Importance of edible wild plants in world food security: The case of Turkey

Sefa Akbulut; Sefa Akbulut

ISSN: 2455-815X

International Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology

Review Article Open Access Peer-Reviewed

Importance of edible wild plants in world food security: The case of Turkey

Sefa Akbulut*

Author and article information

Department of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

*Corresponding author: Sefa Akbulut, Associate Professor, Department of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080, Trabzon, Turkey, Tel: +904623772841; Fax: +904623257499; E-mail: sakbulut@ktu.edu.tr; sefa.ktu@hotmail.com

DOI: 10.17352/2455-815X.000165

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6540-2965

Received: 25 July, 2022 | Accepted: 02 August, 2022 | Published: 03 August, 2022

Keywords: Ethnobotany; Edible plants; Food security; Turkey

Cite this as

Akbulut S (2022) Importance of edible wild plants in world food security: The case of Turkey. Int J Agric Sc Food Technol 8(3): 209-213. DOI: 10.17352/2455-815X.000165

Copyright License

© 2022 Akbulut S. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Production in industrial agriculture is under threat in the near future due to air pollution, excessive consumption, and climate change. Commercial production of traditional products is significant for the continuity of product diversity. Edible wild plants are usually collected from the wild and consumed for local needs. However, there are not enough initiatives for the cultivation of these plants. Turkey, which is very rich in point of biological diversity, is among the lucky countries in this regard. An important part of approximately 12000 plants in its flora is consumed as a food source by traditional methods. In this study, a list of 76 plants belonging to 34 families that are widely consumed for food purposes in Turkey is given.

Main article text

Introduction

Turkey is one of the countries with the richest plant biodiversity among its neighbors with approximately 12000 plant taxa including 3649 endemic wild plants, and exotic, and agricultural plants [1]. A significant part of these plants is used in traditional medicine. However, it has different ethnobotanical uses such as food, spice and tea [2].

Edible wild plants in Turkey are generally collected from the wild and consumed directly or sold in local and sometimes regional markets. Inventory of edible wild plants has gained more importance in recent years in terms of world food security. Although the use of these plants is regional, it has started to be traded today [3]. The interest in nature-oriented life was also a factor in this. As an alternative to industrial kitchen products, wild plants have started to take place more in Turkish cuisine as raw or cooked. It has been stated that edible wild plants can be an important source of income for local communities as well as a good source of food [4].

Edible wild plants in Turkey

Ethnobotanical studies conducted in Turkey, it has been revealed that wild plants are frequently used for food purposes with various methods [4-16]. Edible wild plants are mostly consumed by rural people. However, in recent years, the desire for natural nutrition has increased the sales of these plants in local markets. In parallel, it has been observed that trial gardens for the cultivation and production of wild plants have been established on a regional basis in order to fill the gap in the market [17].

In Table 1, a list of the most widely used edible wild plants in Turkey has been created. Local names and used parts of 76 plant taxa belonging to 34 families were also added.

