overexploitation, those top five NTFPs must be conserved as they gather across the regions. NTFP collection is a significant source of revenue for rural poor and people who live in and around the forest. There are many types of NTFPs in both Asian and African countries. So, this study shows that the rural people depend on the forest product and get many benefits from the forest especially in the NTFP usage type. In order to secure livelihood stability in this global biodiversity hotspot and to preserve plant and animal diversity, the cultivation and scientific harvesting of NTFPs are urgently required. It is necessary to increase capacity by teaching NTFP users how, when, and how much to harvest.

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Household on Non-Timber Forest Product Dependency from Chilimo Forest, Ethiopia

Non-timber forest products are very important in providing basic needs, cash deposits, and home consumption to forest-adjacent communities. Several socio-economic factors influence household dependence on non-timber forest products. This study focused on analyzing the socio-economic factors determining a household’s dependency on non-timber forest products from the Chilimo forest in Dandi, Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied to analyze the data. The main NTFPs extracted by local communities in the study area included honey, fodder, wild vegetables, medicinal plants, firewood, and charcoal. Thus products are used for home both consumption and commercial purposes. Availability of the non-timber forest product also influenced its extraction from the forest (χ2 (2,432) = 4.973, p<0.084). A majority of households (87%) who got NTFPs explained that this resource availability had decreased when compared to ten years ago, thus diminishing their chances of getting NTFPs possibly due to the degradation of the forest. Based on the results from logistic regression factors like age, the career of a household head, and distance to the market had a significant positive correlation on household NTFPs exploitation dependency. Household that lives near the forest has more advantages to extracting NTFPs from the forest than those who live further away. Also, land size, formal education, and household need for fuel wood were positively correlated with the local household, dependency on NTFPs from the Chilimo forest.

The concurrent impacts of drought and leaf harvesting on two traditional African vegetable non-timber forest product species.

Investigating the concurrent impacts with harvesting on wild vegetables can guide their sustainable management while contributing to the understanding of such impacts on NTFP species. This study investigated leaf production, morphological and growth responses to the concurrent impacts of drought and leaf harvesting between two wild vegetables. A randomized greenhouse experiment was implemented with 1,334 plants of Amaranthus sp. and 391 of B. pilosa. A drought treatment was first implemented through six levels of drought stress and a control treatment. The harvesting treatment consisted of four harvesting levels and was implemented twice. Measurements were recorded before first and second harvests and at end of experiment. Data were separated into two periods (after first and second harvests) and analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance and log-linear analysis. The results showed significant effects of drought on both species. However, Amaranthus sp. appeared more resilient to reduction in the daily amount of water than reduction in the frequency, while B. pilosa was resilient under both facets of drought stress. For Amaranthus sp., basal diameter, its growth, leaf production and survival increased with increase in the harvesting level (with some exceptions) after first harvest. After second harvest, there was decrease in plant height and leaf production. In B. pilosa, the impact was only significant on survival and leaf production (after first harvest). The effect of the interaction of the two drivers was significant for Amaranthus sp., but not for B. pilosa. The results also highlighted the possible negative impact of a prolonged high rate harvesting on the species performance, especially under severe drought. Basal diameter, its growth, survival and leaf production appeared more resilient to reduced amounts of watering in Amaranthus sp., and under both types of drought stress for B. pilosa. This suggests that both species could be sustained under medium drought stress.

