The socio-economic importance of wild vegetable resources and their conservation: a case study from China

In the Xiangxi region of western Hunan province, China, 335 taxa belonging to 87 families and 119 genera are utilised as wild vegetables. In order to take advantage of this naturally occurring resource we examined the horticultural and the associated socio-economic aspects of these taxa. Wild vegetables, as the mainstay of human diet and Chinese traditional medicines, have played an important role in the daily life and income of local ethnic groups for centuries. We examine candidate species for their prevalence and their potential to offer returns, for example in cereal production and tourism, and indicate horticultural management and processing technologies which may exploit wild vegetable availability.     

西双版纳傣族利用野生蔬菜种类变化及原因分析

运用民族植物学的方法,选择西双版纳自然及社会经济发展不同的三个傣族村寨曼安、曼伞和曼广囡为研究对象,调查当地村民利用野生蔬菜情况,并探讨利用种类变化的原因。三个傣族村寨村民利用的野生蔬菜有228种,分属于75个科,其中曼安村寨147种,曼伞村寨144种,曼广囡村寨105种。通过Multivariate方差分析(P<0.05)表明:不同村寨的村民平均每人提及的野生蔬菜物种数存在显著差异;年轻组平均每人提及的野生蔬菜物种数明显低于年长组,不同性别之间差异不显著;野生蔬菜知识的流失在男性之间比女性更为严重。最后对影响野生蔬菜利用的因素,野生蔬菜利用变化的原因以及传统野生蔬菜知识的流失进行了分析,就如何保护传统知识进行了探讨。     

Importance and seasonality of vegetable consumption and marketing in Burkina Faso

The use of vegetables in two rural communities in Burkina Faso is quantified through the use of food diaries kept by 13 households during one year. Interviews on preferences, field registration, and a market survey supplement the diaries. The use of wild species is concentrated onParkia biglobosa, Corchorus spp.,Adansonia digitata, andBombax costatum. At least five other wild species are mentioned as important but very rarely occur in the diet, indicating the usefulness of diaries compared to interviews.Capsicum frutescens, Abelmoschus esculentus, Allium cepa, andSolanum lycopersicon are the most commonly used cultivated species. Wild vegetables constitute 35% and 59% of the total vegetable consumption in the two communities. Most products are highly seasonal in supply and prices vary accordingly. Households compensate for the seasonality by drying products, but stocks are often insufficient and vegetable purchases needed. Many of the vegetable species studied should be integrated in agricultural research and extension programs.     

Diversity,Geographical, and Consumption Patterns of Traditional Vegetables in Sociolinguistic Communities in Benin: Implications for Domestication and Utilization<Superscript>1</Superscript>

Diversity, Geographical, and Consumption Patterns of Traditional Vegetables in Sociolinguistic Communities in Benin: Implications for Domestication and Utilization. Traditional vegetables in many African rural areas are an important part of the daily diet and economy but have been poorly documented until recently. We undertook a survey in Benin on the diversity and patterns of use of traditional vegetables by 18 sociolinguistic groups in the three major phytogeographical regions. Major groups include the Yoruba–Nagot, Fon, Bariba, Adja, Cotafon, and Ditammari. Focus groups and field visits were conducted in 49 villages. Species richness at the country level and in phytogeographical regions was estimated using species accumulation curves. Our results indicated that 245 species belonging to 62 families are used as vegetable resources all over the country. The most frequently used families include Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Leguminoseae. About 80% of collected vegetables are wild resources; only 19% were clearly under cultivation. Herbs were the most widely consumed life form. The Guinean and the Sudanian regions exhibit similar species richness while in the Sudano–Guinean region vegetable richness is higher. The use of a species as a vegetable depends not only on socio–cultural attributes but also on geographical occurrence. Based on this inventory, we identified needs for further research and activities for both the conservation and promotion of traditional vegetables.     

