An Overview of the Ethnobotanic, Ethnopharmacological and Medicinal Importance of Edible Wild Root Tuber Orchids in Cameroon

Orchids are well known for their beautiful exotic flowers, and food-flavoring products which make them a resource of great economic importance in the global horticultural and food industries. In Cameroon, orchids are particularly important for their tubers which are used for food and traditional medicine. Orchids are therefore of considerable economic importance, traded within and across the regions and out of the country. Few research works have reported for these orchids in Cameroon exploring mostly identification and taxonomy. It is therefore the responsibility and duty of the local population to valorize the tubers for national use based on their awareness of the hidden potentials for food and medicine. Many people will have eaten orchids without realizing, due to the countless products in international trade that contain the seeds of artificially propagated Vanilla orchids. However, this legal trade is only one example of orchids being used as ingredients in food and drink. One example is the trade in chikanda, a cake made from the ground tubers of terrestrial orchids and consumed in several countries in Central and East Africa. Another product made from the ground tubers of terrestrial species is salep, which is used as an ingredient in hot drinks and ice cream and consumed mainly in Turkey and neighboring countries. The high exploitation with no biodiversity and conservation strategic plan by indigenes is a call for concern about the sustainability as future existence of these wild edible orchids is highly threatened; reason why orchids are on the international red list. This paper reviews the ethnobotanical and medicinal uses of orchid roots and tubers with a focus on Cameroon. The review highlights some of the areas that require more focus in terms of research and policy interventions, namely identification of all edible orchids, domestication of edible orchids, and trade controls. Focusing on Cameroon, this paper reviews and examines the edible root and tuber orchids developments based on information from some of the work that has been done in Cameroon, the ethnobotanic, ethnopharmacological and medicinal uses of these orchids.

Comparing Cotyledon, Leaf and Root Resistance To Downy Mildew in Radish (Raphanus Sativus L.)

Radish downy mildew (DM) is a disease caused by the oomycete Hyaloperonospora brassicae f. sp. raphani and it is a serious problem in radish production, an edible root vegetable crop of the Brassicaceae family. The objective of this research was to assess radish germplasm for DM resistance and to evaluate the response of different radish organs to the disease. Cotyledons, true-leaves and roots of 44 radish accessions were inoculated with H. brassicae isolates under controlled conditions. The cotyledons were individually evaluated 7dpi (days post-inoculation), and the leaves and roots 12dpi. DM symptoms varied with the radish genotype and plant organ analysed. Thirty-five resistant and partially resistant accessions were identified and are promising sources to DM. A significant correlation was observed between cotyledon and leaf (1st and 2nd leaves) DM resistance, but no correlation was found between the resistance of cotyledons or true-leaves and roots. Cotyledon and leaf response cannot be used to predict radish root resistance. However, cotyledon resistance has its own value because non-infected cotyledons will act as a barrier to slow disease progression to true-leaves and roots.

Nitrogen and Sulfur Fertilization in Kale and Swede for Grazing

Species in the Brassicaceae family, hence forth brassicas, such as forage kale [Brassica. oleracea L. convar acephala (DC)], swede (B. napus L. var. napobrassica), turnip [Brassica rapa L. var. rapa (L.) Thell], and hybrids (B. rapa L. × B. pekinensis L. or B. rapa L. × B. oleracea L.), have become an important source of forage for grazing worldwide. One of the limitations of forage brassicas is the relatively higher water content and low forage yield in rain-fed environments. The objective of this study was to determine swede and kale forage yield and nutritive value response to various nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization rates. The study was conducted at two experimental field sites in North Dakota in 2012 and 2014. Kale cv. Maris Kestrel and swede cv. Major Plus and five N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1) and two rates of S (0 and 40 kg S ha−1) were evaluated. Swede total forage yield was greater than kale across all nitrogen and sulfur rates. Compared with no N fertilization, N fertilization increased total leaf and root/stems yield and nitrogen accumulation in leaves, roots, and stems. Sulfur did not affect forage yield. Forage nutritive value was greater in swede than kale due to a higher proportion of edible root compared with kale’s higher proportion of fibrous stems. Nitrogen and sulfur interacted with some forage nutritive components. This study results suggest that growers will benefit from greater forage yield in kale and swede if they fertilize with N up to 200 kg N ha−1. Forage yield and nutritive value of swede and kale in the northern Great Plains are novel results, since these crops are not grown for forage and represent an interesting and valuable new alternative for beef cattle growers.

Possible Causes and the Molecular Basis of Hydrogen Cyanogenesis Production in Cassava

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), is a major source of carbohydrates after rice and maize providing a basic diet to over half a billion people. It is an annual crop belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. It produces edible root tubers which form the staple food for inhabitants in the developing world mainly in the tropical and subtropical countries. It is a very drought tolerant crop which is classified as either bitter or sweet cassava. However, it produces Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) which is toxic. This ant nutritional component can cause partial paralysis and have been known to kill and wipe out families in Africa. It is surprising that farmers seem to prefer the bitter varieties as they are starchier, deter pests and wild animals. There have not been adequate studies to evaluate the causes and molecular basis of the production of Hydrogen cyanide by cassava. Observations of feeding patterns of porcupines on cassava roots, defense mechanisms in cassava and macro level results on cassava metabolism were hereby used to explain the molecular epigenetic link of cyanogenesis of cassava. The results explain the exogenous release and its subsequent removal of HCN during cassava processing. It shall form the basis for the selection and improvement of cassava products for food security.