Impact of cooking methods on the chemical and antioxidant composition of some indigenous vegetables used in different food dishes in Southeast Nigeria

BackgroundSome wild and domesticated vegetables of Ibo ethnic tribe of Southeast, Nigeria, namely Piper guineense, Ocimum gratissimum, Solanum melongena L., Gongronema latifolium, Gnetum africanum and Vernonia amygdalina, have gained interest in food culinary uses due to its nutritional, antioxidant potentials and health benefits. These vegetables are rich in fiber, minerals and phyto-nutrients and have significant health benefits against degenerative disorders. Due to these facts, cooking methods aimed at better retention of nutrients and antioxidant compounds were exploited.MethodsCarefully selected fresh and shredded indigenous vegetables that are commonly used in different food dishes in Southeast Nigeria were cooked (blanched at 98 °C, 2 min and sautéed at 150 °C, 5 min). They were analyzed on a dry weight basis for minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity assayed by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP.ResultsResults exhibited wild variations showing that Ocimum gratissimum and Solanum melongena L had higher concentrations of functional minerals Zn, Fe, K and Ca. Vitamins B1 and β-carotene had higher concentrations in Solanum melongena L, Gnetum africanum and Vernonia amygdalina. Ocimum gratissimum revealed higher concentrations of TPC and TFC and maintains strong scavenging activity in ABTS and FRAP, while %DPPH manifested stronger activity in Solanum melongena L. Vernonia amygdalina exhibited higher phytochemicals concentrations, especially the alkaloid content.ConclusionSautéed cooking retained more nutrients and had stronger antioxidant activity than the blanched method. Overall, these vegetables possess high concentrations of functional constituents that can make them be used to boost human nutrition and benefit the health of consumers.

Nutritional composition of the wild variety of edible vegetables consumed by the tribal community of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Humans established relations with food with their existence on earth. In various parts of the world, different types of vegetation are used as food material. Chhattisgarh, where numbers of tribes exist and used a leafy portion of various plants as a food material. The present study evaluated the total protein, total carbohydrate, and total free amino acid content in leafy vegetables used in Chhattisgarh. Total protein was estimated by Lowry method, while total carbohydrate and free amino acid content by Anthrone method and spectrophotometric method. The result showed highest protein contained in Tamarindus indica (103.98 ± 2.34 μg/mg) followed by Moringa olerifera (99.86 ± 2.32 μg/mg), Cicer arietinum (95.53 ± 2.78 μg/mg). The highest carbohydrate content was observed in the leaf of Amaranthus viridis (116.26 ± 2.33 μg/mg of plant tissue) followed by Marsilea vestita with carbohydrate content (82.35 ± 1.55 μg/mg), Chorchorus olitorius with carbohydrate content (50.46 ± 2.23 μg/mg), and highest free amino acid content was recorded in the leaves of (232.33 ± 2.05 μg/mg of plant tissue) followed by Brassica oleracea (204.94 ± 1.25 μg/mg), Cucurbita maxima (85.67 ± 2.35μg/mg). The study’s finding confirmed that wild leafy vegetables utilized by the special community of this area play a significant role in their livelihood as those vegetables contain higher nutrient level compared to conventional crops. As per the data reported, more than one million people of this region suffer from malnutrition so present study is an approach to overcome the health issue of people of this region in a sustainable manner

Geomorphology, Phytochemistry, Ethnomedical and Pharmacological activities of Amaranthus viridis Linn.

Amaranthus viridis L. is a member of the Amaranthaceae family, which includes the "Chowlai" plant, a widely grown weed and wild vegetable. ANumerous substance, including the amino acids lysine, histidine, cystine, arginine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, valine, tyrosine and threonine are present in the viridis. Finding new chemical entities through phytochemical screening of Amaranthus viridis Linn. leaf extract. indicates the presence of biologically active components such as triterpenes, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, and phenols. Some chemical components in Amaranthus viridis Linn. have significant anti-inflammatory, antihepatotoxic, anti-ulcer, antiallergic, and antiviral effects. To ease labour discomfort and function as an antipyretic, Traditional medicine in India and Nepal makes use of A. viridis. The bruised leaves are used by the Negritos of the Philippines as a direct treatment for a number of skin diseases, such as eczema, psoriasis, and rashes. Additionally, it has been used as a diuretic, anti-rheumatic, anti-ulcer, analgesic, antiemetic, laxative, appetite enhancer, antileprotic, anti-inflammatory for the urinary system, a vermifuge for venereal disorders, a remedy for respiratory and ocular conditions, and a medication for asthma.

