Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol.11 (1), January 2012, pp. 66-69

The ethnobotany and nutritional values of wild [Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Turcz. ex Stapf] () in Manipur

Alka Jain1, H Birkumar Singh1* & PR Bhattacharyya2 1North-East Institute of Science & Technology (CSIR), Substation, Lamphelpat 795 004, Imphal, Manipur, India 2North-East Institute of Science & Technology (CSIR), Jorhat 785 006, Assam, India *E-mail: [email protected]

Received 30.07.10; revised 29.01.11

Wild rice [Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Turcz ex stapf.)], locally called ‘Kambong’ or ‘Ishing-kambong’ (in Manipuri) is an aquatic/wetland of Manipur and is used for various purposes by the ethnic people ranging from food to fodder, thatch roofing, firewood substitute, house wall plastering material, etc. The infected gall forming culm (infected with the fungus P. Henn.) is highly eaten by the local people of Manipur and regarded as delicacy and fetching Rs 28-55 per kg and is a source of livelihood for a section of rural populace. The galls are nutritious with protein (8.13%), carbohydrate (13.82%) and with other micro and macro-nutrients. The edible part of the plant is also having good antioxidant properties like total phenolics (84.1 mg GAE/g dry weight of plant), total flavonoides (7mg QE/g dry wt of plant) and antiradical power value of 10.4. Presence of toxic arsenic (0.09 ppm) in is much below the permissible limit and hence quite safe for consumption. The tender shoot of this plant is fondly eaten by Cervus eldi eldi McClelland, a critically endangered deer species of the world and also the ‘state animal’ of Manipur.

Keywords: Wild rice (Zizania latifolia), Ethnobotany, Edible, Food value, Manipur IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K 36/00, C09K 15/00, C01G 28/00, C22 30.04, A23L 1/29, A23L 2/66, A23J 3/14

Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Turcz. ex Stapf. (syn. rural populace. Most parts of the plant are used for Z. caduciflora Hand.-Mazz.), locally known as various purposes by the ethnic people of Manipur. ‘Kambong’ or ‘Ishing-kambong’ and commonly The present paper reports on edibility and various called wild rice or Manchurian wild rice or other uses of Zizania latifolia by the ethnic people water bamboo is belonging to the family Poaceae1,2,3. of Manipur, Northeast India and estimation of its It is a perennial aquatic, tall erect herb upto 2.5 m nutritional values. with well developed stolons and fibrous roots Methodology generally grown in swampy areas and wetlands The Scientific name of ‘Kambong’ or ‘Ishing- (Fig. 1a). It is native to Asia and distributed in 4 kambong’ was identified as Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) , Japan, , Europe and New Zealand . Turcz. ex Stapf1,2. Field research was undertaken The plant is luxuriantly grown in the wetlands of during 2004-2008 as a part of wetland edible Manipur state (lies between 23°47′ to 25°41′ N and program, through semi-structured interviews 93°61′ to 94°48′ E with a total geographical area with the local resource person, wild collectors in the of 22,327 km2), North-east India (lies within Indo- periphery of Loktak lake covering the 5 villages Burma biodiversity “hotspot” zone) more prominently namely, Mayang Imphal, Wangoi, Leimapokpam, at the periphery of Loktak Lake (one of the ‘Ramsar Thanga and Waheng-Khuman. Market survey was sites’ of global significance). The plant is eaten by the conducted at Imphal market (state capital of Manipur) ethnic people of Manipur (the state is inhabited by on weekly basis (Saturday) during April 2007 to 27 ethnic groups with a total population of more than March 2009 for gathering the information on source 2.5 million among which Meitei, Naga and Kuki are of collection, seasonal availability and market pricing. the major communities) and found sold in the local Voucher specimens are deposited in the herbarium markets thereby earning livelihood for a section of of the CSIR: North-East Institute of Science & —————— Technology, Substation, Imphal with the collection *Corresponding author number NEIST-I-387 and some live plants (n=28) JAIN et al.: ETHNOBOTANY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF ZIZANIA LATIFOLIA 67

