CALCIUM-OXALATE AND DIVERSITY IN EDIBLE Alocasia Spp

B.R. JANA¹*
¹ICAR-RCER, Research Centre for Makhana, Darbhanga, 846005, Bihar, India
* Corresponding Author : brjana.ars@gmail.com

Received : 01-11-2018     Accepted : 12-12-2018     Published : 15-12-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 23       Pages : 7595 - 7598
Int J Agr Sci 10.23 (2018):7595-7598

Keywords : Alocasia, Vegetables, Arthritis, Promising food
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to ICAR-RCER, Research Centre for Makhana, Darbhanga, 846005, Bihar, India
Author Contribution : Sole author

In India, three types of Alocasia viz., Alocasia cuculata (Lour.) A. indica (Schott) and Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) Schott. were available specially in Bengal, Assam and South India in abundance. In ICAR-RCER, Research Centre for Makhana, 10 edible Alocasia accessions from Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar were collected and evaluated during 2015-16 on the basis of morphological characters, yield and Ca-oxalate content. Results revealed that Ranchi-3 collection, Alocasia indica was dwarf whose horizontal root along with stem were edible (2.24 kg/plant/season). West Bengal (WB-1) was suitable for post-harvest product making like Bari. RKM collections (Alocasia macrorrhizos) were large and edible like RKM-2 having 1122 sq cm leaf area where as RKM-3 produced the highest rhizome yield of 2.9 kg/plant/year. Morphological variations were found in rhizome length, weight of tuber and number of flowers significantly. To minimize raphides content, the rhizome was planted in different growth media viz., T1=Wet soil, T2=Fertile soil, T3=Fertile soil (50%) + leaf mould (50%) and T4= Fertile soil (50%) + leaf mould (25%) + ash (25%). Rhizomes of RKM-3 were also treated with different NaHCO3 concentrations viz; 1.0%, 1.5% 2.0%, 2.5% and 3%. It was noticed that T4 produced healthy and bigger plant with minimum calcium oxalate content of 72.66 mg/100 g edible. Ranchi -3 had very low in Ca-oxalate (13.46 mg/100g edible) and further decimated during thermal preparation. In case of RKM -3 after treating with 2% (w/v) sodium bi carbonate for 20 minutes resulted in lower Ca-oxalate content of 71.47 mg/100 g edible.

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