Functional food plants in Debre Markos district, East Gojjam, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract. Belay H, Wondimu T. 2019. functional food plants in Debre Markos district, East Gojjam, Ethiopia. Asian J Ethnobiol 2: 8-21. An ethnobotanical analysis of functional food plants was conducted in Debre Markos District, East Gojjam, Ethiopia, to record indigenous knowledge. Ethnobotanical methods were used to collect data from October 2015 to July 2016. Ten of 21 villages in this district were chosen randomly to perform the analysis. A total of 80 informants (61 men and 19 women) ranging in age from 20 to 79 were selected to participate in the study and provide information on functional food plants grown and used in the District. Twenty of the 80 informants were chosen (as key informants) based on recommendations from elders and kebele administrators, while the rest were selected at random. Semi-structured interviews and group discussions were used to gather ethnobotanical data. As functional food plants grown in the District, 29 species from 27 genera and 19 families were identified. The Poaceae and Fabaceae families proved to be the most diverse, with 5 and 4 species, respectively. Herbs (23), shrubs (3), and trees (3) are the species' habits (growth forms). Grains (23.4%) and leaves (23.4%) were the most commonly used plant components (13.8%). Cooking/boiling seeds was the most common form of preparation (23.4%), followed by raw/unprocessed seeds (12.9%). According to informant consensus, Lupinus albus L. (Gibto) was the most commonly recorded species (90%), followed by Eragrostis tef L. (Dabbo teff) (78.8%). Linum usitatissimum L. (Telba) was the most favored species for preventing multiple diseases in a preference rating. Based on the general use-value of functional food plants, a direct matrix analysis showed that Eragrostis tef L. (Dabbo teff) was the most important species. Cinnamomum verum L. was identified by the fidelity level index. Lupinus albus L. (Kerefa) (Gibto) has a high practical benefit in preventing diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The loss of agricultural lands due to new building construction was a critical threat to a few functional food plants such as Lupinus albus (Gibto) in the study area. The Woreda is in the central city of East Gojjam Zone. As a result, stalk owners must focus on resolving the problem.