Potential of New Horticultural Crops for Food and Nutritional Security and Soil Conservation in Bay Islands

Due to typical tropical climate and congenial ago-climatic conditions of the zone, a large number of fruits, vegetables, orchids, spices and medicinal and aromatic plants are found growing in one or other parts of these countries. Among the fruits, the important ones are: Soursop (Anona muricata), Mangosteen - Garcinia mangostana (one of the finest and tastiest tropical fruit of the world), Durian (Durio zibethinus), Avocado (Persea americana), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), Bael (Aegle marmelos), Jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), Sapota (Achras zapota) etc. Similarly, the vegetables include Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii), Drumstick (Moringa oleifera), Yam (Dioscorea alata), Taro (Colocasia antiquorum), Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatus), Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), Tapoica (Manihot esculenta), Chekkurmani (Sauropus andogynus) and a number of other leafy vegetables, which are growing throughout the year. The region is rich in a vast diversity of orchids, which are growing as epiphyte and terrestrial. The important orchids, which are available in this region and can be exploited, are Cymbidium aloifolium, Dendrobium formosum, Cattleya sp., Eria andamanica, Pholidota imbricata, Rhynchostylis etusa, Vanilla andamanica etc. In the world market, the essential oils play an important role. Some of the plants like Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum), Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli) etc. can be grown successfully as intercrop between the arecanut or coconut plantations. These horticultural crops will help to overcome the problem of food and nutritional security with conserving the soil in Andaman and Nicobar islands.