Underutilized edible plants of the Sikkim Himalaya: Need for domestication

The Himalayan region is comprised of a large variety of wild-growing plants that are used for food and other subsistence needs by the local communities. The Sikkim Himalaya harbours as many as 190 food plants that grow in wild habitats. The six most prominently used fruit species (i.e. Baccaurea sapida, Diploknema butyracea, Eriolobus indica, Spondias axillaris, Machilus edulis and Elaeagnus latifolia) that bear maximum pressure in natural habitats due to their higher demands by the locals, were investigated in detail. Densities of all the species were low in the forest stands and fruit-collection procedure was highly erratic, threatening their survival in near future. The fruits were nutritionally rich and could be utilized for making by-products. The fruit yield per tree could easily compete with commercial fruit-yielding species. Therefore, such fruit trees deserve priority action for conservation in natural forest stands and domestication in farmers’ fields.