State researchers will conduct nutritional analysis of at least 12 commonly used indigenous vegetables in the country.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said the one-year project, which will be implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), is supported by the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
“The DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) is supporting a project on the conduct of nutritional analysis of at least 12 priority indigenous vegetables commonly used by Filipinos,” he said during his weekly report on Friday, June 18.
He said the list of priority indigenous vegetables includes wild ampalaya (bitter gourd), labong (bush sorrel), erwad (black-jack), lupo (sessile joyweed), camansi (bread nut), kulitis/uray (spiny amaranth), papait (jima), amti (glossy nightshade), kadyos (pigeon pea), pannalayapen (chemperai), sapsapon (fireweed), and langka (jackfruit).
“The nutritional information on these selected indigenous vegetables will help popularize them and boost their consumption,” the DOST chief said.
“The results can also guide the direction of research and development as well as steer the efforts toward the maintenance of this important diversity that has co-evolved and adapted to the local conditions over generations of continued cultivation.”
The project will be led by Dr. Lorna Sister of the Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Food Science (ICropS-CAFS).
“She will lead the collection of samples from different locations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao provinces, which are previous documentation sites of the completed UPLB/DOST-PCAARRD project titled Documentation of Indigenous Vegetables in the Philippines,” de la Peña said.