Species Richness of Edible Plants Grown in Homegardens of the Foothills of Western Ghats

Research Article

Species richness of edible plants grown in homegardens of the foothills of Western Ghats

V. Sathia Geetha1, M. Reginald Appavoo2, A. Ayun Vinuba2 and S. Jeeva2*

1Department of Botany and Microbiology, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India – 613 503. 2Department of Botany, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil, Tamilnadu, India – 629 003. [email protected].

Article Info Abstract

Received: 09-09-2015, Species richness of woody species was investigated in Kozhikottupottai, Revised: 27-09-2015, Amaravathivilai, Ringle Taube Puram and Pottaiady village homegardens of the Accepted: 29-09-2015 foot hills of Marunthuvalmalai in Western Ghats of Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu, India. These homegardens represent the multi-tiered agroforestry Keywords: system. A total of 348 plant species belonging to 256 genera and 82 families were Agroforestry systems, Edible recorded. Among the plants grown in the homegardens, ca. 17.21% were used for plants, Homegardens, Western food mainly in the form of edible fruits and vegetables. Of the edible plant species Ghats. fruit yielding plants was the highest in terms of species richness in the homegardens when compared to other edible species.

INTRODUCTION Homegardens are integral components of the MATERIALS AND METHODS traditional farming system where many annual and The present study was conducted in perennial plant species are planted and maintained Agastheeswaram taluk of Kanyakumari district, at a by the members of the household (Devi and Das, distance of ca. 10 km away from Nagercoil, the 2010). Tropical homegardens are also considered as capital of the district. Hillocks and plains self-sustaining systems that besides the high consisting of numerous wetlands characterize the diversity and soil conservation potential are a landscape of the area. Stone and sand mining are source of diverse socioeconomic products and the major problem resulting in soil erosion, water benefits (Kumar and Nair, 2004). These pollution and environmental degradation of the homegardens inhibit a large number of non-timber area. To study the plant diversity and community forest products including medicinal and aromatic structure of traditional homegardens, plants and edible plants (Kingston et al., 2006; Paul representatives of agroforestry landscape, four study and Jeeva, 2013; Suba et al., 2014; Jose et al., 2014; sites were selected on the foot hills of western Sukumaran and Parthiban, 2014). Past studies Ghats of Kanyakumari district (Kozhikottupotthai, revealed that the medicinal usage of plants species Amaravathivilai, Ringle Taube Puram and Pottaiady of Kanyakumari district but there is paucity of village) (Figure 1; Table 1). information on edible plants of the homegardens of A botanical inventory of edible plants was the district. The purpose of the present study was to conducted in the homegardens of 80 randomly document the edible plant species and their selected sample households in four selected villages utilization in the traditional homegarden maintained of Agastheeshwaram taluk, Kanyakumari district by the rural community of Kanyakumari district, from January 2009 to December 2010 - Tamilnadu, India. http://jsrr.net 187 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) V. Sathia Geetha et al., Kozhikottupotthai, Amaravathivilai, Ringle Taube that was later confirmed by using the regional and Puram and Pottaiady village. All species present in local flora and consulted the specimen available each sampled homegarden were identified and from the Scott Christian College Herbarium if the recorded by the botanical name, or by local name botanical name was not immediately known.

Fig. 1: Study area

Table 1:Physiography of the study site.

Physiography Study site Latitude Longitude Altitude (m) Kozhikottupotthai 08° 11.831″ 077° 29.965″ 49 Amaravathivilai 08°08.076″ 077°30.709″ 48 Ringle Taube Puram 08°08.514″ 077°30.409″ 32 Pottaiady village 08°07.828″ 077°30.300″ 28

