Mineral Nutrients Assessment of Selected Underutilized Yam Plants from Hamirpur District, Himachal Pradesh

By : Ram Chand Bhatti, Chongtham Nirmala, Sabir Hussain, Anand Narain Singh

Page No: 95-105

Abstract
This study was conducted on five wild tuber plants named Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea pentaphylla, Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea deltoidea and Dioscorea bellophylla belonging to the family Dioscoreaceae which are edible and are eaten by the local people of Hamirpur district Himachal Pradesh. Collected samples of the selected underutilized Yam plants from different regions of the study area were analyzed for their mineral nutrient content. Twenty-one elements were found: Aluminium, Barium, Bromine, Calcium, Chloride, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Sodium, Niobium (columbium-Cb), Nickel, Ruthenium, Rubidium, Sulphur, Silicon, Strontium, Titanium and Zinc. However, maximum K, Mg, S, Mn, Cu, and P were recorded in Dioscorea alata, Ca in Dioscorea bulbifera, Fe and Zn in D. pentaphyla. Based on the chemical evaluation, it was observed that tubers of D. alata, D. bulbifera, D. pentaphyla, D. deltoidea, and D. bellophylla might be suggested for commercial cultivation. However, minor information is available regarding its edible properties and nutritional requirements to the modem civilization. Present knowledge is not enough to generalize for all types of exploited plants available in the basket of the Himalayan region. However, it can be helpful to optimize more research to promote food security for humanity from starvation and malnutrition.

Authors :
Ram Chand Bhatti : Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali Govt. Post Graduate College, Kalka, Panchkula, Haryana, India.
Chongtham Nirmala : Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Sabir Hussain and Anand Narain Singh : Soil Ecosystem and Restoration Ecology Lab, Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPSR.2023.39.03.10