Food and Nutritional Security through wild edible vegetables or weeds in two district of Jharkhand, India

Abstract

In present study, 26 species of local underutilized leafy vegetables commonly consumed by tribals of Jharkhand were identified through market survey and local villages of three district of state. Leafy vegetables sold in markets, Amaranthus viridis (Gandhari) was found highest in quantity followed by Centella asiatica (Beng), Hygrophila polysperma (Muchari), Polygonum plebeium (Chemti), Marsilea minuta (Chatta saag), Crotalaria juncea (Sanai phool) etc. Besides these, there are also few other leafy vegetables which are not found in local markets but rural people collect them for their surroundings and consume them, few of these are Oxalis corniculata (Netho), Ficus geniculata (Putkal), Colocasia esculenta (Kachu patta), Hibiscus sabdariffa (Kudrum phool, patta), Portulaca oleracea (Golgola). The leafy vegetables were found to be rich in many nutrients. The antioxidant found maximum in Colocasia esculenta. The ascorbic acid content found maximum in Amaranthus viridis. The maximum calcium and magnesium content found in Vangueria spinosa. The maximum phosphorous content found in Oxalis corniculata. The maximum potassium content found in Polygonum plebeium. The maximum sulphur content found in Ficus geniculata. The maximum iron content found in Centella asiatica. The maximum zinc content found in Vangueria spinosa. The maximum found in Moringa oleifera.