Moringa is a multifaceted plant known for its nutritional properties, providing vitamins, amino acids, and proteins. It is a product that has gained popularity over the years at local fairs, where its health benefits are highlighted. On the other hand, the variability of rainfall in the province of Salta, Argentina, is conducive to its production.
“The moringa tree can reach over 5 meters in height and is very resistant to droughts. This makes it a viable option for our region, where rainfall is variable,” said Antonio Sangari —a technician from the Rural Extension Agency of Orán, Tropical Crops Experimental Station of INTA Yuto, Jujuy—. “The crop enters in a period of dormancy during the months of June and July due to low temperatures, but resumes its growth with the increase in temperature starting in August.”, added.
According to Sangari, “the climate in the northern Salta region, with temperatures ranging from 0 to 45 degrees Celsius, can be challenging, but moringa adapts well.” Likewise, “the preparation of the land and proper irrigation are crucial” for the plant development. “The producer must ensure that the soil is loamy and well-drained to avoid root rot,” stated the INTA technician. Additionally, moringa requires a lot of sunlight and controlled humidity to grow properly.
The experience with the crop was positive in several communities in the Orán department, which is why Sangari emphasized that “producers have quickly adopted this alternative, as it offers a longer harvest period than other traditional crops.” At the same time, it allows for more stable income since the leaf harvest begins in October and extends until June.
“We Supported an approach between producers and buyers to set fair prices. Additionally, we facilitated the necessary logistics for producers to register as small taxpayers and be able to invoice,” the specialist assured. This organization has allowed producers not only to sell leaves but also to develop products such as moringa tea. “Consumers use it to regulate diabetes, improve anemia, and as a source of energy,” he concluded.
About Moringa oleifera #
- The genus name Moringa derives from the Tamil word, murungai, meaning “twisted pod”, alluding to the young fruit. The specific name oleifera is derived from the Latin words oleum “oil” and ferre “to bear”
The Moringa oleifera tree, also known as the drumstick tree or miracle tree, offers a wide array of uses beyond its nutritional value.
Moringa oleifera has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Various parts of the plant, including the leaves, bark, roots, flowers, and seeds, have been used to treat a range of ailments. For example, the leaves are a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, and have been traditionally used to address issues such as inflammation, stomach upset, and liver problems. The seeds have shown promise in water purification due to their ability to coagulate impurities. In some regions, Moringa is used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers, while other applications include its use in skincare products to nourish and protect the skin and hair. It is important to note that while traditional uses are widespread, scientific evidence supporting all of these applications is still developing, and further research is needed to fully validate their efficacy. While Moringa’s traditional medicinal applications are diverse, it is crucial to consult with healthcare professionals before using it to treat any medical conditions.
- Among other sources there are some articles in NCBI.
From English Wikipedia #
Potentially invasive #
- Although listed as an invasive species in several countries, one source reports that M. oleifera has “not been observed invading intact habitats or displacing native flora”, so “should be regarded at present as a widely cultivated species with low invasive potential”.
Cultivation #
The moringa tree is grown mainly in semiarid, tropical, and subtropical areas, corresponding in the United States to USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, but prefers a neutral to slightly acidic (pH 6.3 to 7.0), well-drained, sandy or loamy soil. In waterlogged soil, the roots have a tendency to rot. Moringa is a sun- and heat-loving plant, and does not tolerate freezing or frost.[original research?] Moringa is particularly suitable for dry regions, as it can be grown using rainwater without expensive irrigation techniques.
In Asia #
India is the largest producer of moringa, with an annual production of 1.2 million tonnes of fruit from an area of 380 km2 (150 sq mi).
Moringa is grown in home gardens and as living fences in South and Southeast Asia, where it is commonly sold in local markets. In the Philippines and Indonesia, it is commonly grown for its leaves, which are used as food. Moringa is also actively cultivated by the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan, a center for vegetable research.
More generally, moringa grows in the wild or is cultivated in Central America and the Caribbean, northern countries of South America, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and various countries of Oceania.
As of 2010, cultivation in Hawaii was in the early stages for commercial distribution in the United States.