are cultivated at the experimental field of the Institute of the plant is the infected gall forming culms for observation of growth and yield performance. (Fig. 2b). Z. latifolia grows symbiotically with the For laboratory analysis, the infected galls forming fungus Ustilago esculenta P. Henn. which causes the culms were collected from the natural wetlands of stem to enlarge in the form of small -like Loktak lake. The samples were cleaned and oven galls12,2. The gall forming culms in bundles (Fig. 1c) dried at 60ºC till constant weight and thereafter are sold in the local markets of Manipur more ground to fine powder with the help of an electric prominently during February to April, fetching grinder. Crude fat was determined by extracting between Rs 28 and 55 per kg depending upon a known weight of the powdered plant material the season. The gall is filled up with enumerable with petroleum ether using Soxhlet apparatus. The dark-brown spores, like cocoa powder (Fig. 1d). carbohydrate of the sample was estimated by These spores-filled galls are eaten by the ethnic Anthrone method. Acid detergent lignin was people of Manipur after being roasted in the fire. determined using Fibretech apparatus by de-fating The perfectly roasted galls are eaten as snacks and a known weight of plant sample with acetone smashed with molasses and mixed with cooked-rice (cold extraction) and with acid detergent solution and eaten in major meal. The nutritional values (hot extraction). The nitrogen was determined by and antioxidant properties of the edible infected galls Micro-kjeldhal method. Phosphorus was estimated forming culms are significantly high and presented by Calorimetric method. Potassium and sodium in Table 1. Higher content of lignin reduces the was determined through a flame photometer. Further palatability value of plants. The content of 7% lignin details of the analysis are given5,6. The trace in wild rice is significantly low as compared to wild elements were estimated by Atomic-Absorption edible plants reported from Sikkim Himalaya13 whose Spectrophotometer (AAS-100) utilizing air-acetylene value ranged from 9.05 to 39.51%. It is an established (Air-C2H2) flame. fact that the arsenic is toxic to health. The content of The total phenolic content of the plant extract was 0.09 ppm is significantly low against the permissible estimated by the method of Ragazzi and Veronese7 limit of 5 ppm given by WHO. This shows that and were expressed as mg Gallic Acid Equivalent/g consumption of this plant is having no toxic effect. dry weight of plant. The flavonoids were estimated The swollen stem bases, infected with smut 8 14 by AlCl3 method and expressed as mg Quercetin fungus are eaten as a by the Chinese also . Equivalent/g dry weight of plant. Antioxidant They must be harvested before the fungus starts activity (AOA) of the extract was calculated as % inhibition relative to control9. The 1,1-diphenyl-2- Table 1—The nutrient contents of Zizania latifolia picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical was used in the model (dry weight basis) system to investigate the scavenging activities of Nutrients Infected culms several natural compounds such as phenolics and Carbohydrate (%) 13.82 anthocyanins of plants. The free radical-scavenging Protein (%) 8.13 activity of plant extract was evaluated using the Fat (%) 1.0 10 stable radical DPPH for different ratios of extracts Lignin (%) 7.0 to methanol. The DPPH radical is scavenged by Phosphorous (%) 0.78 antioxidants through the donation of a proton forming Total nitrogen (%) 1.3 the reduced DPPH. The colour changes from purple Potassium (%) 0.46 to yellow after reduction which can be quantified by Sodium (%) 0.02 the decrease of absorbance at wavelength 517 nm. Iron (ppm) 0.85 The radical-scavenging activity was calculated and Magnesium (ppm) 3.34 the efficiency concentration (EC50) was calculated Copper (ppm) 0.12 following pivot analysis. The antiradical power (ARP) Zinc (ppm) 4.71 was estimated and calculated11. All the determinations Arsenic (ppm) 0.09 were performed in triplicate. Total phenolics (mg GAE/g dry wt. of plant) 84.1±0.06 Total flavonoids (mg QE/g dry wt. of plant) 7±0.31 Results and discussion AOA (%) 74± 0.94

Zizania latifolia is eaten and regarded as delicacy EC50 (mg/mg DPPH) 9.6 by the ethnic people of Manipur. The edible portion Anti Radical Power (ARP) 10.4 68 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 11, NO 1, JANUARY 2012

