What is Silver cockscomb?

About Silver cockscomb: 

• It is a short-lived 50-60 cm-tall plant considered as a weed, that bears simple, spirally arranged leaves around the stem with pinkish or silky white flowers.
• In Karnataka’s Chamarajanagara district the silver cockscomb is referred to as anne soppu.
• Also known as lagos spinach which belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which includes economically important plants like spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beetroot and quinoa.
• The plant is known as Celosia argentea, kurdu in Marathi and pannai keerai in Tamil.
• It grows well even on fallow land and in drought-like conditions.
• Its leaves have lower levels of oxalic acid and phytic acid.
• Benefits
  • Soligas use it as a nutritious leafy green vegetable, as it is high in nutrients such as beta-carotene and folic acids, and have vitamin E, calcium and iron.
  • It is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for treating eye diseases and ulcers.

Who are Soligas?

• They are an indigenous tribe of Karnataka,
• They reside in the peripheral forest areas near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara in the Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka.
• They are the first tribal community living inside the core area of a tiger reserve in India to get their forest rights officially recognised by a court of law.

Q1) What are Micronutrients?

Micronutrients are essential nutrients required by living organisms, including humans, in small quantities for proper growth, development, and various physiological functions.

Source: Green promise: Silver cockscomb isn’t a troublesome weed for Karnataka’s Soliga tribe

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