http://jsrr.net 188 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) RESULTS AND DISUCSSION heterophyllus) and Banana (Musa paradisiaca) are The results of the present survey indicate that a commonly planted in all the homegardens of the considerable array of plant species are nurtured or study area. These fruits are offered in prayers and actively cultivated in homegardens on residential serving the three fruits together is considered a VIP plots, and that they have a significant cash and treatment to the guests. This fact is mentioned in home consumption value. Almost all households Tamil literatures also. Summer is the season for the planted domestic fruit trees. Every household has availability of mango and jack fruit, while banana fruit trees growing, although not all trees were get available throughout the year. The most productive. Less than a quarter of all fruit trees important plant species found in the homegardens recorded actually gave fruit. Of those that did not which contributed to the household income were: bear fruit, most were newly planted, and are Artocarpus heterophyllus, Borassus flabellifer, expected to start giving fruit within the next few Carica papaya, Cocos nucifera, Mangifera indica, years. Once these come into production, the Moringa oleifera, Psidium guajava, Tamarindus potential value of the crop per household and for the indica, etc. whole village will be substantially higher. The important feature of the homegardens Of the total recorded plant species (348 of Kanyakumari district is the production of off- plant species belonging to 256 genera and 82 season Mangoes. Besides the normal crop that families) as grown in the homegardens, 60 taxon matures from May to August, the trees of certain were used for food mainly in the form of edible varieties also mature an off-season crop from fruits and vegetables (Table 2). The availability of October to January. It is interesting to find that the edible fruit yielding plants was the highest (n=43) in homegardens are harbor of mango genetic the homegardens. The major seasonal vegetables resources, which have more than 200 grown in the home gardens include Cucumis varieties/cultivars/landraces and having high sativus, Lycopersicum esculentum, Capsicum economic utility. Some of the common varieties are annum, Solanum melongena, etc. The leaves and Kottahkachi, Kilimooku, Kappai, Kalkandu, fruits of Moringa pterygosperma and Sesbania Pacchai Thanni, Kottilpadu, Bangloora, Neelam, grandiflora were edible food for local people. Chettiottu, Kalyana Parisu, Malgova, Pangana palli, Amaranthus viridis is one of the occasionally Chenthura, Imauduin, Alphonsa, Chenga Varukkai, preferred leafy vegetables of local people. Children Pyri, Kuthathuttu, Kaluthiuttai, Chavari, eagerly collect the seeds of Terminalia catappa Chattimangai, etc. from the homegardens. Tubers of Manihot The homegardens are not only the harbor of mango esculenta is the staple food crop and boiled tubers genetic resource but it is also the gene pool of Amorphophallus campanulatus, Asparagus banana varieties and used as the subsidiary food. racemosus are eaten occasionally. The fern allies During the present study ca. 30 cultivars of banana Marsilea quadrifolia (Marsileaceae) cooked as have been identified. The varieties showed different leafy vegetable among the villagers of crop duration, bunch weight and price in the local Kozhikottupotthai. market. The chips prepared from Yettan cultivar The local people were aware of the (also known as Nendram) have wide acceptance nutritious properties of some important plant among the people of the different parts of the species; hence they cultivated these plants in their country and being exported different parts of the homegardens. Moringa pterygosperma, Annona world. It is consumed as the table and culinary squmosa, Musa spp., Lycopersicum esculentum, fruit. Its leaves are used for serving meals in south Cocos nucifera, Carica papaya, Mangifera indica, India and chopped banana stems are used as cattle Citrus sps. and Psidium guajava were considered as feed. Some species of the banana yield fibre, which nutritious plant species by the local people. is used for making ropes. The tip of the Besides, some of these plants were used to flavor inflorescence is cooked as a vegetable in Bengal. In the food, which include Pandanus amaryllifolius. many places, the soft riped banana is given to The tubers of yam (Dioscorea alata) were babies as solid food. Unriped banana fruit as well as considered highly nutritious and often consumed by the shaft is regularly cooked as curry in the banana the local people. growing areas. It is also used for decoration purpose Mukkani (Three Royal Fruits), Mango in weddings, festivals and fair. (Mangifera indica), Jack fruit (Artocarpus

http://jsrr.net 189 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) V. Sathia Geetha et al., Table 2. List of edible plant species with common name and useful parts.

Botanical Name Local Name Parts Used Achras sapota L. Sapota Fruits Amaranthus tricolor L. Thandankeerai Leaves Amaranthus viridis L. Kuppaikeerai Leaves Amorphophallus campanulatus (Roxb.) Blume ex Dence Chenaikilangu Tubers Anacardium occidentale L. Kollampalam Nuts Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. Annachipalam Fruits Annona muricata L. Mullupanchi Fruits Annona squamosa L. Panchipalam Fruits Asparagus racemosus Willd. Sathavarikilangu Tubers Azadirachta indica A. Juss Veppu Fruits Boerhavia diffusa L. Vattachanathi Leaves Borassus flabellifer L. Panaimaram Fruits Canthium coromandelicum (Burm.f.) Alston Chenkarai Fruits Capsicum annuum L. Milagai Fruits Carica papaya L. Pappali Fruits Carmona retusa (Vahl) Masamune Kurnagu Vettilai Fruits Cissus quadrangularis L. Perandai Stem Citrus limon (L.) Burm.f. Elumicchai Fruits Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swing. Elumicchai Fruits Citrus aurantium L. var. medica Wight & Arnott Elumicchai Fruits Citrus hystrix DC. Narthangai Fruits Coccinia grandis (L.) Voight. Kovaipalam Fruits Cocos nucifera L. Thennaimaram Fruits Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Chempu Tubers Cucumis sativus L. Vellari Fruits Curcuma longa L. Manchal Rhizome Dioscorea alata L. Kaichil Tubers Kirganelia retusa (Poir) Baill. Karumpoolathi Fruits Lantana camara L. Unnipalam Fruits Mangifera indica L. Maamaram Fruits Manihot esculenta Crantz. Maravallikilangu Tubers Marsilea quadrifolia Araikeerai Leaves Momordica charantia Linn. Paharkai Fruits Moringa oleifera Lam. Murungai Fruits & Leaves Musa paradisiaca L. Vaalai Fruits Passiflora edulis L. Juicepalam Fruits Passiflora foetida L. Kurangupalam Fruits Phaseolus mungo L. Ulunthu Seeds Phoenix dactylifera L. Periechai Fruits Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. Ecchchai Fruits Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels Pulichi Nelli Fruits Phyllanthus emblica L. Kattunelli Fruits Physalis minima L. Kattuthakkali Fruits Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. Kodukka Puli Fruits Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni Muttai Palam Fruits Psidium guajava L. Koyya Fruits Punica granatum Linn. Mathulai Fruits Sauropus androgynous (L.) Merr. Iron Keerai Leaves Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. Agathi Keerai Leaves Solanum lycopersicum L. Thakkali Fruits Solanum melongena L Valuthanai Fruits Solanum nigrum L. Manathakkali Fruits Solanum torvum Sw. Chundai Fruits Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels Naaval Fruits Tamarindus indica L. Pulimaram Fruits http://jsrr.net 190 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Terminalia catappa L. Vaadhumai Seeds Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek Pacchaipayaru Fruits Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt Kattulunthu Seeds Vitis vinifera L. Thirathchai Fruits Ziziphus oenoplia (L.) Mill. Ilanthai palam Fruits

