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Medicinal weeds in Kodo millet
fields : A source of an additional income for Chhattisgarh farmers
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Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights ReservedABSTRACT
An ethnobotanical study was conducted by the Department of Agronomy, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (India) to list out the medicinal weed flora of the Chhattisgarh region and to find out the possibilities of utilizing medicinal weeds in Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) fields to provide an additional income to the farmers besides an effective weed control. The study was done in 6 purposively selected districts. From each selected district, a proportionate sample was taken to make the total sample size as 1000 respondents. The weeds were collected through intensive visits and information on potential uses were collected with the help of reference literatures of different medicine systems. The study revealed that out of 42 problematic weeds (belong to more than 16 families) in Kodo millet, 37 weed species possess medicinal properties. The study suggested that there is a tremendous scope of utilizing medicinal weeds in Kodo millet fields to provide an additional income to farmers.
INTRODUCTION
Weeds compete with crops for moisture, nutrients and light and harbour diseases and insects when present in bunds and wastelands (Oudhia et al., 1999). Weeds are always considered as unwanted plants. In ancient Indian literatures, it is clearly mentioned that every plant on this earth is useful for human beings, animals and also for other plants (Oudhia, 1999). The only need is to identify its potential uses. Many studies conducted at Department of Agronomy, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (India) have revealed that weeds, particularly medicinal weeds are not a problem for farmers and they can earn an additional income by selling the uprooted weed parts in national and international drug markets with the help of village level co-operatives (Oudhia and Tripathi, 1998a and 1999a and b, Oudhia et al., 1998). Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) is one of the popular crops in the tribal belt of Chhattisgarh (India) (Oudhia and Tripathi, 1998b). In Chhattisgarh, farmers do not emphasize on chemical weed control. They only perform hand weeding operation once at 25-30 days after sowing. Often they go for second hand weeding at 50-55 days after sowing. As the problems of labour scarcity and high wages are increasing in the region, hand weeding is becoming a costly operation. By identifying the medicinal, industrial and allelopathic uses of existing weed flora, a package can be developed for the farmers. By selling the useful weed parts farmers can not only recover the cost of hand weeding and control the weed population efficiently but also can earn additional income. In order to list out the existing weed flora and their medicinal, industrial and allelopathic uses, an ethnobotanical study was conducted by the Department of Agronomy, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (India) during 1996-98.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The detailed ethnobotanical survey was conducted in whole Chhattisgarh region. The study was done in purposively selected districts namely Raipur, Bilaspur. Durg, Rajnandgaon, Bastar and Sarguja. From each selected district, two blocks and from each selected block, random sample of four villages was taken. A proportionate sample of villagers from each selected village was taken to make the total sample size as 1000 respondents. The data were collected with the help of personal interview technique on a well prepared interview schedule. For knowing the medicinal uses of common weeds in Kodo millet fields, the help of reference literatures of Ayurved, Homoeopathy, Yunani, Allopathy and other systems of medicine was taken. The weeds were collected through intensive visits to the targeted villages at the interval of 15 days. Visual observations both on crop fields and wastelands were made.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The survey revealed that out of 42 problematic weeds (belong to more than 16 families) in Kodo millet fields of Chhattisgarh, 37 weeds possess valuable medicinal properties. The medicinal properties of these 37 weeds have been found well documented in reference literatures. The Local name. Scientific name, Family etc. of these medicinal weeds are given in Table 1. The Study also revealed that out of 37 medicinal weeds, the villagers were using more than 16 weeds to treat their health problems. Out of total 42 weeds, 10 weeds were identified as potential weeds that can provide additional income to the farmers. These weeds were Abutilon indicum, Achyranthes aspera, Boerhavia diffusa, Cyperus sp„ Eclipta alba, Euphorbia hirta, Leucas aspera, Oxalis latifolia, Phyllanthus nirnuri, Sida cordata (Table-2). The personal communications were made with more than 300 national and international drug dealers revealed that these weeds were having heavy demands in national and international drug markets. During the study it was noted that different graded and processed parts or weeds were having more demand. There is a tremendous scope of generating employment opportunities at village level for rural youths by this medicinal weed business. The study suggested that there is a strong need of (1) Documentation of valuable knowledge about medicinal weeds in Kodo millet fields. (2) Survey of the major crop fields of Chhattisgrah. (3) Identification of villages having higher density of particular medicinal weeds. (4) Establishment of proper linkage between village level co-operative society to national and international drug dealers. (5) Development of grading and processing methods for medicinal weeds according to international standards. These targets can be achieved by the joint efforts of government,non-government agencies and local people.
