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Minor Edible Fruits of Bangladesh

Mostafa Kamal Pasha
Department of Botany, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

Shaikh Bokhtear Uddin*
Department of Botany, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Minor edible fruits are the genetic resource of a country, playing a vital role as food, nutrition and medicine. Bangladesh having both tropical and sub-tropical climatic condition possesses a large number of species that produce minor edible fruits. The present study represents 255 species of minor edible fruit yielding plants of Bangladesh. Of them, 242 species belong to 58 families of Magnoliopsida and 13 species to three families of Liliopsida. The large minor fruit yielding families are Euphorbiaceae (20 spp.), Myrtaceae (18 spp.), Moraceae (15 spp.), Arecaceae (11 spp.), Sapindaceae (11 spp.), Anacardiaceae (10 spp.), Annonacae (10 spp.), Rutaceae (8 spp.), Verbenaceae (8 spp.) and Vitaceae (8 spp.). Three species are aquatic in nature and about 50 species are herbs, including 31 species of climbers or lianas, and 49 are shrubs and the remaining 156 species are trees. About 48 species are cultivated for fruits and the 35 species are both cultivated and wild. The remaining species are exclusively wild. A total of 53 exotic species are included in the cultivation. In most of the species, pericarp with mesocarp or the whole part of fruit is edible. In few cases either seed or kernel is edible, or in others the non-carpel part of flower. Summer is found as the most and winter as the least suitable fruit yielding seasons in a year.

Keywords: Minor edible fruits, Bangladesh

Location: Chittagong, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Kumilla, Brahmanbaria, Mymensingh, Khulna, Jeshore, Satkhira, Sylhet, Moulavibazar, Rajshahi and Bogura districts

Start Date: 00-00-2006

End Date: 00-00-2018

Program Area: Variety and Species

Commodity: Fruit

Objectives:

This study aims at providing and updating available taxonomic information of the minor edible fruit yielding plants of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

An extensive field survey has been conducted in different localities of 14 districts of Bangladesh namely, Chittagong, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Kumilla, Brahmanbaria, Mymensingh, Khulna, Jeshore, Satkhira, Sylhet, Moulavibazar, Rajshahi and Bogura districts from 2006 to 2018 following group discussion, household survey and market survey techniques. In addition, primary information on minor and wild fruit was collected from different secondary resources (scientific papers, books, internet etc.). The collected samples were identified by consulting the available relevant literatures. Furthermore, the specimens located at the herbaria CUH, BFRIH and DACB were also studied. In order to accommodate vast array of information, a small representative list of wild and minor fruits has been prepared with their up-to-date nomenclature (Pasha and Uddin 2013 and www.theplantlist.org). Information on the availability, habit condition and status of the plants was also collected.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 26(2): 299–313, 2019 (December)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In few reports some minor fruits are evaluated as promising in many aspects (Bose, 1985; Rahim et al., 2011; Frncesca et al., 2012). Many of the minor edible fruits are with little pulp and larger seed size with less palatable. However, the edibility and nutritional value and economic value of different minor edible fruits can be improved. On the other hand, most of the major fruits are available in the month of May to July, but minor fruits are available throughout the year. The minor fruits can play a great role in improving the social and economic status of the local people. They also can significantly contribute in the conservation of biodiversity. Minor fruit production may support the livelihood of the producers and side by side can increase the demand of the consumers. Many edible minor fruits can contribute as the remarkably promising fruit recourses in multifarious way if proper research is conducted for their exploration, selection, improvement and large-scale cultivation.

Knowledge Management: Journal