A recent study collected and analyzed the seeds of many pumpkins planted in Egypt, stating that in the future these could be a super food source and at the same time support farmers who have been cultivating pumpkin for years.
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Egypt is not only the land of the Pyramids, the coral reef and a very rich culture, but it is also a state with a large production of pumpkin. In fact, there are more than nine different types of squash which have been grown in different climatic areas of central and northeastern Egypt for generations.
In recent times, however, some companies have introduced varieties of "external" crops that could threaten local agriculture and consequently the Egyptian production of pumpkin in the future, causing considerable damage to biodiversity.
For this reason, an international team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst conducted a new study, published in Molecular Biology Reports, in which it performed chemical and molecular tests on seeds of pumpkins grown in Egypt. These were personally collected by researchers who knocked on small farmers' doors and visited their fields to collect a handful of their seeds. The samples were then analyzed in the laboratory.
For each variety, the genetic markers and nutritional values such as the content of fats, minerals, fibers were identified, which allowed the experts to classify the types of pumpkins and understand which were the varieties on which Egyptian farmers should focus more in the future. .
Our goal is to determine which pumpkin crops are best suited to local environments and then use these as a basis for promoting pumpkin production in Egyptian agriculture "
said Emad Mady, lead author of the study.
Pumpkin is indeed at the basis of the diet of many peoples who consume it all year round and not just with the arrival of autumn. This fruit of the plants of the Cucurbitaceae family is in fact very rich in minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, as well as a source of vitamins A, C and E.
According to experts, pumpkin constitutes one food that could fight food insecurity and face the challenges of the future, supporting small businesses and promoting territorial agriculture and biodiversity. In this science wants to make its contribution and this study is, moreover, an example of cooperation between agricultural communities and scientific research.
Fonte: Molecular Biology Reports
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