Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 5(1), January 2006, pp. 143-144 Cultivation and conservation practices of Euryale ferox Salisb. in Manipur M Romeo Singh* & Asha Gupta Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University, Canchipur 795003, Imphal E-mail: millow_singhYahoo.com Received 14 March 2005; revised 24 October 2005 Euryale ferox Salisb. is a subtropical plant available in most of the Asian countries. Euryale ferox Salisb. fruits due to its use in local delicacies and for medicinal values have demand in local market. The paper highlights the management and conservation practices of Euryale ferox Salisb. in Manipur with a note on cultivation. Some traditional medicinal uses of the plant are also mentioned. Key words: Aquatic herb, Local delicacy, Conservation practices, Cultivation practices, Manipur IPC Int. Cl.7: A01B1/00, A01B15/00, A01B19/00, A01C3/00, A01C5/00, A01C7/00, A01G1/00, A01G13/00, A01G25/00,C05G3/00, A01M1/00 Euryale ferox Salisb. locally known as Thangjing The plants are propagated from the mature seeds. (Manipuri), Gorgan nut or fox nut in English and The nursery is prepared by ploughing 2-3 times Makhana in Bengali and Hindi is a seasonal spiny followed by leveling. The mature seeds after soaking herb belonging to family Nymphaeceae. It is a spiny for about two days are sown up to the end of January. aquatic herb where the fleshy leaves float on water One month old seedling is planted at a spacing of 1.3- surface with spines underneath and rhizome, leaves 1.8 m from row to row and 1.0-1.2m from plant to are large, flat, elliptical and alternate. Petiole is long, plant. The seedling touching the level of water need to 4 to 5 chambered and is also covered with spines, be selected for transplantation otherwise the seedling dropping almost touching water surface. The aquatic may die due to suffocation. In Manipur, the most plant is found in abundance during rainy season (June suitable time for transplanting is from April to mid- to November 1-4). June. As the plant is grown in deep water, there are chances of heavy infestation by weeds. So one or two Methodology weeding practice is required at the active growing A survey was undertaken during June-November stages for good harvest. It is normally cultivated on 2004 from the home garden ponds of Imphal (East native silty manures. Sometimes N:P:K: @ and West) Manipur, where Euryale ferox Salisb 30:40:40:kg/ha is applied at root zones. (Figs 1, 2). was cultivated. From the owners of home With the growth of plants, the number and growth gardens information about cultivation, conservation, of leaf petioles with spiny flower buds increases. propagation, harvesting of crops, selection of mature After 2-3 months of planting, a number of flowers set fruits was obtained. A note on ethnobotanical in. After two weeks of flowering, fruits starts and the importance was also collected from various home mature fruit is plucked. Again after about ten days garden owners. from the first plucking, all the remaining flowers set It is a subtropical plant found in most of the Asian fruits and consequently, 2-3 fruits are regularly countries. In India, it grows in the states of Kashmir, plucked. The process continues for about 4-5 months, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, i.e. up to the end of November. Mature spiny fruits Tripura and Manipur. The fruits mainly due to its use are soft as compared to new ones and remain in local delicacies and for medicinal values have a immersed in the water. demand in the local market and it is cultivated mostly Fruits have been used as traditional food and in in the ponds of the home garden, ditches, lakes, etc. medicines. People in Manipur use this fruit as local __________ delicacy. Both the immature and mature fruits serve * Corresponding author as vegetables. Tender leaves and petioles after 144 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 5, No. 1, JANUARY 2006 removing the spiny skin serve as vegetables. The Acknowledgement inner content of the nut is starchy and digestible. The author is highly acknowledged to Dr Asha The rhizome of the plant is used as diuretic, in Gupta for her valuable information and guidance dropsy, jaundice and gonorrhea. The rhizomes after during the course of the survey. boiling with a piece of alum are effectively used for the treatment of scabies. Ripe seeds are used in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea due to dyspepsia and References urorrhoea, spermatorrhoea. Endosperm flour used as 1 Cracker I E and Simson J E, Herbs, Spices and Medicinal plants. Recent Advances in Botany, Horticulture and substitute for arrowroot is easily digestible. Pharmacology Vol 4, (CBS Publishers and Distributors), 2002. Conclusion 2 Ghosh G K, Herbs of Manipur Vol II, (S B Nangia, A P H The aquatic plant, Euryale ferox Salisb. is found Publishing Corporation, New Delhi), 2000. growing in the sub-tropical climate of Manipur and 3 Jugindro N, Vegetables in Manipur (Punshi Marup, Imphal), the cultivation of plants doesn’t put large labour. Due 1969. to its demand, it is commercially sold in the local 4 Kanjilal and Das, Flora of Assam, (Avon Book Company market. Ajmeri Gate, Delhi), 1982. .