Eco-Friendly Solutions: Integrating Wild Vegetables for Sustainable Agriculture Food Security and Human Health

Abstract

Using wild plants as food is one of the survival strategies, and it is closely linked to a strong aspect of their customs and culture. The prevalence of malnutrition, non-communicable diseases associated with diet, and poverty worldwide has led to the investigation of wild crops as a potential solution for a wholesome food crop to deal with these problems. For centuries, wild vegetables have been a primary source of micronutrients for humans, supplying essential vitamins and minerals necessary for maintaining good health and bolstering immunity against infections. This has resulted in millions of people relying on them as a dietary staple. Wild vegetables are characterized by their resilience and low maintenance requirements, making them superior to traditional cultivated varieties. Additionally, they are an abundant source of essential nutrients. Therefore, their potential to address micronutrient malnutrition and ensure food security is significant. Wild vegetables are an excellent source of nourishment due to the abundance of accessible components with the ability to stand against different abiotic stresses like salinity, drought, and heavy metals. They can make significant contributions to people's diets around the world. Natural selection has refined the genetic diversity of wild crops over millennia, enabling them to flourish in a variety of environmental situations. Genes that confer resistance to abiotic stressors such as heat, salinity and drought are present in wild relatives. To increase the robustness of cultivated cultivars, these genes have been effectively introgressed.