Discussion Caron CM 1995. The role of non timber tree products The observations and findings of the in household food procurement strategies: Profile of a present study pointed towards a vital role of Sri Lankan village. Agroforestry Systems, 32: 99-117. homegardens in the life of local people of Devi NL and AK Das, 2010. Plant species diversity Agastheeshwaram taluk of Kanyakumari district. in the traditional homegarden of Meitei community: a The homegardens contribute a great deal to food case study from Barak Valley, Assam. Journal of supply especially for the people living in the rural Tropical Agriculture, 48(1-2): 45-48. areas because of high production and diversity of High C and CM Shakleton, 2000. The comparative cultivated edible species. Although the extent of value of wild and domestic plants in homegardens of a household dependency on homegardens vary South African rural village. Agroforestry Systems, 48: 141-156. considerably, its contribution is quite significant Jose SS, J Joselin, AR Florence, TSS Brintha and S towards livelihood of the people because of low Jeeva, 2014. Phytochemical constituents of the leaf of investment and easy accessibility. Homegardens Plumbago zeylanica L. a common understorey species function as ex situ as well as in situ conservation of homestead agroforests of Kanyakumari District, plots for plant genetic resources of the region. Tamilnadu. International Journal of Pharmacy, 4(3): Consequently food crops including herbaceous 162-165. plants and vegetable and fruit yielding trees, and Kingston C, BP Mishra, BS Nisha, S Jeeva, C shrubs abound in the homegardens (Caron, 1995; Livingstone and RC Laloo, 2006. Diversity and Mendez et al., 2001; Wezel and Bender, 2003). distribution of economically important plants in The crop combinations found in the homegardens traditional homegardens of Kanyakumari district, are strongly influenced by the specific needs and Tamilnadu, Southern Peninsular India. Journal of preferences of the household and nutritional Nature Conservation, 18: 41-54. complementarity with other major food sources, Kumar BM and Nair PKR, 2004. The enigma of besides ecological and socioeconomic factors tropical homegardens. Agroforestry Systems, 61: 135- (Asfaw and Woldu, 1997; High and Shackleton, 152. 2000; Alavalapati et al., 2004; Sasikala et al., Mendez VE, R Lok, and E Somarriba, 2001. 2014). Based on the findings of the study it is Interdisciplinary analysis of homegardens in concluded that the homegardens are particularly Nicaragua: micro-zonation, plant use and interesting for in situ conservation and should be socioeconomic importance. Agroforestry Systems, 51: considered for crop development programmes in 85-96. future. Paul ZM and S Jeeva, 2013. Agrobiodiversity in the Homegardens of Chirakkarai Village, Kanyakumari Acknowledgements district, Tamilnadu, India. The Indian Forester, 139 The authors are grateful to the people of Ringle Taube (11): 1003-1011. Puram and Kozhikottupottai village in Kanyakumari Sasikala K, Harilal CC, and G. Pradeepkumar, district, Tamilnadu for their willingness to participate 2014. Phtosociological Studies of two sacred groves in in this study and providing hospitality in the conduct Mahe, U.T. of Puducherry, India. Bioscience of field work. The authors thank the reviewers for Discovery, 5 (2): 154-159. valuable comments which improved the quality and Suba SM, Vinuba AA, and C Kingston, 2014. readability of this manuscript. Vascular Plant Diversity in the Tribal Homegardens of

Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Southern Western REFERENCES Ghats. Bioscience Discovery, 5(1):99-111. Alavalapati JRR, RK Shrestha, GA Stainback and Sukumaran and Parthiban, 2014. Vascular plant JR Matta, 2004. Agroforestry development: an diversity of Udayagiri fort, Kanyakumari district, environmental economic perspective. Agroforestry Tamilnadu, India. Bioscience Discovery, 5 (2): 204- Systems, 61: 299-310. 217. Asfaw Z and Z Woldu, 1997. Crop associations on Wezel A and S Bender, 2003. Plant species diversity homegardens in Welayta and Gurage in Southern of homegardens of Cuba and its significance for Ethiopia. Sinet, 20: 73-90. household food supply. Agroforestry Systems, 57: 39- 49. http://jsrr.net 191 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online)