Table 1: Edible wild plants widely consumed in Turkey
Family	Botanical name	Vernacular name	Used parts	References
Adoxaceae	Sambucus ebulus L.	Mürver otu	Fruits	[18]
Adoxaceae	Viburnum opulus L.	Gilaburu	Fruits	[19,20]
Amaranthaceae	Amaranthus hybridus L.	Külllüce	Leaves	[21]
Amaryllidaceae	Allium scorodoprasum L.	Deli pırasa	All parts	[22]
Anacardiaceae	Cotinus coggygria Scop.	Boyacı sumağı	Fruits	[23]
Anacardiaceae	Pistacia terebinthus L.	Menengiç	Fruits	[14]
Anacardiaceae	Rhus coriaria L.	Sumak	Fruits	[24,25]
Apiaceae	Daucus carota L.	Yabani havuç	All parts	[10]
Apiaceae	Falcaria vulgaris Bernh.	Kazayağı	Leaves	[10]
Apiaceae	Foeniculum vulgare Mill.	Rezene	Aerial parts	[10,26]
Apiaceae	Oenanthe pimpinelloides L.	Kazayağı	Leaves	[10,27]
Araceae	Arum dioscoridis Sm.	Tirşik	Leaves, Roots	[28]
Araceae	Arum italicum Mill.	Domuz lahanası	Rhizome	[18]
Asparagaceae	Ornithogalum sigmoideum Freyn & Sint.	Sakarca	Onion, Leaves	[29]
Asteraceae	Carduus nutans L.	Deve dikeni	Stem	[26]
Berberidaceae	Berberis crataegina DC.	Karamuk	Fruits	[30]
Berberidaceae	Berberis vulgarisL.	Kızıl karamuk	Fruits	[5]
Boraginaceae	Trachystemon orientalis (L.) G. Don	Tomara	Leaves, Flowers	[31]
Brassicaceae	Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.	Çoban çantası	Aerial parts	[26]
Brassicaceae	Nasturtium officinale R.Br.	Suteresi	Aerial parts	[27]
Cannabaceae	Celtis australis L.	Çitlenbik	Fruits	[32]
Capparaceae	Capparis spinosa L.	Kebere	Fruits, Buds	[6 ]
Caryophyllaceae	Stellaria media (L.) Vill.	Kuşotu	Aerial parts	[33]
Chenopodiaceae	Chenopodium album L.	Evlita	Leaves	[33]
Cornaceae	Cornus mas L.	Kızılcık	Fruits	[26]
Ebenaceae	Diospyros lotus L.	Hırnık	Fruits	[34]
Elaeagnaceae	Elaeagnus angustifolia L.	İğde	Fruits	[14]
Elaeagnaceae	Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson	Çıçırgan	Fruits	[35]
Ericaceae	Arbutus unedo L.	Kocayemiş	Fruits	[36]
Ericaceae	Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.	Likapa	Fruits	[9]
Ericaceae	Vaccinium myrtillus L.	Ayı üzümü	Fruits, Leaves	[9
Ericaceae	Vaccinium uliginosum L.	Avcı üzümü	Fruits	[37]
Fabaceae	Ceratonia siliqua L.	Keçi boynuzu	Fruits	[6]
Fagaceae	Castanea sativaMiller	Anadolu kestanesi	Fruits	[9]
Fagaceae	Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yalt.	Palamut meşesi	Fruits	[38]
Grossulariaceae	Ribes alpinum L.	Çalı çileği	Fruits	[31]
Grossulariaceae	Ribes orientale Desf.	Çeçem	Fruits	[39]
Grossulariaceae	Ribes petraeum Wulfen	Kaya çeçemi	Fruits	[40]
Grossulariaceae	Ribes uva-crispa L.	Bektaşi üzümü	Fruits	[41]
Juglandaceae	Juglans regia L.	Ceviz	Seeds	[6]
Lamiaceae	Mentha longifolia (L.) L.	Pünk	Flowering stem, Leaves	[26]
Lamiaceae	Mentha pulegium L.	Yarpuz	Flowering stem, Leaves	[6]
Lamiaceae	Origanum onites L.	Bilyalı kekik	Flowering stem, Leaves	[6]
Lamiaceae	Origanum vulgare subsp. gracile (K.Koch) Ietsw.	Kara kınık	Flowering stem, Leaves	[42]
Lamiaceae	Rosmarinus officinais L.	Biberiye	Flowering branch, Leaves	[26]
Lamiaceae	Thymbra spicata (L.) Cav.	Acı kekik	Flowering branch, Leaves	[14]
Lamiaceae	Thymus nummularius M.Bieb.	Limon kekiği	Flowering branch, Leaves	[43]
Malvaceae	Malva neglecta Wallr.	Ebegümeci	Leaves	[14,27]
Malvaceae	Malva sylvestris L.	Ebegümeci	Leaves	[26]
Moraceae	Ficus carica L.	İncir	Fruits	[26]
Myrtaceae	Myrtus communis subsp. communis	Mersin	Fruits	[44]
Oleaceae	Olea europaea subsp. europaea	Zeytin	Fruits	[6,14]
Orchidaceae	Dactylorhiza euxina (Nevski) Czerep.	Salep	Tuber	[45]
Orchidaceae	Dactylorhiza urvilleana (Steud.) Baumann & Künkele	Orchidaceae	Tuber	[46]
Plantaginaceae	Plantago major L.	Sinirliot	Leaves	[6,33]
Polygonaceae	Rumex acetosella L.	Efelik	Leaves	[4,26]
Polygonaceae	Rumex crispus L.	Labada	Leaves	[26]
Portulacaceae	Portulaca oleraceae L.	Semizotu	Aerial parts	[47]
Rosaceae	Cerasus mahaleb (L.) Mill.	Mahlep	Seeds	[32]
Rosaceae	Crataegus microphylla K. Koch	Kocakarı armudu	Fruits	[26]
Rosaceae	Crataegus monogyna Jacq.	Yemişen	Fruits	[26,30]
Rosaceae	Crataegus orientalis (Mill.) M.Bieb.	Alıç	Fruits	[15]
Rosaceae	Crataegus tanacetifolia (Poir.) Pers.	Kotan alıcı	Fruits	[48]
Rosaceae	Fragaria vesca L.	Dağ çileği	Fruits	[46]
Rosaceae	Prunus laurocerasus L.	Karayemiş	Fruits	[9]
Rosaceae	Mespilus germanica L.	Muşmula	Fruits	[36]
Rosaceae	Prunus divaricata Ledeb.	Yunus eriği	Fruits	[26,30,49]
Rosaceae	Prunus spinosa L.	Çakal eriği	Fruits	[21]
Rosaceae	Pyrus amygdaliformis Vill.	Çöğür armudu	Fruits	[44]
Rosaceae	Pyrus elaeagnifolia Pall.	Ahlat	Fruits	[26,44]
Rosaceae	Rosa canina L.	Kuşburnu	Fruits	[6,50]
Rosaceae	Rubus canescens DC.	Çoban kösteği	Fruits	[27,51]
Rosaceae	Rubus hirtus Waldst. & Kit.	Tüntürük	Fruits	[52,53]
Rosaceae	Rubus idaeus L.	Ahududu	Fruits	[52,53]
Rosaceae	Rubus sanctus Schreb.	Böğürtlen	Fruits	[52,53]
Smilacaceae	Smilax excelsa L.	Diken ucu	Fresh shoot	[29]

Conclusion

Although Turkey’s biological diversity is rich, it can be said that it is still at the beginning of the evaluation phase. This wealth, which is usually expressed in numbers, is recorded only through ethnobotanical studies. Very few edible wild plants are cultivated, especially in the country where the current agricultural lands and pastures are not evaluated efficiently due to wrong agricultural policies. Although the inventory studies are sufficient, there are not enough initiatives on the necessary training, infrastructure establishment, and market research. Turkey, which has seven geographical regions, also shows continental climate, Mediterranean climate, Black Sea climate, desert climate, and many macroclimatic features. Different vegetation types such as forest vegetation, steppe vegetation, stream vegetation, dune vegetation, alpine vegetation, and maquis vegetation are an indication that it is the main source of wild plant reserve that will adapt to possible climate changes. Therefore, Turkey will be the sustainable production center of many cereal crops, agricultural crops, and orchards in the future.