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Ethno-Botanical Knowledge on Diversity of Cucurbita Landraces Grown in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

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Ethno-Botanical Knowledge on Diversity of Cucurbita Landraces Grown in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa Universal Journal of Plant Science 4(3): 35-41, 2016 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujps.2016.040302 Ethno-botanical Knowledge on Diversity of Cucurbita Landraces Grown in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Nontuthuko R. Ntuli1,*, Rufaro M. Madakadze2, Alpheus M. Zobolo1 1Department of Botany, University of Zululand, South Africa 2African Crop Improvement Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, Kenya Copyright©2016 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract Ethnobotanical knowledge on local Cucurbita C. moschata; C. argyrosperma (mixta) and C. ficilifolia [1], landraces was documented in three district municipalities of the former three species are the most cultivated species [5]. northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Seven distinct In South Africa Cucurbita pepo landraces are widely grown landraces of C. argyrosperma, C. maxima and C. pepo were and used as a traditional leafy vegetable [6]. identified by local (isiZulu) names as iNhlwathi emhlophe, A landrace is an early cultivated form of a crop species, iNhlwathi emnyama, iPhuzi, isiPhama, iThanga, uMpampini evolved from a wild population, and generally composed of a oluhlaza and uMpampini ophuzi. The majority had leaves heterogeneous mixture of genotypes [7]. It is also known as with silvery-white mottling in axils of leaf veins, but traditional and local crop variety particularly used by local isiPhama and uMpampini oluhlaza had uniformly green farmers [8]. Landraces are the important genetic resources leaves. INhlwathi emhlophe and iNhlwathi emnyama had the for plant breeders because of their considerable genotypic largest fruits and isiPhama had the smallest. Landrace variation [9]. iNhlwathi emnyama maintained its green fruit colour at Cucurbita species vary widely morphologically, maturity, while iPhuzi changed to uniform yellow/orange genetically and agro-ecologically, where the latter includes fruit colour before maturity. The isiPhama, uMpampini tropical and subtropical regions, arid deserts and temperate oluhlaza and uMpampini ophuzi had sparse to moderate stem locations [10]. Their growth habit varies between vine type branching habit and the sweetest, less watery fruits of them with vine lengths reaching about 15 m and bush type with all. Seed colour ranged from cream to white. This study was shorter vines [5, 11]. Leaves of Cucurbita landraces have the first attempt to record the genetic-related diversity on wide diversity in their size, shape, colour, hairiness and types of Cucurbita landraces that are grown in South Africa. texture [12]. Flowers of Cucurbita landraces vary widely in It also recorded the presence of C. argyrosperma for the first their colour, size and shape [10]. Extreme diversity is found time in this country. in shape, size and colour of fruits and seeds among Cucurbita species [3, 9]. Keywords Cucurbita Landraces, Indigenous Knowledge, Limited study on collection and conservation of C. Traditional Leafy Vegetables maxima and C. pepo accessions was initiated in KwaZulu-Natal midlands and Limpopo provinces of South Africa [13]. No work to date has recorded the Cucurbita landraces that are grown by smallholder farmers and collected the available knowledge on these vegetables, in 1. Introduction northern KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Identification and characterization of diversity in landraces Pumpkins, represented by various Cucurbita species, are provide breeders with considerable amount of information nutritionally and economically important [1]. Their mature concerning their value to particular breeding programs. and young fruits, seeds, staminate flowers, leaves and young Breeders may then exploit these genetic resources in several shoot tips are consumed as leafy vegetables [2, 3]. Cucurbita ways to produce new cultivars. The objectives of this study species are important sources of vitamin C, minerals and were to identify different Cucurbita landraces that are grown β-carotene [4]. The genus Cucurbita is of American origin and to document ethno-botanic knowledge on their and is distributed from United States to Argentina [4, 5]. Of characterization in three district municipalities of northern the five domesticated Cucurbita species: C. pepo; C. maxima; KwaZulu-Natal. 