西双版纳野生蔬菜资源的特点及开发建议

西双版纳有野生蔬菜 2 77种 ,分属于 2 0 1属 ,79科 ;其中食用嫩茎叶类 1 92种 ,竹笋类 1 3种 ,鲜花类 3 5种 ,果实类 2 2种 ,块茎、块根和髓心类 2 7种。西双版纳 5 3 .8%的野菜种类资源量属“较多”及以上级别 ,62 .7%的种类有 6个月以上的采集时间。对 1 1种主要野菜的口感进行随机抽样调查 ,发现 9种野菜口感得分高于对照白菜 ,2种略低于白菜。对 7种野菜和香椿的矿物质元素 P、Mg、Fe和微量元素 Zn、Mo含量分析 ,发现野菜的平均含量为香椿的 1～ 3倍。对 7种野菜和香椿的 1 6种氨基酸含量分析 ,发现野菜的平均含量只有 SER低于香椿 ,其它 1 5种氨基酸平均含量为香椿的 1～ 1 .7倍。因此 ,提出了开发西双版纳野菜的 4点建议。     

十字花科栽培蔬菜及野生近缘种资源对小菜蛾的抗性分析

小菜蛾是危害十字花科蔬菜最严重的害虫,造成蔬菜产业巨大经济损失。现有育种材料中抗小菜蛾的资源非常稀缺,制约了抗虫新品种的选育。本研究利用国家蔬菜种质资源中期库中近年收集的来自10个国家,42个种,218份十字花科栽培蔬菜及野生近缘种资源进行了小菜蛾抗性鉴定。这些资源的抗性水平从极抗到极感皆有分布,除极端抗/感材料较少外,总体上呈均匀分布。属间、种间、变种间的平均抗性差异显著。同种植物的不同种质间抗性分布亦广。栽培资源比野生资源具有相对更高的平均抗虫水平,但是后者高抗材料更多。北部欧洲等地是抗性资源分布相对集中的地理区域。本研究获得抗虫资源19份,其中高抗资源4份,这些材料对蔬菜抗虫育种和抗虫基因发掘具有重要应用价值。     

Plant resources of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán valley, Mexico

Information on richness of plant resources, and their forms of use and management in the biosphere reserve Tehuacan-Cuicatlan, Mexico is analyzed. This 10 000 km² region hosts nearly 2700 vascular plant species, and it is acknowledged as one of the arid areas with the highest floristic diversity in North America. The seven indigenous ethnic groups that live in this region have cultural roots that date back almost 10 000 years. Based upon ethnobotanical and floristic studies, as well as bibliographical sources, a total of 808 useful plant species were identified, most of them (90%) being native, and 44 species being endemic to the region. A total of 681 species are wild plants, 109 are weeds and ruderal plants, and 86 are domesticated crops. However, it was noted that considerable overlap exists between the species of these 3 categories. For example, while wild and ruderal plants (706 species) are foraged by both humans and domestic animals, 59 species of this group are also managed in situ. On the other hand, 168 wild, ruderal and domesticated species are cultivated. The Tehuacán-Cuicatlan Valley is one of the richest regions of Mexico in plant resources. Local knowledge on use and management of plants is a valuable source of information for designing conservation and social development strategies for the biosphere reserve.     

Ethnopharmacological uses of Erythrina senegalensis: a comparison of three areas in Mali, and a link between traditional knowledge and modern biological science

Consumption of greens is a major source of vitamins and micro-nutrients for people using only vegetarian diets rich in carbohydrates. In remote rural settlements where vegetable cultivation is not practiced and market supplies are not organized, local inhabitants depend on indigenous vegetables, both cultivated in kitchen gardens and wild, for enriching the diversity of food. Knowledge of such foods is part of traditional knowledge which is largely transmitted through participation of individuals of households. A total of 123 households in six villages of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve buffer zone was surveyed using a schedule to assess the knowledge, availability and consumption pattern of wild leafy vegetables. Quantity estimations were done using regular visits with informants from 30 sample households of the six study villages during the collections. Monetization was used to see the value of wild leafy vegetables harvested during a year. The diversity of wild leafy vegetables being use by the local inhabitants is 21 species belonging to 14 genera and 11 families. This is far less than that being reported to be used by the communities from Western Ghats in India and some parts of Africa. Irrespective of social or economic status all households in the study villages had the knowledge and used wild leafy vegetables. The number of households reported to consume these wild leafy vegetables is greater than the number of households reporting to harvest them for all species except for Diplazium esculentum and Phytolacca acinosa. The availability and use period varied for the species are listed by the users. The study indicated that the knowledge is eroding due to changing social values and non participation of younger generation in collection and processing of such wild leafy vegetables.     