Scientific reports #
I - Genomics uncovers the mystery of the magic drumstick tree – Moringa oleifera #
“Did you ever wonder why our grandmothers insisted on having a Tulsi plant (Holy Basil) in front of the house and a Moringa (Drumstick) tree in the backyard? Each and every part of the drumstick tree has medicinal value and is a rich source of nutrients and minerals. Traditionally, it is known to have anti-diabetic (leaves), cardio-protective (roots), anti-fertility (roots), anti-inflammatory (roots), anti-microbial (roots), anti-oxidative (leaves, flowers), anti-obesity (leaves) properties, and has also been used for water purification (seeds), and as lubricant oil (seeds), among other benefits”, stated a paper published in 2019.
A team of scientists led by Prof. R. Sowdhamini at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, has recently deciphered the transcriptome by purifying and sequencing RNA from five different tissues (root, stem, flower, seed and leaf) of this ‘miraculous tree’. The tree tissues were collected from the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra campus of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. The sequencing data were analyzed using a combination of computational algorithms and wet-lab approaches. The work was partly funded by a grant by the Department of Biotechnology, India and partly by a J.C. Bose fellowship conferred upon Sowdhamini by SERB-DST, India. A full report was published in the journal Genomics.
Moringa leaves, flowers and pods are commonly consumed. This study shows that the leaves of this tree contain 30 times more iron and 100 times more calcium than spinach. “Indeed, iron, zinc and magnesium transporters were found to be highly abundant in the roots and stem parts of this tree,” said Dr Naseer Pasha, first author of the paper. One of the key enzymes required for the production of vitamin C is also expressed at a significant ratio, in all the five tissues studied.
Sub-Himalayan origin #
This tree of sub-Himalayan origin requires very little attention and can survive in arid regions. The transcriptome data indicates multiple stress-responsive genes such as C2H2 and Myb gene families. Together, it provides compelling evidence that this plant is a “superfood”, and can provide nutritional sustenance during droughts.
36 candidate genes #
A total of 36 candidate genes were tracked in this study from all five tissues. These include the synthesizing enzymes for compounds (flavonoids, terpenoids, vitamins and alkaloids like Moringine) and transporters of minerals. Among these, the bioactive compounds of medicinal value such as Quercetin (effective in metabolic disorders) and its synthesizing enzymes are observed more in leaves and flowers. Kaempferol (effective as anti-cancer agent) was observed to be abundant in the flowers. The transcript of an enzyme that enables the synthesis of Moringine/ benzylamine, usually observed in bacteria, is highly expressed in Moringa seeds. Moringine is perhaps transported to the roots and is known to improve glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism in mammals. The Ursolic acid and Oleanolic acid products and synthesizing enzymes are observed more in the roots and are known to act as anti-fertility and anti-cancer agents. “A total of 17000 transcripts have been observed and it was a bioinformatics challenge to identify the candidate genes,” says Dr Adwait Joshi who is part of the team. Sowdhamini’s group combined and compared the data with the already available Moringa oleifera genome sequence from a group in China (Tian et al., 2015).
“Uncovering the details of the enzymes that lend Moringa its medicinal values, demonstrates the power of genomics. Together, with the commercial applications, such as the use of Moringa leaves in water purification and oleic acid in the oil extracts, this study could pave the way for this plant in the field of biotechnology,” says Prof. R. Sowdhamini. Like with the paper on Tulsi (Upadhyay et al., 2015, doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0562-x), this is yet another attempt by the research group to unravel the mysteries of Indian medicinal plants.
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The paper The transcriptome enables the identification of candidate genes behind medicinal value of Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) was published in Genomics journal Authors: Shaik Naseer Pasha, K. Mohamed Shafi, Adwait G. Joshi, Iyer Meenakshi, K. Harini, Jarjapu Mahita, Radha Sivarajan Sajeevan, Snehal D. Karpe, Pritha Ghosh, Sathyanarayanan Nitish, A. Gandhimathi, Oommen K. Mathew, Subramanian Hari Prasanna, Manoharan Malini, Eshita Mutt, Mahantesha Naika, Nithin Ravooru, Rajas M. Rao, Prashant N. Shingate, Anshul Sukhwal & Ramanathan Sowdhamini.
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The article Genomics uncovers the mystery of the magic drumstick tree - Moringa oleifera was published in the NCBS website.
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