36 Ethno-botanical Knowledge on Diversity of Cucurbita Landraces Grown in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 2. Materials and Methods highest number (four) of landraces. The iThanga and uMpampini oluhlaza landraces were known in all districts. The survey was conducted in Umkhanyakude (Mseleni: The isiPhama, iNhlwathi emnyama and iNhlwathi emhlophe 27° 38’ S, 32° 47’ E), uThungulu (Nkandla: 28° 37’ S, 31° landraces were known only at Umkhanyakude district; 25’ E) and Zululand (Ulundi: 28° 32’ S, 31° 47’ E) district iPhuzi at Zululand district; and uMpampini ophuzi only at municipalities of northern KwaZulu-Natal. The interviews uThungulu district. UMpampini oluhlaza landrace is also through structured questionnaires were conducted in isiZulu known as uZulu and uGubungu at uThungulu and Zululand in a total of 450 households. In each district, three villages districts. The majority of Cucurbita landraces had profuse were chosen where fifty households per village were stem branching habit except isiPhama, uMpampini ophuzi interviewed. To consolidate the information obtained from and uMpampini oluhlaza landraces. Leaves of only isiPhama household interviews, focus groups of three to ten people per and uMpampini oluhlaza landraces were uniformly green group were interviewed using garden and general with soft hairs but other landraces had green and community meetings. silvery-white mottling leaves with tough prickly hairs (Table Interviewees listed different types of Cucurbita landraces 1; Figure 1). and characterized them according to their stem (hairiness and Fruit shape and size varied widely in all landraces, except branching habit), leaf (mottling and hairiness), fruit the fixed small sizes of isiPhama and uMpampini ophuzi (speckling, size, shape and internal hollowness) and seed landraces. Cucurbita pepo landraces had significant (shape and colour); and also recorded the part(s) used for differences in their mature fruit colour (Table 1; Figure 1). vegetable purposes. Additional information such as INhlwathi emnyama landrace maintained its deep green or derivation of landrace name, fruit sweetness and water deep green speckled light green at maturity, while iPhuzi content was recorded as per interviewees’ note. Ten plants landrace changed to pure yellow/orange before the hardening per each landraces were studied to confirm the interviewees’ of fruit rind. Only isiPhama landrace had white-coloured reports especially on plant morphological features. seeds, and only uMpampini oluhlaza landrace had ovoid, Voucher specimens were collected concurrently with bulged seed shape. Fruits of most Cucurbita landraces were interviews. However, in cases where only seeds were hollow inside. However, fruits of isiPhama and uMpampini available with the communities, they were grown at the oluhlaza landraces were completely filled internally, University of Zululand Ethno-Botanic Garden for the whereas fruits of uMpampini ophuzi were intermediate. preparation of voucher specimens as according to Fish [14]. UMpampini ophuzi landrace had distinct features of both C. maxima (fruit shape) and C. pepo (stem spines; leaf mottling and hairiness; fruit speckling; seed shape and 3. Results colour). However, its stem branching habit and fruit internal hollowness was intermediate. Seven distinct Cucurbita landraces were identified in the Communities of northern KwaZulu-Natal consume leafy surveyed areas (Table 1). The incidence of occurrence and/or shoot tips, flowers, young and mature fruits, and seeds of knowledge as determined by the number of specimens Cucurbita landraces. The shoot tips of many landraces were studied per landraces per district is also indicated in this table. picked for vegetable consumption until senescence, except These landraces belonged to the following Cucurbita species: uMpampini oluhlaza landraces which developed a bitter taste C. argyrosperma (isiPhama); C. maxima (uMpampini with age. Therefore their consumption was enjoyed at their oluhlaza); C. maxima/pepo (uMpampini ophuzi); and C. early stages of growth and particularly during famine. pepo (iNhlwathi emhlophe, iNhlwathi emnyama, iPhuzi and Nevertheless, cooked fruits of isiPhama, uMpampini iThanga). Their names were derived mainly from mature oluhlaza and uMpampini ophuzi landraces were the sweetest fruit colour and variegation. However, the meanings of and less watery, thus were most preferred. However, they isiPhama and iThanga landraces were uncertain. When had a limitation of very low fruit yield. excluding uMpampini ophuzi landrace, the C. pepo had the Universal Journal of Plant Science 4(3): 35-41, 2016 37 Table 1. Cucurbita landraces with qualitative stem, leaf, fruit and seed characters generated from the survey (n=450) District(s) Scientific Fruits, seeds and taste (sweetness Landrace name Voucher (specimen Stems Leaves name and texture) studied) Very large round, ovoid and Green mottled Tough prickly oblong, yellow/orange speckled silvery-white on iNhlwathi emhlophe C. pepo NRN 510 M (13) spines; profuse white at maturity, hollow inside. veins; tough branching habit Flattened cream seeds. Sweet prickly hairs and watery cooked fruits. Very
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