Sustainable Utilization and Economic Development of Some Plant Resources in Northern Pakistan

Overshadowed by the vast impact that habitat loss has on targeted plant species survival, it is easy to overlook the fact that utilization and harvesting of species can often result in their genetic depletion and in an often rapid downward trend of their population status. In this regard an ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants of Shawar valley, District Swat was conducted with the aims to document medicinal plants and to examine the current status of the medicinal plants trade as well as the market chain starting from collectors to consumers. The survey reported 50 species of plants belonging to 33 families as ethnomedicinally important. These species were used as crud drugs by the local people and folk-lore for treating diseases in traditional system of medicine. The detailed local uses, recipe preparation along with their local names and diseases treated were recorded for each species.Market survey revealed that the structure of medicinal plant trade is complex and heterogeneous, involving many players. The collectors are often not aware of the high market prices and medicinal values, and most of the collected material is sold to local middlemen at a very low price. There was an increase of 3 to 5 folds in prices from collectors to the national market.Recommendations were given in the spheres of training sustainable harvesting and post harvesting of wild medicinal plant resources, trade monitoring, equitable sharing of benefits of wild resources, improved control on harvesting and trade for the conservation of resources, enhancement of cultivation efforts, future research into trade in wild harvested plants, community participation in natural resource management and value addition in the herbal products to maximize the benefits.     

桂西壮族文化与植物多样性保护的关系

为深入了解壮族文化多样性与植物资源利用和保护的互动共存状况,采用资料查阅、访谈及实地调查等方法,对桂西壮族不同方面的文化习俗与植物资源利用的关系进行了分析。结果表明:桂西壮族在地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化和民俗文化等方面均与植物关系密切。用植物命名的自然村有108个,涉及79属88种植物且多数种类具有经济用途;染色植物有17科21属22种,其中茜草科(Rubiaceae)、爵床科(Acanthaceae)和菊科(Asteraceae)种类相对较多;常见的食用野菜有13科31种,以菊科种类最多(12种),唇形科(Lamiaceae)和伞形科(Apiaceae)种类也占一定比例,且食用部位和食用方法多样。民歌中涉及的植物有260多种,多数种类是日常生活中常见的植物,其中包括野菜植物24种、野果植物11种、染料植物7种以及部分药用植物。研究结果显示:壮族文化中的地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化、民俗文化以及植物崇拜和乡规民俗等对当地的植物资源保护有重要作用,但也受到多种因素的影响,据此提出了相关的植物资源保护和可持续发展对策。     

A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Wild food plants (WFPs) contribute to the nutrition, economy and even cultural identity of people in many parts of the world. Different factors determine the preference and use of WFPs such as abundance, availability, cultural preference, economic conditions, shortage periods or unsecure food production systems. Understanding these factors and knowing the patterns of selection, use and cultural significance and value of wild food plants for local communities is helpful in setting priorities for conservation and/or domestication of these plants. Thus in this study knowledge of wild food plant use among four groups namely Dai, Lahu, Hani and Mountain Han in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve ((NRWNNR), Xishuangbanna were documented and analyzed to find the similarity and difference among their plant use. METHODS: Data on wild food plant use was collected through freelisting and semi-structured interviews and participatory field collection and direct observation. Botanical plant sample specimens were collected, prepared, dried and identified. RESULTS: A total of 173 species and subspecies from 64 families and one species of lichen (Ramalina sp.) are used as WFP. There were differences on the saliency of wild food plant species among four ethnic groups. Consensus analysis revealed that knowledge of wild food plant use for each ethnic group differs from others with some variation in each group. Among informant attributes only age was related with the knowledge if wild food plant use, whereas no significant relationship was found between gender and age*gender and informants knowledge of wild food plant use. CONCLUSION: Wild food plants are still used extensively by local people in the NRWNNR, some of them on a daily base. This diversity of wild food plants provide important source of nutrients for the local communities which much of their caloric intake comes from one or few crops. The results also show the role of ethnicity on the preference and use of wild food plants. There is a big potential for harvesting, participatory domestication and marketing of WFPs especially in the tourism sector in the area.     

