Cleome viscosa: a promising underutilized minor crop

Abstract

Cleome viscosa, a neglected crop grows as a weed along roadsides, wastelands and other degraded areas in various warmer parts of the world including India. In spite of this, several local communities in India use it as a green leafy vegetable and its seed as condiment. Used in ayurvedic system of medicine for activities like anthelminthic, analgesic, antipyretic, antidiarrhoeal, anticonvulsant, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, insecticidal, repellent, nematicidal, allelopathic and antimicrobial, its pharmaceutical value is intensifying day by day. The agro-economical value initiated is restricted to Himalayan region and needs to be implemented on larger scale. In this background, a holistic approach is required in disseminating the traditional knowledge, cultivation and marketing practices and conducting in-depth research studies to improve overall scenario of economic and food security. Knowledge of high fecundity (fruit and seed set) and the sex expression in improving the recently explored biodiesel potential has been discussed.