Fig. 1-Wild rice [Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Turcz.exStapf] a. Plant habit, b. Gall formation due to fungus infection (Ustilago exculenta P.Henn.), c. Bunches of gall forming culms ready to sell in the market, and d. TS & VS of the gall forming culms showing dark brown spores of U. exculenta P.Henn. regarded as delicacy in Manipur to produce spores since the flesh deteriorates at In Manipur, the local villagers mainly ladies this time15. They are parboiled then sautéed with collect the infected culms from the surrounding other and have a nutty flavor reminiscent wetlands for trade. Although having multipurpose of coconut16. uses, conservation and cultivation of Z. latifolia is Besides, the Z. latifolia plant is used for varieties least observed, which may deplete the plant resource of purposes. The shoot is a major fodder for brow- in long run. Depletion of this plant resource may antlered deer locally called ‘’ (Cervus eldi affect the population of C. eldi eldi because it is the eldi McClelland), the ‘state animal’ of Manipur major food of the critically endangered animal. which is a critically endangered species of the world. Therefore, sustainable harvesting, conservation and The local people believe that the tender shoot is very cultivation of this plant are recommended. Further nutritious and fondly eaten by the pregnant animals. research on toxicity of the plant if any present may It is belief that depletion of Z. latifolia may affect be carried out. the population of the ‘Sangai’. The fresh leaves are Acknowledgment given as a good fodder for other grazing livestock. The authors are grateful to Dr PG Rao, Director, The dried leaves after cutting into small pieces CSIR: NEIST, Jorhat for encouragement and support. (5-8 cm length) are mixed with rice husk powder and The CSIR, New Delhi and DST, New Delhi have given as feed to grazing animals. During severe provided financial support to the author AJ. The local winter months, the floor and wall of cattle/animal informants who have provided the information shed is covered with the straw. The dried leaves are are thankfully acknowledged. The anonymous referee used as thatching materials for huts in the rural is thankful for valuable comment on the manuscript. areas. The finely cut pieces of leaves after making paste with soil are used as plastering material for References house wall. The liquid obtained by filtering the ash 1 Singh HB Singh RS & Sandhu JS, Herbal Medicine of of the plant with water is used as a detergent Manipur - A Colour Encyclopaedia, (Daya Publishing House, substitute. The dried leaves after smashing are used New Delhi), 2003. as filling material for mattress and pillow. In remote 2 Sinha SC, Medicinal Plants of Manipur, (Sinha and MASS, Imphal, India), 1996. villages, the dried plant is used as a substitute 3 Duke JA & Ayensu ES, Medicinal Plants of China, 17 for firewood. In China, leaves are woven into mats (Reference Publications Inc.), 1985. and young inflorescences are cooked as vegetables15. 4 USDA-GRIN (Germplasm Resource Information Network), Zizania latifolia. National Genetic Resources In Manipur, the local people make hand fan by the Program (online database), (National Germplasm Resource split stem of the plant. Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland), 2005. Z. latifolia is also used medicinally by the local 5 Rangana SC, Manual of Analysis of Fruits and Vegetable villagers of Manipur. The infected culms are eaten Products, (Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi), 1979. 6 Allen SE, Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials, raw or roasted to treat dyspepsia. The syrup made of 2nd edn, (Blackwell Scientific Publications, London), 1989. the tender shoot and little honey is given to children 7 Ragazzi E & Veronese G, Quantitative analysis of phenolic suffering from cough and cold. This syrup can be compounds after thin layer chromatographic separation, applied to burnt and injuries for its cooling effect and J Chromatogr, 77 (1973) 369-375. 8 Qyaizu M, Studies on products of browning reactions: early healing. In China, the culms and rhizomes are Antioxidative activities of product of browning reaction used against anemia and fever and also used for heart, prepared from glucosamine, Japan J Nutri, 44 (1986) kidney and liver disorder and is a tonic3. 307-315. JAIN et al.: ETHNOBOTANY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF ZIZANIA LATIFOLIA 69

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