Abstract
Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Andrews, a wild aquatic plant, is frequently seen under cultivation in home ponds in many villages of North Eastern part of India. The flowers of the plant are used for ornamental purposes, while rhizomes, young leaves and peduncle are used as food and vegetable. The proximate nutrient content of various parts of the plant has been determined and found to be quite high. The maximum amount of protein was recorded as 23.88 % of total dry weight. Since the species is gaining an importance in the local markets of North East India as food material, an organized effort for cultivation of this species is considered as important. In this paper, the importance of N. rubra other than the ornamental uses is being highlighted and emphasis is identified for the promotion of its cultivation for future food security.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. The authors would like to thank the Nymphaea growers, field assistants and staffs of the Plant Systematics and Conservation Laboratory, of the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal (Manipur, India) for their kind support and enthusiasm. The authors also appreciate Dr. D. K. Hore (Taxonomist consultant) for his thorough scrutiny of the manuscript.
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Devi, S.A., Thongam, B. & Handique, P.J. Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Andrews cultivated as an ornamental, food and vegetable in the North Eastern region of India. Genet Resour Crop Evol 62, 315–320 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0177-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0177-3