鸟市贸易威胁野生鸟类生存——以哈尔滨道外花鸟鱼市场为例

为探讨鸟市贸易对野生鸟类的威胁与影响,给当地野生动物保护部门实施监管提供科学依据,于2016年11月—2017年11月对黑龙江省哈尔滨市最大鸟市——道外花鸟鱼市场进行调查。结果发现:(1)共记录6目34科83属117种18 729只鸟类,其中野生鸟类5目32科77属108种11 662只。有出售国家保护鸟种黄胸鹀 Emberiza aureola、猛禽及非法捕猎工具的现象。(2)所有被贩卖的野生鸟类中,在黑龙江省有分布的共69种,数量达9 707只。相关分析结果表明,黑龙江省有分布的野生鸟类是鸟市非法捕捉及贩卖的主要对象。(3)贩卖量为春、秋季多,夏、冬季少,7—10月鸟类迁徙季节时最多,占总贩卖量的45.2%,说明鸟类秋季迁徙是非法猎捕的高峰期。(4)调查中发现较多的南方鸟种(32.4%)也一定程度上说明野生鸟类非法运输的严重性。建议当地林业和草原局及时加强对道外花鸟鱼市场的监管,在鸟类迁徙季节从非法捕捉和运输环节实施严厉打击。     

湖南小溪国家级自然保护区野菜资源研究

调查了湖南省小溪国家级自然保护区内的野菜资源的种类、生境、利用价值和开发现状。结果表明,小溪自然保护区的野菜资源十分丰富,有109科,258属,423种及变种,其中含10种以上的科有牛肝菌科,红菇科,蝶形花科,苋科,蓼科,十字花科,菊科,唇形科,百合科和禾本科等10科,为该区的优势类群。简要介绍了小溪保护区重要的野菜33科50种的食用部位、采收季节、用途及其生境。对小溪保护区的野菜资源的保护和开发利用提出了建议。     

Comparative use patterns of plant resources in rural areas of South Africa and Zimbabwe

Documentation of use patterns of plants across national boundaries is of relevance in understanding the importance of plant resources to livelihood strategies of different ethnic groups. Plant resources have gained prominence as a natural asset through which families derive food, firewood, income, medicines and timber, enabling particularly poor communities to achieve self-sufficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the trends in plant usage in South Africa and Zimbabwe. An ethnobotanical investigation was conducted between January 2012 and January 2013 in the Limpopo Province, South Africa and the Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. The study used questionnaire surveys and interviews with a total of 143 participants to explore plant use patterns in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A total of 98 plant species were identified, with Zimbabwe contributing 70 species and 47 species from South Africa. The uses were classified into 15 categories, major use categories were firewood, food plants, medicine and timber. Food plant was a major plant use category in Zimbabwe, contributing 55.1%, followed by medicinal plants (36.8%), firewood (35.7%) and timber (31.6%). In contrast, firewood was the major plant use category in South Africa, contributing 18.4%, followed by food plants (17.3%), medicinal (14.3%) and timber (1.0%). Comparison of the two countries demonstrated remarkable differences in plant use patterns. The results showed that rural households in Zimbabwe were more reliant on plant resources than their counterparts in South Africa. Such a trend could be attributed to a close relationship between the local people, and their natural and agricultural environment leading to a rich knowledge base on plants, plant use and related practices. This comparative analysis strengthens the firm belief that utilization of plant resources represents an important shared heritage, preserved over the centuries, which must be exploited in order to provide further new and useful body of ethnobotanical knowledge.     

广西野生八角科植物种质资源及其开发利用的初步研究

对广西的野生八角科植物资源进行了全面调查。调查结果显示:广西现有野生八角科植物11种,大多数分布在各类自然保护区内。经过对广西八角科植物利用现状和开发潜力的初步分析和评价后,发现其开发利用主要集中在医药及工业用途上,一些种类还具有材用及园林绿化美化的功用,市场开发潜力巨大。     

Dietary use of wild plant resources in the Sikkim Himalaya, India

The edible wild plants are greatly valued throughout the Himalayan region and serve as an important source of food for indigenous communities. This paper describes the botanical richness, elevational distribution and dietary use of the edible wild plant resources from the Sikkim Himalaya (Eastern Himalaya), many with promising potential. A total of 190 wild plant species have been screened from the Sikkim Himalaya, this derived from 143 genera and 78 families and accounting for nearly 15% of total edible wild plants resources of India. Of the total, 65% were edible for their fruits, 22% for leaves/shoots, 7% for flowers and 3% for roots/ rhizomes. Nearly 91 wild edible species were recorded from low-hills, 70 from mid-hills and 28 species from high-hill areas. Within Sikkim state, the North and East districts represent maximum diversity of edible wild plants due to the wilderness and inaccessibility to most of the habitats. An average rural family annually consumes nearly 8 types of edible wild plants, and a few species provide over five meals in a season. Selected plants also form a source of earning to a few families that sell them in local markets. It is suggested that the high diversity of edible plants needs to be conserved for future use. Some species may be grown in traditional agroforestry systems and on marginal lands of otherwise low agricultural value. Such measures may help protect wild plant resources in their natural habitats.     