Underutilized Vegetable Crops in the Mediterranean Region: A Literature Review of Their Requirements and the Ecosystem Services Provided

By 2050, the increasing demand for food will put additional pressure on natural resources. Underutilized crops, such as wild vegetables, are an essential component of the Mediterranean diet and are widely correlated with the traditional cuisine of Mediterranean countries. They could be widely associated with resistance to abiotic stress and enhanced genetic diversity, and could provide various ecosystem services. Their cultivation could support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the UN and the current EU policies related to environmentally friendly agriculture. Based on an extensive literature review, the aim of this paper is to summarize the environmental and ecological requirements of specific Mediterranean underutilized vegetables, the provisioning and regulating ecosystem services that could be derived from their cultivation, and their potential use. It is concluded that thorough planning of underutilized crop cultivation could enhance the provisioning and regulating ecosystem services that positively affect Mediterranean agriculture. However, further research should be carried out regarding their environmental and economic impact in order to assess the environmental and socio-economic effects of underutilized crops cultivation. This could lead to designing future policies that support underutilized crop cultivation and consumption.

Nutritional evaluation of some potential wild edible plants of North Eastern region of India.

India's north-eastern hill region (NEH) is one of the biodiversity hotspots, inhabited by several tribal communities still maintaining their traditional food habits. Much of their food resources are drawn from wild sources. Fourteen species of wild edible plants of high ethnic importance were collected from remote localities of Nagaland and Meghalaya states of the NEH region of India for nutritional profiling. Nutritional profiling of leaves of six species comprising Gynura cusimbua, Garcinia cowa, Herpetospermum operculatum, Plukenetia corniculata, Trichodesma khasianum, and Elatostemma sessile is conducted first time under present study. Samples were analyzed as per the Official Method of Analysis (AOAC) and standard methods. The range of variation in proximate composition was observed for moisture (72-92%), protein (1.71-6.66%), fat (0.22-1.36%), dietary fibre (5.16-14.58%), sugar (0.30-3.41%), and starch (0.07-2.14%). The highest protein content (6.66%) was recorded in Herpetospermum operculatum, followed by Trichodesma khasianum (5.89%) and Plukenetia corniculata (5.27%). Incidentally, two of these also have high iron (>7.0 mg/100 g) and high zinc (>2.0 mg/100 g) contents, except Trichodesma khasianum, which has low zinc content. High antioxidant activities in terms of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) by the cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method ranged from 1.10 to 8.40 mg/100 g, and by the Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method ranged from 0.10 to 1.9 mg/100 g, while phenol content ranged between 0.30 and 6.00 mg/100 g. These wild vegetables have high potential because of their nutritional properties and are fully capable of enhancing sustainability and improving ecosystem services. Efforts were also initiated to mainstream these resources, mainly for widening the food basket of native peoples.

Intercropping of Cyphomandra betacea with Different Ploidies of Solanum Sect. Solanum (Solanaceae) Wild Vegetables Increase Their Selenium Uptakes.

Selenium (Se) deficiency causes various diseases in humans. Se can be obtained from fruits and vegetables. In this study, the fruit tree Cyphomandra betacea was intercropped with three Solanum sect. Solanum (Solanaceae) wild vegetables [diploid (S. photeinocarpum), tetraploid (colchicine-induced S. photeinocarpum), and hexaploid (S. nigrum)], respectively, and Se uptakes of these plants were determined by a pot experiment. Intercropping decreased the biomass, photosynthetic pigment content, and superoxide dismutase activity of C. betacea, but increased the peroxidase (POD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and soluble protein content of C. betacea. These indicators' values of sect. Solanum increased after intercropping. The contents of Se increased in C. betacea and sect. Solanum after intercropping. Intercropped with diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid increased the shoot Se contents in C. betacea by 13.73%, 17.49%, and 26.50%, respectively, relative to that of C. betacea monoculture. Intercropped with C. betacea increased the shoot Se contents in diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid by 35.22%, 68.86%, and 74.46%, respectively, compared with their respective monoculture. The biomass and Se content of intercropped sect. Solanum showed linear relationships with the biomass and Se content of their monocultures. The biomass and Se content of intercropped C. betacea also exhibited linear relationships with that of sect. Solanum monocultures. Correlation and grey relational analyses revealed that the CAT activity, POD activity, and soluble protein content were the top three indicators closely associated with the C. betacea shoot Se content. The POD activity, soluble protein content, and translocation factor were the top three indicators closely associated with sect. Solanum shoot Se content. Therefore, intercropping can promote the Se uptake in C. betacea and sect. Solanum wild vegetables.

