Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9600
ISSN: 2155-9600
Cyril E Broderick
Delaware State University, USA
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci
Wheat, rice, and corn are predominant food crop species and excellent producers of carbohydrates as food grains and feed crops. Legumes dominate as sources of plant amino acids and proteins. Soybeans and corn are notable as good sources of oils, and complementary food sources globally include the oil palm, potato, and cassava. Less than ten crops dictate world food diets, and the question is: Can we do better in exploiting plant diversity in providing nutritional requirements for Earth��?s populace. Examination of the diversity of plant species as food sources in providing primary and secondary compounds for human nutrition and animal feedstuff is our objective. Through field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments, investigations continue in evaluating the wide diversity of plants, noting that environmental features that are most determining to productive capacities of crop species. Water and light availability and temperature are influential in making different environments arable. Moreover, the distinguishing features of C3, C4, and CAM plants enable scientists to evaluate potentials of these diverse species. Corn, a C4 plant, is now widely recognized for its efficiency in light and water use, tolerance to higher temperatures, and predominance as an efficient grain producer. Advantageously, C4 plants do not carry out photorespiration, and there are a few C4 species, especially the millets, which are nutritious and widely consumed in small populations. CAM species are fewer in number to consider, but the pineapple plant is one food crop that promotes the potential of this group. Many C3 species, including rice and wheat, nevertheless, produce food and nutritional compounds copiously in diverse environments. The productivity of vegetables, fruits, and spices, (typically C3 species) and their manufacture of alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolics are nutritionally complementary, for neither C4 nor CAM plants match the diversity in productivity of C3 species.
Email: cbroderick@desu.edu