Multipurpose crops are important for every society and country. Studies on economical botany therefore prove to be critical for the population of the world as they enumerate on the opportunities available. Franklin W. Martin's (1982: 340) research, summarized in the following paragraphs not only reveals the multifaceted uses of okra but also the potential of its harvest in different regions of the world. His research shows that okra has great potential in becoming a cash and food crop of the future.
Martin (1982: 340) in his article "Okra, Potential Multiple-purpose Crop for the Temperate Zones and Tropics" in the journal of Economic Botany offers an overview of the multiple uses of growing okra. Martin is of the opinion that multiple-purpose crops are valuable as they efficiently utilize land and at the same time provide much utility to the consumers. Okra, he identifies as one such crop. Okra can be used as "food, feed, forage, fiber, foliage and fuel."
An annual crop plant, Okra can be grown in perennial environment. Depending on the length of daylight and temperature different varieties of okra can be grown. Okra flowers are cross pollinated as well as by self pollinated. In controlled environment it can also be hand pollinated. Apart from these flexible growth qualities, the most important aspect of Okra is its uses.
Okra's leafy foliage is used as vegetable in West African and Southeast Asian countries. The leaves, seeds, pods, flower buds, shoots and calyces are all consumed which "provide vitamins A and C, protein, calcium and iron." Not only this, but Okra is also used as a coffee substitute by drying the seeds, roasting and grounding to a powder. Unlike ordinary coffee, Okra coffee does not have caffeine. Okra coffee is used in countries like El Salvador in Central America, Africa and Malaysia.
The utility of okra is even further enhanced as it has been discovered by Jamieson and Baughman (1920 qt. Martin 1982) that okra seed is a source for extracting vegetable oil. Okra oil is greenish yellow in color and has a pleasant odor; unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids are high. Although okra oil is perishable but hydrogenation solidifies and preserve it to be used as margarine.
The high protein content dominates the content property of okra seed. As much as 40% of the kernel can produce oil. Depending on the variety of the seed, oil content also varies. In certain variety, okra seed contains "small quantities of cyclopropenoid fatty acids" which is considered to have physiological effects on laying hens who feed on the seeds. Fortunately, this could be screened and removed through heat treatment. The residue after extraction of oil is often used as feedstuff as it contains 44% of protein and thiamine, niacin and tocopherol which is ideal for rats and chicks. Why okra seed is considered to be an ideal source for protein and oil is because of the ease of its preparation. Hand mill and sieves could be used to extract oil; cotton seed oil extracting machines could also be used, as well as McGill aspirator.
Vegetable curd is another okra utility which could be extracted by using the hulls after protein and oil extraction. The creamy curd resembles tofu and could be consumed raw or in cooked form. However, there is one differentiation in that okra vegetable curd contains gossypol which is soluble in oil and can cause long-term toxicity.
Okra is also a source for animal feed although research identifies it a poor source of digestible carbohydrates due to the tough seed coat. On the other hand, the foliage is considered to be a useful source for biomass crop while its fiber used for paper pulp. Dried okra stems can be used as fuel for farmers as it could be stored easily. For this purpose the old plant must be uprooted after its harvest.
Okra has also been known to be a male sterliant in China as well as the source for mucilage for sizing of paper in Malaysia.
Having reviewed its utility, the author now outlines
its genetic resources. Okra species apparently
could be grown in Southeast and Southern Asia
and North Australian regions. Varieties differ
from temperate to tropics but through controlled
environment the species could be revived and grown
for harvest.
|