Ethnobotanical study of the wild edible plants used by the indigenous people of Merak in Bhutan

Abstract. Jigme, Yangchen K. 2023. Ethnobotanical study of the wild edible plants used by the indigenous people of Merak in Bhutan. Asian J Ethnobiol 6: 1-6. Merak communities possess one of the oldest and most extensive cultural traditions of using plants for various ethnobotanical purposes, but this traditional knowledge still needs to be reported. As a result, this is the first ethnobotanical survey on Wild Edible Plants (WEPs) in Merak Gewog, Tashigang Dzongkhag, Bhutan. The data was obtained through an ethnobotanical survey and semi-structured interviews with 40 informants. The study identified 16 plant species from 16 genera and 16 families of WEPs consumed in Merak Gewog. Herbs (14 species) were found to be the most important sources, followed by shrubs (1 species) and trees (1 species). The most commonly consumed plant part(s) are leaves (8 species), followed by flowers (4 species), shoots and whole plant (with 3 species each), rhizome, and root (1 species each). Wild edible plants supplement the family diet, and their usage and collecting frequency are constrained by seasonal availability. Summer is the best time to harvest wild edible plants, followed by spring, autumn, and winter. However, many of the wild edible plants found in the Merak are under increased strain due to human and socioeconomic causes such as livestock overgrazing, habitat degradation, unsustainable harvesting, and forest fire. This finding has resulted in the disappearance of WEP species and the underlying indigenous knowledge. As a result, the importance of wild vegetables must be stressed and included in conservation and food security strategies.

Gendered Sharing of Decision-making Powers, Responsibilities and Rights over Non-Timber Forest Resources in Cherangany Hills Forest, Kenya

Building on the Theory of Feminist Political Ecology (FPE), this paper examines the gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making powers, responsibilities, and rights over the exploitation of non-timber forest resources within Cherangany Hills Forest, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted, semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 280 Community Forest Association (CFA) members (140 male and 140 female) that were randomly sampled, and in-depth interviews were conducted among 35 key respondents (20 CFA members, 7 CFA leaders, 2 village elders, 2 assistant chiefs, 2 forest guards, and 2 forest officers) that were purposively sampled. Quantitative data was analysed in the form of mean and standard deviation and presented in the form of percentages and graphs. This paper highlights that husbands and wives shared the decision-making powers over the use of forest land for crop farming to a ‘Great Extent’. There was substantial gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making over the use of forest land for livestock feeding. However, there was minimal gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making with regard to the collection of firewood, herbal plants, indigenous vegetables, and fruits from the forest as well as beekeeping within the forest. The husbands and wives shared the responsibilities and rights over crop farming to a ‘Great Extent’. There was substantial gendered sharing of responsibilities and rights over the collection of fodder and grazing of livestock and collection of herbal plants from the forest. But there was minimal gendered sharing of responsibilities and rights over the collection of firewood, beekeeping and honey harvesting, collection of wild vegetables and picking of indigenous fruits from the forest. There is a need to enlighten, encourage and support both men and women living adjacent to forested areas to understand forest rights, embrace on-farm forestry, and use forest resources sustainably

Light Intensity and Growth Media Influence Growth, Nutrition, and Phytochemical Content in Trachyandra divaricata Kunth

