ETHENOBOTANICAL STUDY OF VICIA FABA TURBAT (KECH) Zakir Ibrahim1 Abstract Ethnobotany is the new science that deals with the ways how people use plants in their traditional society. The name of Vcia faba is originated by Romans. It is large beans which can be growing in cool weather in warm areas. It is commonly known as habas, broad beans, faba bean, horse bean, English bean, English dwarf bean, Windsor bean, tick bean, cold bean, pigeon bean, bell bean, silkworm bean and vernacular name in Balochi is Bakala. It is one of the oldest crops grown by man and is used as a source of protein in human diet, as fodder and forage crop for animals. In some poor countries, such as Africa, Asia and Mediterranean countries such as Egypt, where there is deficiency of proteins, the V.faba is nutritional, economic and environmental vegetable. There seeds are eaten as a vegetable, which is rich of protein. Protein content (20- 41%) has been reported. V.faba is found in different regions of Balochistan and it is abundantly grown in Makuran Division, where it is cultivated in the months of December and January. So the research was conduct to enhance the prominent feature of this vegetable but when local people use these plants in large quantity they suffer in the problem of jaundice and constipation which leads to death. INTRODUCTION Ethnobotany is the part of ethno ecology, which concern plants. It is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants. Ethnobotanists aim to describe and explain complex relationships between cultures and (uses of) plants: focusing, primarily, on how plants are used, managed and perceived across human societies (e.g. as foods; as medicines; in divination; in cosmetics; in dyeing; as textiles; in construction; as tools; as currency; as clothing; in literature; in rituals; and in social life (Acharya, at al., 2008). The ethnobotanist should have skill for identifying and preservation of plant specimens. It should have cultural concepts around the perception of plants. Considerable information on the traditional uses of plants is still intact with the tribal‟s (Sood, at al., 2001). Vicia faba 1 Faculty member of LUAWMS, Uthal. The name of Vcia faba is originated by Romans, and it is a Latin word. It is large beans which can be growing in cool weather in warm areas. Its pods could be ripe within 120 days. It is a leguminous plant which belongs to the family fabaceae (Vetch family). It is commonly known as habas, broad beans, faba bean, horse bean, English bean, English dwarf bean, Windsor bean, tick bean, cold bean, pigeon bean, bell bean, silkworm bean and vernacular name in Balochi is Bakala. It is found both temperate and tropical areas. It is found abundantly in Asia and Europe. It has genetic quality for developing resistance against disease and a biotic stress. There are four main groups of Vcia faba. Broad Bean (var. faba or major). Eaten as a vegetable. Grouped into varieties with long pods (up to 8 seeds per pod) and those with short pods ('Windsor') having about 4 seeds per pod. Horse Bean (var. equina). Grown for animal feed. Tic Bean (var. minor); and Var. paucijuga. Similar to Tic Bean and grown in Central Asia. Unlike other varieties, it is mainly self-pollinating (Phillips & Rix 1993). There are two main types, the 'long pod' beans are the more hardy and can be sown in the autumn in cool temperate areas, whilst 'Windsor' beans, which are considered to be finer flavored, are less tolerant of the cold and so are best sown in spring (Bianchini. F, Corbetta.F. and Pistoia. M. 1999). Vcia faba seeds are usually stored dried and are cooked by soaking them in water overnight and then are cooked for about 1.5 hours (or 40 minutes in pressure cooker). Fresh bean seeds need only be boiled for 10-15 minutes (Brown, 1991). The seedpods are diuretic and lithontripic (Chiej, 1984).It is one of the oldest crops grown by man and is used as a source of protein in human diet, as fodder and forage crop for animals. In some poor countries, such as Africa, Asia and Mediterranean countries such as Egypt, where there is deficiency of proteins, the V.faba is nutritional, economic and environmental vegetable. There seeds are eaten as a vegetable, which is rich of protein. Protein content (20-41%) has been reported (Chaven, et al., 1989). North Africa is one of the top-producing regions of the Vicia faba in the world. In North Africa an annual production is 137000 to 410000 quintals (Maatougui, 1996). The Vicia faba is used as human consumption for gaining protein (Energy). It can grow in full sun. If the conditions are proper, the seed production may reach 4000- 4500 kg/ha (Bond, 1994). Cultivated faba bean is used as human food in developing countries and as animal feed, mainly for pigs, horses, poultry and pigeons in industrialized countries. It can be used as a vegetable, green or dried, fresh or canned. It is a common breakfast food in the Middle East, Mediterranean region, China and Ethiopia (Bond, et al., 1985). According to the Dr. Hessayon Vicia, faba contain vicine, isouramil and convicine, which can induce hemolytic anemia in patients with the hereditary condition glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), (Hessayon. 