Studies on biodiversity, ethnobotanical uses and physicochemical properties of underutilized fruits in Nagaland and Meghalaya

A study was conducted on the bio-diversity and physicochemical properties of underutilized fruit crops in Nagaland and Meghalaya during 2018-19 under the Department of Horticulture, SASRD, Nagaland University. Artocarpus lakoocha, Averrhoa carambola, Baccaurea ramiflora, Canarium strictum, Citrus indica, Docynia indica, Elaeagnus latifolia, Garcinia lanceifolia, Haematocarpus validus, Myrica nagi, Phyllanthus acidus, Prunus napaulensis, Spondias pinnata and Terminalia chebula were found to be in abundance in the local communities and these fruits play an important role in diet of the local tribes and the local communities have their own vernacular names for the particular fruits which were collected from villages through interaction. The village elders, traditional healers, etc. are well-versed in the medicinal uses of these fruits and their different parts. Most of the fruits are consumed or sold in the local market by collecting them from the forests. The fruits are used as fresh or in various processed products such as RTS, pickles, jam, etc., or utilized in various medicinal purposes like paste and powder to treat wounds, boils, rashes, digestive problems, etc. The physicochemical properties showed a wide spectrum of variation in TSS (6.66-26.46 °Brix), total sugar (4.34-12.01%), reducing sugar (2.19-5.96%), titratable acidity (0.44-4.82%), ascorbic acid (4.40-115.50 mg/100g pulp) and anthocyanin (15.27-117.10 mg/100 g pulp) among the various fruits analyzed