Trachyandra divaricata (Sandkool) is one of the most abundant wild edible inflorescence vegetables in South Africa. The dearth of literature on its edibility, nutrient composition, and conservation has contributed to its underutilisation. This study investigated mineral and proximate content, phytochemical compositions, and growth response of T. divaricata to light intensity and soilless media. Treatments comprised four media (LECA clay, silica sand, peat, and vermiculite) which were subjected to different shade levels (no shade, 20, 40, 60, and 80%) created from a factory-made 20% density net by doubling (40%), tripling (60%), and quadrupling (80%). All treatments were irrigated with a standard nutrient solution. The results showed that the treatments impacted the yield of T. divaricata significantly in terms of biomass and flower buds, especially in plants cultivated in peat under normal greenhouse lighting (no shade). Conversely, plants developed significantly more specific leaf size and total chlorophyll content under shade levels (20, 40, 60, and 80%) in different growth media, even though the values were comparable among treatments. The highest Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, and Mn levels were consistently recorded in flowers of T. divaricata grown in LECA clay under 80% shade level, while other minerals varied in tested treatments. The peat medium under 20% shade optimised the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) content of the flowers, whereas both fat and protein contents were greatly enhanced by peat and vermiculite, respectively, under the 80% shade. Consistently, the lowest phytochemical contents were recorded in LECA clay subjected to 80% shade, whereas the highest polyphenols and DPPH antioxidants were produced by silica sand medium treated with 20% shade. Both TEAC and FRAP antioxidants were improved significantly in LECA clay under no shade and the 60% shade level. However, both 20% and 60% shade levels enhanced the flavonol content significantly. On the basis of these findings, T. divaricata is a promising inflorescent vegetable that may be considered for domestication and further research due to its potential pharmacological and nutraceutical values.

Wild leafy vegetables: A potential source for a traditional Mediterranean food from Lebanon

IntroductionIn Lebanon, wild leafy vegetables (WLVs) continue to be an essential component of people's diet. Nevertheless, little ethnobotanical research has addressed this important potential source for food and nutrition.MethodsIn this study, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out between 2018 and 2022 across 21 villages/towns involving 151 local informants by semi-structured interviews.Results and discussionA list of 158 plant species which was still gathered and consumed by traditional Lebanese communities was compiled. The species belonged to 21 families and the most diverse families were Asteraceae (77 species), Brassicaceae (22), and Apiaceae (11). Native species accounted for 147 of the cited species, five of which were endemics to Lebanon and Syria. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) index, Anchusa azurea, Centaurea hyalolepis, Chondrilla juncea, Eruca vesicaria, Pseudopodospermum molle, Pseudopodospermum papposum, and Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum were reported for the first time among the top popular species. Basal rosettes were the main parts consumed both raw and/or cooked. Informants perceived a decline in availability primarily due to habitat loss and land degradation. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), six of cited species were classified as globally threatened (EN or VU), five of which were narrow endemics. These species scored substantial RFC values. Findings indicate that WEVs of Lebanon offer a promising potential to support food diversity and dietary quality of traditional communities and that threatened endemic species present a high conservation priority. Future research on nutritional contents of these species and highly rated WLVs is recommended.

Qualitative phytochemical analysis of ten different leafy wild vegetables

The present research paper focuses on the phytochemical analysis of 10 different species of non-cultivated, wild, and traditional vegetables available in the adjoining area of Nipani City (Karnataka) during the rainy season. These wild plants are used as medicine as well as vegetables. They are used to treat different diseases like diabetes, rheumatism, dysentery, dyspepsia, gastritis, constipation, urinary disorders, etc., and are easily available in natural habitats, a cheap and excellent source of nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, iron, essential minerals, and other secondary metabolites. Phytochemical analyzed 10 leafy vegetable extracts shows the presence of phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids. The photochemical analysis of these plants is very important commercially and has a great interest in pharmaceutical companies for the production of new drugs for curing various diseases.