2003). V.faba is found in different regions of Balochistan, the largest province (with respect to area) of Pakistan and it is abundantly grown in Makuran Division, where it is cultivated in the months of December and January. It is grown in heavy clay soils; Dislikes dry conditions according to some reports (Woodward and Burge, 1982; Huxley, 1992). The germination time takes 7-10 days (personal communication; Khuda Bukhsh, Turbat). It is an annual herb. Vcia faba is an annual herb with coarse and upright stems, unbranched 0.3-2 m tall, with 1 or more hollow stems from the base (Bond, et al., 1985; Duke, 1981; Heath, et al., 1994). The leaves are alternate, pinnate and consist of 2-6 leaflets each up to 8 cm long and unlike most other members of the Genus; it is without tendrils or with rudimentary tendrils (Kay, 1971; Bond et al., 1985). "Flowers are large, white with dark purple markings, borne on short pedicels in clusters of 1-5 on each auxiliary raceme usually between the 5 and 10th node; 1-4 pods develop from each flower cluster, and growth is indeterminate though determinate mutants are available. About 30% of the plants in a population are cross-fertilized and the main insect pollinators are bumble bees. There is a robust tap root with profusely branched secondary roots" (Bond, et al., 1985). Based on seed size, two subspecies were recognized, paucijuga and faba. The latter was subdivided into var. minor with small rounded seeds (1 cm long), var. equina with medium sized seeds (1.5 cm) and var. major with large broad flat seeds (2.5 cm) (Kay, 1971; Bond, et al., 1985). Cubero (1974).Suggested four subspecies, namely: minor, equina, major, and paucijuga. Taxonomically the crop belongs to Section Faba of the Genus Vicia (Bond, et al., 1985; Smart, 1990). The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The people of Makuran use the pods as fodder and seeds of Vcia faba as a meal especially in the breakfast. It is the source of revenue generation for the local farmers so it is a source of lively hood for them. It has some side effects which cause many diseases such as constipation and jaundice (Pendok.Panjgur). V.faba is the famous vegetable of Makuran Division (Distt Turbat, Kech) and the area is rich of production on large scale. Besides this the local people are trying to search the remedy to cure this disease; however, this plant is full of nutrients, proteins, minerals etc. So the present researcher is interested in studying the prominent feature of this vegetable and mainly my interest is stressed on the factor which is acting in a different way and is causing a disease in the population of that area and that disease is known as jaundice. The people of Pakistan (Southern Asia) they are living and usually settled (province Balochistan) Makuran divisions are passing their live rough territory, geographically and self isolated place.The local people of Makuran have wealthy culture which as a treasure for the ethnographers and botanist, plant has significant place in that culture. Literature Review As the average SO2 concentration usually remain high in areas close to the emission source and sometimes each a level as high as 0.35 ppm 4, the present SO2-exposure experiment was designed to assess the potential effects of this pollutant on the soil system and growth behavior of Vcia faba plants grown under field conditions. However, depending upon the moisture and reaction potential of the atmosphere, large amounts of SO2 usually gets deposited in areas close to the source (Agrawal, et al.,1985). With faba beans (V.faba) to increase the production of this economically important legume. Since indigenous populations of rhizobia or vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizae are absent or low in this soil, the objective of the current study was to determine whether inoculation with several strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum Bv. Viceae and VA mycorrhizae could successfully increase the growth of faba beans. Growth was compared to that in a fertile silt loam soil from the Nile River Valley. The effect of rock phosphate and super phosphate on the faba bean was also examined (Ishac, et al., 1993).