Articles
Diversity, conservation and use of underutilized and minor fruits in India: an overview
Article number
1297_8
Pages
51 – 60
Language
English
Abstract
Indian subcontinent is rich in fruit genetic diversity.
The climatic conditions range from temperate to tropical thus making India suitable for a wide range of fruit diversity.
The diversity in underutilized and lesser known edible fruit types belongs to 45 families, 106 genera and 261 species.
The Himalayan region has a different wealth of wild fruit plants than the peninsular tropical-sub-tropical parts of the country.
Some important genera of temperate Himalayan belt are Docynia, Ribes, Pyrus, Sorbus, Hippophae, Berberis, Cornus, Rubus, Fragaria, Crataegus, Viburnum and Vaccinium. The common wild fruits are species of Capparis, Grewia, Zizyphus, Rhus, Carissa, Flacourtia and Salvadora in the arid/semi-arid tracts of northern India.
In the humid areas of Western Ghats, parts of Eastern Ghats and the north-eastern hills, the wild fruits belong to the genera Solanum, Garcinia, Elaeocarpus, Citrus, Elaeagnus, Mangifera, Syzygium and Vitis. Underutilized fruits contribute toward the food security, nutritional/medicinal health benefits and income generation in the local areas, but have largely remained underexploited and neglected.
There are species whose ripe fruits are eaten raw or processed e.g. Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae), Artocarpus lakoocha (Moraceae), Zizyphus nummularia (Rhamnaceae) etc. while unripe fruits of species like Artocarpus heterophyllus (Moraceae), Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae), Emblica officinalis (Euphorbiaceae) are used as vegetable or pickles.
Some species are used as scarcity or famine foods e.g. Ficus spp. (Moraceae), Physalis minima (Solanaceae), Prosopis cineraria (Fabaceae). With the changing climate in the country especially in the temperate regions, the wild species are getting lost mainly due to insufficient chilling.
Conservation of wild species and domesticated diversity is immensely important.
Not only do they provide livelihood to the local people but may have genes for abiotic and biotic potential for use in future breeding program.
The paper presents a review on diversity, conservation practices, utilization, present status and future perspectives of potential underutilized/minor fruits.
The climatic conditions range from temperate to tropical thus making India suitable for a wide range of fruit diversity.
The diversity in underutilized and lesser known edible fruit types belongs to 45 families, 106 genera and 261 species.
The Himalayan region has a different wealth of wild fruit plants than the peninsular tropical-sub-tropical parts of the country.
Some important genera of temperate Himalayan belt are Docynia, Ribes, Pyrus, Sorbus, Hippophae, Berberis, Cornus, Rubus, Fragaria, Crataegus, Viburnum and Vaccinium. The common wild fruits are species of Capparis, Grewia, Zizyphus, Rhus, Carissa, Flacourtia and Salvadora in the arid/semi-arid tracts of northern India.
In the humid areas of Western Ghats, parts of Eastern Ghats and the north-eastern hills, the wild fruits belong to the genera Solanum, Garcinia, Elaeocarpus, Citrus, Elaeagnus, Mangifera, Syzygium and Vitis. Underutilized fruits contribute toward the food security, nutritional/medicinal health benefits and income generation in the local areas, but have largely remained underexploited and neglected.
There are species whose ripe fruits are eaten raw or processed e.g. Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae), Artocarpus lakoocha (Moraceae), Zizyphus nummularia (Rhamnaceae) etc. while unripe fruits of species like Artocarpus heterophyllus (Moraceae), Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae), Emblica officinalis (Euphorbiaceae) are used as vegetable or pickles.
Some species are used as scarcity or famine foods e.g. Ficus spp. (Moraceae), Physalis minima (Solanaceae), Prosopis cineraria (Fabaceae). With the changing climate in the country especially in the temperate regions, the wild species are getting lost mainly due to insufficient chilling.
Conservation of wild species and domesticated diversity is immensely important.
Not only do they provide livelihood to the local people but may have genes for abiotic and biotic potential for use in future breeding program.
The paper presents a review on diversity, conservation practices, utilization, present status and future perspectives of potential underutilized/minor fruits.
Authors
S. Gupta, K. Pradheep
Keywords
plant genetic resources, ex situ conservation, utilization, temperate fruits, tropical fruits
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