Ethnobiological notes on some tribes of Arunachal Pradesh,northeastern India

A total of 171 plant species used by the Nishis, the Hill M iris, the Sulungs, and the Apatanis of Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India; 12 animal species used by the Nishis were identified. Of the total plant species recorded 38% of the total were leafy vegetables and 28% were edible fruits. Others were used for food, liquor, medicine, household goods, traditional dresses, dyes, tattoos, fish and animal poisons, or for salt extraction. The Sulungs use starch obtained from the pith ofMetroxylon sagu as a staple food. The extensive use of wild plants and animals suggests that the tribes of northeastern India rely heavily on forest resources. The importance of conserving these in the light of rapid conversion of rainforests is emphasized.     

重庆部分地区的种质资源调查荞麦篇

"第三次全国农作物种质资源调查与收集"重庆项目组,于2015年10月至11月初在重庆市巫山县、奉节县和石柱县3个县开展了农业生物资源的系统调查,通过深入村社和农户,调查了解作物种类与品种多样性情况,收集和挖掘古老、特有和稀少种质资源。本次调查共收集到农作物地方品种和野生近缘植物种质资源341份,其中粮油作物136份、蔬菜86份、果树57份、茶树5份、烟草22份、牧草30份、麻类5份。本文重点介绍在粮油作物中的荞麦种质资源调查和资源收集情况,在收集到的19份荞麦资源中,既有珍稀、古老的地方品种,也包括特有野生资源。荞麦承载了彝族等少数民族的文化内涵,随着现代农业的发展,荞麦的古老、珍稀和特有种质资源正在流失,建议相关部门因地制宜,在发展现代农业生产的同时,采取必要的经济措施,对古老、珍稀和特有的荞麦种质资源,进行农户或原生境保护,为进一步开发利用提供种质资源基础。     

Local Values, Social Differentiation and Conservation Efforts: The Impact of Ethnic Affiliation on the Valuation of NTFP-Species in Northern Benin, West Africa

Non-timber forest products contribute significantly to rural livelihoods in the West African savannas. This study investigates differences in use preferences for native woody species in six categories of plant use and their economic returns among five ethnic groups in Northern Benin. Ethnobotanical survey data from 230 households revealed that both ethnic affiliation and location significantly impact species’ valuation. Of a total of 90 species, 61 % were used for medicinal applications, 41 % as firewood, 39 % for construction, and 32 % as human foods. While certain plant species were used by all rural dwellers, others were used exclusively by particular ethnic groups. Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia biglobosa and Adansonia digitata are key economic species for all groups. Conservation measures should consider multi-purpose trees fulfilling subsistence and cash needs while taking into consideration cultural differences in use preferences.     

Plant knowledge of the Shuhi in the Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China

The Shuhi are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group of around 1,500 people living exclusively in the Shuiluo Valley, southwest China. We documented their plant knowledge concerning wild collected species, and analyzed food, medicine, and ritual uses. Overall, uses, collection sites, and use frequencies of 136 plant species were documented. The plants were divided in fodder (46 spp.), food (43 spp.), medicine (27 spp.), ritual plants (20 spp.), fuelwood (17 spp.), plants used for construction (8 spp.), ornamentals (2 spp.), and "others" (34 spp.). Food plants mainly consist of fruits and leafy vegetables, and the uses are comparable with those of other ethnic groups in the area. Knowledge about medicinal plants is relatively limited, since traditional Shuhi healers use ritual and other healing methods instead of medicinal plants. Ritual plants play an important role relative to human well-being. Villagers and ritualists use them to keep the environment clean of malevolent spirits and to maintain a good relationship with the deities. All habitats, from the dry shrub vegetation at the valley bottom up to the alpine shrub, are used for plant collection, but 87% of all species are collected in the near vicinity of the villages around the fields and in the dry shrub vegetation. Finally, we postulate two main factors influencing wild plant use among the Shuhi: cultural values and accessibility.