Vol. 9, Issue 1 (2021)
Madhuka: Promising millennium plant
Author(s): RV Mahajan, SB Amarshettiwar, ND Gajbe, SP Wagh and RV Tayade
Abstract: Mahua is one of the most important Indian forest trees because of its delicious and nutritive flowers with abundant vegetative growth. Mahua is one of the important tree species in central India, as it produces abundant delicious and nutritive flowers. Mahua, the Indian Butter Tree is an important tree having vital socioeconomic value and growing throughout the tropical and subtropical region of the Indian subcontinent. It is fast growing tree that grow upto approximately 20 meter height, possesses evergreen or semi evergreen foliage with wider and round canopy. It belongs to family Sapotaceae. The tree is considered a boon by the Tribal’s who are the forest dwellers and keen conservator of the tree. Mahua provides livelihood security to poor households who collect it both for self consumption and for sale the income is used to purchase daily household item. It provide them food, medicine, feed and medicine for their livestock apart from its miscellaneous utilities. Mahua flowers are well known for their high reducing sugar and nutrient content. Flowers of the plant are edible. The flowers are used to produce an alcoholic drink in several parts of India. The fruit pulp may be utilized as source of sugar, whereas the dry husk makes a good source of alcoholic fermentation. Seed is serves as an important fuel oil, hence a good source of biodiesel. Its oil is used by tribal as vegetable butter in addition it is used in skin care products, soaps, detergents, etc. The seed cake is used as manure. The tribes consider the mahua tree and the mahua drink as part of their cultural heritage. So it is very much necessary to create awareness among the people to conserve the forest.
DOI: 10.22271/chemi.2021.v9.i1as.11727
Pages: 3224-3229 | 422 Views 153 Downloads
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How to cite this article:
RV Mahajan, SB Amarshettiwar, ND Gajbe, SP Wagh, RV Tayade. Madhuka: Promising millennium plant. Int J Chem Stud 2021;9(1):3224-3229. DOI: 10.22271/chemi.2021.v9.i1as.11727
