Status of Wild Edible Fruits and their Ethno-Botanical Knowledge in Western Ghats

Abstract

India is endowed with varied agro climatic conditions, which are congenial for a wide variability in wild fruits occurring naturally. Western Ghats region is very rich in diversified edible fruit yielding plant species. The Western Ghats hills lies in the east coast of Arabian seas and spread of border of Gujarat to Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern tip of India. The region have several mountain peak which intercept monsoon winds which results in heavy rainfall in this region. The heavy rainfall and different type of temperature conditions makes it home of several plant species. Many of them yield edible fruits and vegetables. This plant wealth is being used in various forms only by tribal's and natives of the area. By an intensive survey of the area it is possible to identify and locate a few superior types cut of wide variation available in the region. In recent years rainfed orcharding has attracted the attention at national level. Identification of desired types among the wild edible fruit species will be of immense use for dry orcharding. These wild types gain further importance due to the fact that one or the other kind of fruit is available in ripe form during round the year and serve as a source of food and medicine to tribal’s and also to animals throughout the year. There is no need to emphasis the importance of wild fruit as a source of minerals and vitamins in the diet of the rural under privileged class. For example karonda fruits are the richest source of iron among the edible fruits. This fruit is available all over the Western Ghats. This can be used as simple remedy for the often reported iron deficiency in rural areas of the country.