DIVERSITY AND UTILIZATION OF WILD EDIBLE PLANTS IN BULLEN DISTRICT OF NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA

TARIKU, BERIHUN

dc.contributor.author	TARIKU, BERIHUN
dc.date.accessioned	2019-11-12T08:56:05Z
dc.date.available	2019-11-12T08:56:05Z
dc.date.issued	2019-11-12
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/9994
dc.description.abstract	An ethnobothanical study was carried out to document information on the utilization, management and conservation of wild edible plants in the Bullen district, northwestern, Ethiopia. Information on the indigenous knowledge and the utilization of wild edible plants were collected through questionnaire, personal interview, and group discussions from 72 informants that were selected by a systematic random sampling technique from five rural villages of the district. Additional data also collected through field observation and market survey and plant species identification was done based on published books of Flora of Ethiopia. The data was analyzed by direct matrix ranking. pair wise ranking, and priority ranking methods. A total of 77 edible plant species belonging to 61 genera and 39 families were documented in the study area. Of these, the family Tiliaceae and Euphorbiaceae were the most commonly consumed and utilized wild edible plant species. A large number of these wild edible plants were collected from wood lands (39%), riverine ( 18.2%) and in home gardens (I 0.4%). Regarding their growth habit, 3 5. 5% of these edible species were trees 3 I. I% shrubs, 25. 9% herbs and 7.5 % were climbers. The majority of the harvested edible plant parts were fruits (59.7%) followed by leaves (12.9%) roots and tubers (3.8%) and rhizomes (2.5%). These edible plant species were consumed either as raw (57.1 %) and/or as cooked ( 17% and collected by women (62.5%) and children (20.8%) but the p'articipation of 111en is stumpy (4.2°/•). However, most of the collected edible plant speci)_s 3're consumed by the entire household members. According to pair wise ranking analysis, fruits ' of Vitex doniana and Anonna senegalensis and the leaves of Portulaca quadrifida and Corchorus olurious are the most preferred and consumed wild edible plant species because of their sweet quality. However, the consumption of some of the edible plants has side effects causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation to mention a few. Some wild edible plants like Syzgium guineense, Cordia africana and Ximenia americana are also considered as multipurpose plants by the society because of their additional uses for construction, fuel wood and furniture. According to the pair wise ranking results agricultural land expansion, over grazing and fuel wood collection as the principal threats to wild edible plants in the study area. Although religious and cultural norms and values contributed an important role in the management and conservation of wild edible plants, population pressure and its associated impacts contributed much for the disappearance of these plants. Therefore, considering the nature and causes their threats integrated management approach that involve indigenous knowledge and community participation are suggested for the conservation and sustainable use of the wild edible plants in the study area. \ Abstract	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.title	DIVERSITY AND UTILIZATION OF WILD EDIBLE PLANTS IN BULLEN DISTRICT OF NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US