Table 1 Medicinal weeds in kodo millet fields of Chhattisgarh Scientific Name Local Name English Name Family Name Remarks 1. Abutilon*indicum Raksi Velvetleaf Malvaceae M,m 2. Achyranthes* aspera Latkana Prickly Chafflower Amaranthaceae M,m 3. Ageratum conyzoides Gandhila Bill Goat weed Compositae M 4. Aeschynomene americana Soli Northern Joint Vetch Leguminoaseae M 5. Boerhavia* diffusa Punernava Spiderling Nyctaginaceae M 6. Borreria hispida Safed phooli - Rubiaceae M 7. Caesulia axilaris Balonda - Compositae M,m 8. Celosia argentea Siliyari Cock's comb Amaranthaceae M,m 9. Cenchrus ciliaris Poonchi Ghas Sand Bur Gramineae M,m 10. Chloris barbata- - Finger grass Gamineae M 11. Commelina benghalensis Kaua-KainiDayflowerCommelinaceaeM,mJangli JutiWild JuteTiliaceaeM,m 12. Corchorus acutangulus 13. Cucumis trigonus Kolhi Kekedi Wild Cucumber Cucurbitaceae M 14. Cynodon dactylon Doobi Bermuda Grass Gramineae M,m 15. Cyperus*sp. Motha Nut Sedge Cyperaceae M,m 16. Dactyloclenium aegypticum Makra Crowfoot Grass Gramineae M 17. Digitaria ciliaris - Crab Grass Gramineae M 18 Echinocloa colonum Sawan Jungle Rice Gramineae M 19 Eclipta*alba Bhengra - Compositae M,m 20 Eleusine indica - Goose Grass Gramineae M 21 Eragrostis cilianensis Chiwra Phool Love Grass Gramineae 22 Euphorbia*hirta Dudhi Spurge Euphorbiaceae M,m 23 Fimbristylis barbata Chuhaka - Cyperaceae M 24 Gomphrena decumbens - - Amaranthaceae 25 Ischaemum rugosum Badore - Gramineae M 26 Kylinga brevifolius Bandar Phool - Cyperaceae M 27 Leucas*aspera Gumma - Labiatae M,m 28 Ludwigia octovalvis Laung Phool Winter Primrose Onagraceae 29 Mimosa pudica Chhui Mui Sensitive Plant Leguminoaseae M 30 Oxalis* latifolia Khatti buti Wood Sorrel Oxalidaceae M,m 31 Parthenium hysterophorus Gajar ghas Congress Weed Compositae M 32 Phyllanthus* niruri Bhuin awla Niruri Euphorbiaceae M,m 33 Physalis minima Chirpoti Ground cherry Solanaceae M,m 34 Paspalidium punctatum - - Gramineae 35 Phaseolus trilobus Mungesa Wild Mung Leguminoseae M,m 36 Saccharum spontaneum Kansi - Gramineae M 37 Scoparia dulcis Mithi patti - Scrophulariaceae M 38 Sida* cordata Bariyara Sida Malvaceae M,m 39 Solanum nigrum Makoi Night Shade Solanaceae M 40 Setaria glauaca - Foxtail Gramineae M 41 Ocimum basilicum Van Tulsa - Labiateae M,m 42 Tridax procumbens - - Compositate M,m Note : M - Weeds having medicinal properties. m- Weeds in use in Chhattisgarh as medicinal plant. * - Weeds having demand in national and international drug markets. Table 2 Existing uses and valuable parts of ten potential medicinal weeds in Kodo millet fields of Chhattisgarh Scientific Name Existing Uses Valuable Parts Remarks 1. Abutilon indicum In rheumatism bleeding piles and fever Seeds N,I 2. Boerhavia diffusa Dropsy, Migraine, coryza, cough Roots N,I 3. Cyperus sp. In skin, urinary, digestive and reproductive diseases Dried nuts N,I 4. Eclipta alba In skin and digestive diseases, Hair nourishment Whole plant N,I 5. Euphorbia hirta In respiratory troubles Whole plant N,I 6. Leucas aspera In worms, rheumatism Whole plant N 7. Oxalis latifola In skin troubles Whole plant N 8. Phyllanthus niruri In jaundice Whole plant N 9. Sida cordata In skin troubes Whole plant N 10. Achyranthes aspera As styptic; antivenom; in diseases of digestive system Whole plant N,I Note N - Medicinal weeds having demand in national market I - Medicinal weeds having demand in international market.
Common names of Kodo around the world S.No. Languages/Regions/Countries Names 1 Australia Ditch Millet, Hureek 2 Bengal Khododhan, Kodoadhan 3 Bihar Koda, Kodai 4 Canarese Arikel, Haraka Hullu, Harik 5 Srilanka Koda Millet 6 Gujarati Kodra, Kodro, Meya 7 Hindi Koda, Kodaka, Kodava, Koddon 8 Marathi Harik, Kodra, Kodru 9 Sanskrit Kodu ara, Kodrava, Koradusha, Kordrava, Kuddala, Madangvaka, Uddala, Vanakodrava 10 Nigeria Ikbonta 11 tamil Karuvaragu, Varagu, Varaku 12 Telugu Allu, Alu, Arikalu, Aruga 13 Urdu Kodon 14 Uriya Khoddi, Kodus 15 Zulu is Amuyisane
References
Oudhia, P. 1999. Medicinal weeds in rice fields of Chhattisgarh (India). International Rice Research Notes., 14 (1): 40.
Oudhia, P. and Tripathi, R.S. 1998a. Medicinal weeds of Kharif crops in the Plains of Chhattisgarh. Bharthiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 13(1/2): 33-38.
Oudhia, P. and Tripathi, R. S. 1998b. Allelopathic effects of Parthenium hysterophorus L. on kodo, mustard and problematic weeds. In : Proc. First International Conference on Parthenium Management (Vol. II), UAS, Dharwad, India, 6-8 Oct.1997: pp. 136-139.
Oudhia, P. and Tripathi, R.S. 1998c. The possibilities of utilization of medicinal weeds to increase the income of the farmers. In : Abstract National Seminar on Medicinal Plant Resources Development, Gandhi Labour Institute, Ahmedabad, India. 4-5 Oct. 1998: p. 3.
Oudhia, P. and Tripathi, R.S. 1999a. Medicinal weeds of Durg (Madhya Pradesh) region. In: Proc. National Conference on Health Care and Development of Herbal Medicines, lndira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur. India 29-30 Aug. 1997 : pp. 71-78.
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Oudhia, P., Tripathi, R.S., Puri, S. and Chandel, D.S. 1999. Traditional knowledge about medicinal weeds in Chhattisgarh. Vasundhara The Earth. I(I) : 12-15[Originally Published in Ecol. Env. & Cons. 6(2) : 2000; pp. (171-174)]