Karakteristik Petani dan Kontribusi Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm) Terhadap Pendapatan Petani di Kulon Progo

Salah satu program yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Kehutanan terkait pemberdayaan masyarakat adalah program Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm), yang salah satunya berlokasi di Kabupaten Kulon Progo. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakteristik sosial ekonomi petani HKm Kulon Progo dan kontribusi HKm terhadap pendapatan petani. Penelitian dilakukan mulai November 2013 sampai dengan Februari 2014. Data dikumpulkan melalui survei dan wawancara kepada anggota kelompok tani dan dianalisis secara deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan petani HKm rata-rata berusia 53 tahun, pendidikan petani rendah karena 53% lulusan SD. Rata-rata jumlah tanggungan keluarga 4 orang. Rata-rata luas lahan andil 2.128 m2 dan rata-rata luas lahan milik 2.947 m2 sehingga termasuk petani gurem. Tujuh puluh persen petani HKm hutan produksi dan 47,3% petani HKm hutan lindung masuk ke dalam kategori miskin sekali dan miskin. Kontribusi HKm pada pendapatan petani adalah 6,4% pada hutan produksi dan 4,8% pada hutan lindung. Kecilnya kontribusi dari HKm berimplikasi pada upaya peningkatan pendapatan petani melalui pengembangan potensi tanaman empon-empon dan umbi-umbian serta potensi wisata. Characteristic of Farmer and Contribution of Community Forestry to Farmer’s Income in Kulon ProgoAbstractOne of the project that is held by Ministry of Forestry is Community Forestry (CF), which one is located in Kulon Progo. This research aim was to obtain the social-economic characteristic of CF farmers in Kulon Progo and to know the contribution of CF to their total earning. The data collection had been held from November 2013 until February 2014 and was collected by survey and interview to some members of CF groups. The data was analyzed by descriptive qualitative method. The results showed that the average of farmer’s age was 53; farmer’s education was in a low level as 53% were graduated from elementary school. The average of family member were 4 persons. The average of CF land was 2.128 m2 and the average of farmers’s own land was 2.947 m2. That was meant that the farmer was near to be categorized as poor farmer. Seventy percent of farmers from production forest and 47.3% farmers from protected forest were categorized as very poor and poor. CF contribution towards farmer’s income was 6.4% in production forest and 4.8% in protected forest. The low contribution of CF implicated to improve farmer’s income through developing non-timber forest product asherbs and edible root and also potential for eco-tourism.

Phytochemical Content and In Vitro Antimycelial Efficacy of Colocasia esculenta (L), Manihot esculenta (Crantz) and Dioscorea rotundata (Poir) Leaf Extracts on Aspergillus niger and Botryodiplodia theobromae

TheIn Vitroefficacy of aqueous leaf extracts of common edible root crops (Colocasiaesculenta,ManihotesculentaandDioscorearotundata) were investigated againstAspergillusnigerandBotryodiplodiatheobromae. The fungi were isolated from rotten tubers of yam using antibiotic-amended potatoes dextrose agar. Graded aqueous leaf extract concentrations (25 g/L, 50 g/L and 75 g/L) of each plant were applied against each test fungi on PDA plates and their mycelial growth inhibition activities were monitored for 144 hrs. Camazeb (5 – 10 g/L), a fungicide, was used as positive control agent. The phytochemical constituents of each extracts were also analyzed using standard techniques. The patterns of antifungal activities of the extracts were concentration and pathogen dependent. The most effective mean mycelial growth inhibitions were found withD.esculentaandC.esculentaagainstB.theobromae(61.9 – 80.9 %) andA.niger(63.8 – 82.8 %), respectively. Though,M.esculentaleaf extracts generally demonstrated the least antifungal activities against both pathogens, their activities were significant at 75 g/L. The antifungal potency of bothD.esculentaandC.esculentawere comparable to Camabez (chemical fungicide), which demonstrated 100 % inhibition at both 5 and 10 g/L concentrations. Higher concentrations of saponins (5.64 - 6.71 mg/100g), tannins (4.42 – 7.23 mg/100g) and flavonoids (3.64 – 5.25 mg/100g) were detected in the extracts, and could probably be linked to the observed antifungal activities. Findings from this study showed thatD.esculenta,C.esculentaandM.esculentaposses bioactive molecules that could be exploited in the bio-control of phyto-pathogens of tubers crops, which are the main staple food in most tropical countries.

How Rich's Sunflower and Her Family Bind a Nation

As Flower, As Edible Root nourishing Natives and wanderers, and as witness to the nation's work force and wars, Helianthus tuberosus repeatedly drew itself to the attention of Adrienne Rich as she drove across the country:Late summers, early autumns, you can see something that bindsthe map of this country together: the girasol, orange gold-petalledwith her black eye, laces the roadsides from Vermont to California runs the edges of orchards, chain-link fencesmilo fields and malls, schoolyards and reservationstruckstops and quarries, grazing ranges, graveyardsof veterans, graveyards of cars hulked and sunk, her tubers the jerusalem artichokethat has fed the Indians, fed the hobos, could feed us all.Is there anything in the soil, cross-country, that makes for a plant so generous? (11)Here in part IV of her impressive long poem “An Atlas of the Difficult World” (1991) Rich does not use the botanist's Latin, and she gives no further details about girasol (Jerusalem artichoke), a member of the sunflower family, all of whose varieties are native to the Americas. She (the plant) thrives everywhere, in places both mainstream and marginal, and being thus omnipresent she can feed people in all walks of life.