Fenugreek is an annual legume, diploid (2n=16) belongs to Fabaceae family originated in Central Asia. It was named Trigonella, from the Latin language that means “little triangle” due to its yellowish-white triangular flowers. Fenugreek (Trigonellafoenum-graecum) commonly known as “methi” is cultivated throughout India and other parts of the world for leafy vegetables, spices, medicinal purposes. Being a leguminous crop, it also increases the fertility of soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. It has been estimated that each year fenugreek fixed about 283 kg Nitrogen per hectare (Saxena and Ahmed,1983).
Although fenugreek is a dual-purpose crop, in our country, it is mainly cultivated as seed spices crops. The total area occupied by seed spices in our country is 84.77 lakh hectares. Out of this fenugreek is cultivated in about 0.30-lakh hectares of land producing 30,000 tonnes of seed. Out of which 3,000 tonnes are exported to countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, Sri Lanka and the U.K. Peter (1999) reported that an income of Rs12 crore from the export of fenugreek product.
Prayagraj to situated at an elevation of 78 m from sea level at 25.85oN and 81.150E longitude comes under the subtropical region of India, due to its climatic conditions it experiences only local variety(Mundera). The winter temperature some time falls as low as 1-20C during December-January. While summer temperature rises as high as up to 46-470C in the month of May-June. The average rainfall is about 1000-1100 mm during the rainy season. The soil of the Prayagraj is clay loam which is enriched with nutrients and also good for the cultivation of most of the vegetable crops. And thus this soil type provides a suitable environment for the growth of microorganisms and suitable for the use of bio-fertilizers. Being a sub-tropical region, it experiences a hot dry summer with a maximum temperature of 480C.
Fenugreek seeds contain a substantial amount of fiber, phospholipids, glycolipids, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linoleic acid, choline, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, nicotinic acid, niacin, and many other functional elements. Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of fiber (50-65 g/100g) mainly non-starch polysaccharides. Medicinally, fenugreek fiber is capable of moderating human glucose metabolism. The aroma of fenugreek seeds attributed to the presence of volatile oils. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants, its seeds, leaves, and even the whole plant are used to prepare powders and extracts for medicinal use. Fenugreek had been applied to embalm mummies and in incense in ancient Egypt.
Seeds of fenugreek were traditionally used as a remedy for diabetes in many Asian and African civilizations. Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality all around the world. Many reported studies have shown the protective effect of fenugreek seeds in experimental models of cancer using cell lines or experimental animals.
Raw and roasted fenugreek seeds added to a mixture of straw and concentrate in the ratio 60:40 resulted in both cases in higher in vitro gas production and lower methane emissions. It was concluded that 2% of raw or roasted seeds of fenugreek had the potential to reduce methane emissions from ruminants and to improve DM digestibility (Rejil et al., 2007). Fenugreek green leaves are one of the most ancient medicinal herbs containing β-carotene (19 mg/100 g), ascorbate (220 mg/100 g) (Thomas et al., 2011), fiber, iron, calcium, and zinc even more than the regular food items (Muralidhara et al., 1999).
Kasuri Methi is morphologically different from other methi varieties. The scientific name of Kasuri methi is “Trigonella corniculata”. It provides numerous health benefits and is a regular feature in vegetarian cuisine. Kasuri Methi is generally used as a condiment for flavoring various curries and sabzis. Regular consumption of Kasuri methi helps keep cholesterol levels in check. Dry leaves of Kasuri methi are rich in protein, iron, and vitamin A and widely used as spice and herb in food preparation. It helps in relieving gastric, digestion, and intestine related problems.
Fenugreek leaves help in keeping the body’s blood lipids at the normal levels. It helps in controlling the metabolism of glucose and hence prevents type-2 diabetes. Kasuri methi helps to reduce platelet formation which in turn prevents blood clotting in the heart. Helps fight against kidney problems as well as mouth ulcers and boils. Kasuri Methi is used in different parts of the country as an ingredient for herbal tea. Applying a paste out of fenugreek powder helps to get rid of skin blemishes. Dried fenugreek leaves are known for delaying the premature graying of the hair. By applying it externally and thoroughly massaging it over the scalp, Kasuri Methi can help the scalp and follicles retain their pigmentation.
This study will be undertaken to estimate the herbage and seed yield of fenugreek varieties from Southern India. However, fenugreek is commonly grown in Prayagraj region, but southern cultivars have not experimented. Through this varietal trial, other varieties that may have higher yield potential will be evaluated, which may also significantly increase farmer’s income. The seed also has a higher commercial value which will add to farmer’s income significantly, as farmers’ practice is to get herbage yield only. Thus the evaluation of different varieties from Southern India is necessary to identify the best varieties in terms of herbage as well as seed yield. So the proper evaluation of varieties is essential for understanding potentially for large-area production of both herbage and seed under the Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions.
Imandi Santhoshi Reshma Madhuri
M.Sc. Horticulture(Vegetable Science)
SHUATS, Prayagraj,Uttar Pradesh
email@reshma.imandi@gmail.com
