Euryale ferox Salisb. is an Immense Potential Aquatic Cash Fruit Crop: A Review

This review article scrutinizes immense potentiality of Makhana and some of the vibrant technologies developed/ refined/ adopted to improve wetlands ecosystem productivity in the Eastern Indo Gangetic plains. Euryale ferox Salisb. (Makhana/Fox nut/Gorgon nut/ Prickly water lily) is the only monotypic species of the genus Euryale, belonging to the family Nymphaeaceae. The plant is native to South-East Asia with the prevalence of tropics to sub-tropics accomplished with humid to sub-humid environment. In general, its distribution is extremely limited to tropical and subtropical regions of South-East and East Asia and is known to exist in Korea, Japan, China, Oudh, Dal Lake Kashmir, East Bengal. In India, it is distributed in Bihar, West Bengal, parts of Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Eastern Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan (Alwar) and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. However, Mithila region (holy land of Ma Vaidehi / Sita) of North Bihar is the principal area of its present existence where it is extensively cultivated considered as a potential aquatic cash crop. Bihar accounts for more than 80 percent of total makhana production in the country and that makhana production takes place in 20 out of its 38 districts, mostly situated in the North of the state. Makhana is best grown in age- old perennial water bodies with a rich mucky bottom providing nutrients to the plants. Harvesting and processing of seed is still carried out by traditional methods. Makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) is one of the most common dry fruits utilized by the people due to low fat content, high contents of carbohydrates, protein and minerals. Both raw and fried Makhana are fairly rich in essential amino acids. Edible perisperm constitutes 80 per cent starch. Euryale ferox is a store house of macro- and micro-nutrients. The seeds are eaten raw or roasted. The seeds are sold in market and used as a farinaceous food. A lot of medicinal uses are recommended in the Indian and Chinese system of medicine. The different dietary components of the seeds were investigated to assess its nutritional significance. Makhana seeds are popularly called as ‘Black Diamond' as raw and famously known as ‘white ball' when it popped. The yield of seeds varies from 2.5-3.0 tonnes per hectare of pond.Makhana cultivation provides livelihood to thousands of resource poor farmers, particularly in Bihar.Importance and scope, agrotechnology of Makhana developed and refined for Eastern Region conditions are briefly discussed in this article.