Silver cockscomb isn’t a troublesome weed for Karnataka’s Soliga tribe

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Silver cockscomb:

Also known as lagos spinach, the weed belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which includes economically important plants like spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beetroot and quinoa.
Believed to have originated in tropical Africa and grows abundantly in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and parts of the US and Australia.
The plant is known as Celosia argentea in scientific lexicon, kurdu in Marathi and pannai keerai in Tamil.
Silver cockscomb is a short-lived 50-60 cm-tall plant that bears simple, spirally arranged leaves around the stem with pinkish or silky white flowers. Since it grows widely on farmlands across the country, most farmers use the plant as fodder. But like the Soliga tribe, some communities also consume it as a leafy vegetable.
- In Karnataka’s Chamarajanagara district it is refereed to as anne soppu.

Nutritional and medicinal value of Silver Cockscomb:

Its stem and root extracts provide protection against microbial pathogens.
Although it is of the same family as spinach, it does not pose the same risk to kidneys. Spinach leaves are high in calcium, oxalates, vitamin K and potassium, which can impair kidney function and lead to formation of kidney stones.
In comparison, silver cockscomb leaves have lower levels of oxalic acid (0.2 per cent) and phytic acid (0.12 per cent).
The plant is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for treating eye diseases and ulcers.
The seed contains an edible oil that is beneficial for treating conditions such as bloodshot eyes and cataracts.

Why is it a problem?

Silver cockscomb is a beautiful but troublesome weed.
If left unchecked, it can spread quickly and suppress the growth of other crops, affecting their yield.
It also attracts insects, caterpillars, worms and moths that can harm crops.

The World Vegetable Centre:

It is a Taiwan-based non-profit institute for vegetable research and development.
The World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), previously known as the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC), is an international, nonprofit institute for vegetable research and development.
It was founded in 1971 in Shanhua, southern Taiwan, by the Asian Development Bank, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, the United States and South Vietnam.
WorldVeg aims to reduce malnutrition and alleviate poverty in developing nations through improving production and consumption of vegetables.

Soliga tribe:

Soliga (Solega, Sholaga and Shōlaga), is an ethnic group of India.
Its members inhabit the mountain ranges mostly in the Chamarajanagar district of southern Karnataka and Erode district of Tamil Nadu. Many are concentrated in the Biligiriranga Hills and associated ranges, mainly in the talukas Yelandur, Kollegal and Chamarajanagar of Karnataka.
The Soliga speak Sholaga, which belongs to the Dravidian family.
Under Indian law, they are recognized as a scheduled tribe, they have a population of around 40,000.