Diversity of food composition and nutritive analysis of edible wild plants in a multi-ethnic tribal land, Northeast India: an important facet for food supply

In view of increasing threat of climate change, extreme whether conditions, and recent financial crisis there has been a concern for augmenting agriculture and food supply to growing population, particularly to the rural areas. Fortunately the communities living near biodiversity rich areas depend on wide variety of plant resources for their survival; selected species have high potential for food supply in near future. In this study, we investigated a multi-ethnic area in North east India, a global hotspot, where communities show high dependence on wild plant resources for their sustenance. We addressed the issues of diversity of food plants being collected from wild habitats and their prospect as new food items, broad nutritive values of selected edible wild plants, and suggested some guiding policy concerns for management of these valuable resources. The investigation was done during 2006 to 2011; a total of 289 plants species were recorded used by selected tribal communities for diverse needs; 75 plant species used for their fruits, 65 as vegetables, 18 as mushrooms, 163 as medicinal plants, 13 as spices, and 11 species for making local drinks and beverages. Use of an algae Prasiola crispa as vegetable was found confined to Monpa and Sherdukpens only. Nearly 76 species were traded in markets involving a good annual turnover. Most promising medicinal plant species of the area comprised Aconitum fletcherianum G.Taylor, Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp., Swertia chirayita H.Karst., Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle, Dendrobium nobile Lindl., and Artemisia nilagirica (C.B.Clarke) Pamp. that were harvested on commercial shale for selling in national and international markets. More species were used at higher altitudes showing greater dependence on wild plant resources. Nutritive values of 16 most preferred edible species revealed that they comprised considerable proximate and macro-nutrients; some are well comparable with commercial fruits and crops in their nutritional quality. It is found the wild edible species play an important role in dietary nutritional balance, and access to these wild plant resources ensures communities to overcome uncertain food stocks particularly during adverse and extreme weather conditions. The study highlights the need to protect these plants in their wild habitats; selected species be domesticated by developing cultivation protocols. It is also emphasized that wild edible plants is an ignored facet of food supply, however if properly planned it can facilitate to develop multifunctional agricultural policies for securing food production along with sustaining landscapes, biodiversity and cultural heritage in rural areas at any part of the globe.