Moringa oleifera an underutilised tree with amazing versatility

1. Moringa oleifera – an underutilised tree with amazing versatility

2. • Family - Moringaceae • Genus - Moringa • Common names - horseradish tree, drumstick tree, West India Ben • Number of species - 14 • Most important - Moringa oleifera, M. stenopetala • Origin - Sub-Himalayan tracts of the Indian subcontinent • Occurrence, cultivation - all over the tropics • Growth and Size - fast growing perennial tree, grows to 7-12m height Moringa tree – general information

3. Multiple uses of Moringa Human food Water purification Pharmaceutical products Animal and fish feed Green manure Plant growth hormone

4. Moringa parts and their uses

5. Moringa in Ghana Currently Moringa can be found in every part of the country In Volta region, it is called Yevu-ti (The white man’s tree). It was introduced by the Germans during the second world war. It is being used mainly as live fence. In Ashanti region, it is reported that the royal clan brought it on their return from the Sesheles Island*. it is known by the name “Buid” In the upper west region, It is one of the traditional foods of the Dagatis where it is known as “Onwukowo” (chew and drink water)

6. • Trials in Nicaragua have shown that it is ideally suited also for more intensive production Methods of Moringa culture

7. Production of nutrients from intensiveM. oleifera cultivation in Nicaragua

8. Moringa – a highly valued food in thetropics

9. Nutritional and energy content of Moringaleaves from three regions (% in dry matter)

10. Mineral Composition of M. oleiferaleaves from different origins

11. Essential amino acid composition of M.oleifera leaves from different regions (g/16gN)

12. Intensive moringa leaf production Moringa can be grown intensively with yields of up to 650 metric tons of green matter per hectare. This compares very well to other green manure crops such as Lablab beans, which yield up to 110 tons/hectare of green matter in pure stands. The green matter is harvested when plants reach a height of 50cm or more (every 35-40 days), cut at a distance of 15-20cm above the ground. Although losses of seedlings may be 20-30% in the first year, the vigorous regrowth of the remaining seedlings will produce 3 or 5 new shoots after each cutting. Up to nine harvest can be obtained annually.

16. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. Modern science confirms the basic idea. Scientific research has proven that these humble leaves are in fact a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain:

18. M. oleifera leaves have become arecommended food supplement

19. • Leaf powder now recommended in Africa and Asia as a nutritional supplement for –Lactating mothers –Infants and children Moringa – a nutritious vegetable to a“functional food”

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21. Moringa shoots as green manure Using moringa as a green manure can significantly enrich agricultural land. In this process, the land is first tilled. Moringa seed is then planted 1-2 cm deep at a spacing of 10x10 cm or less. After 25 days, the seedlings are plowed into the soil to a depth of 15cm. The land is then prepared again for the crop desired.

22. Major secondary compounds in Moringa parts(DM basis)

23. Level of two bioactive flavonoids inMoringa leaves and extracts

24. Comparative evaluation of antioxidant activityof Moringa leaf extracts and syntheticantioxidants

25. Yield percent of different solventextracts from Moringa leaves

26. Content of carotenoids and ascorbic acid inMoringa leaves from different regions (mg / kg DM)

27. Chemical composition of untreated andtreated kernels and shells of M. oleifera(% in DM)

28. Content of carotenoids and ascorbic acid inMoringa leaves from different regions (mg / kg DM)

29. Use of Moringa as animal feed

30. Effect of Moringa forage supplementation on body mass development in cattle*

31. Moringa seed extract (MSE) influences proteindigestion by rumen microbes

32. Moringa forage as supplement in fatteningdiets for pigs*

33. Growth performance of tilapia fed dietscontaining Moringa leaves

34. Liver retinol (vitamin A) enrichment intilapia fed Moringa leaves

35. Moringa as Livestock feed Cont. Care must be taken to avoid excessive protein intake. Too much protein in pig feed will increase muscle development at expense of fat production. In cattle feed too much protein can be fatal (from alteration of the nitrogen cycle.) Nutrient value of Moringa leaves can be increased for swine and poultry through addition of an enzyme (phytase) to break down the phytases, leading to increased absorption of the phosphorus found in Moringa.

36. With Moringa feed, milk production was 10liters/day. -Without Moringa feed, milk production was 7liters/day. With Moringa feed, daily weight gain of beef cattle was 1200grams/day. -Without Moringa feed, daily weight gain of cattle was 900 grams/day. The higher birth weight (3-5kg) can be problematic for small cattle. It may be advisable to induce birth 10 days prematurely to avoid problems. Incidence of twin births also increased dramatically with Moringa feed: 3 per 20births as opposed to the usual average of 1:1000. Moringa as Livestock feed Cont.

37. Moringa leaf extract as plant growth hormone The juice from fresh moringa leaves can be used to produce an effective plant growth hormone, increasing yields by 25%-30% for nearly any crop: onions, bell pepper, soya, maize sorghum, coffee tea, chili, melon… One of the active substance is zeatin: a plant hormone from the Cytokinines group This foliar spray should be used in addition to other fertilizers, watering and sound agricultural practices.

38. How to make the spray Make an extract by grinding young moringa shoots (not more than 40 days old) together with a bit of water (about one liter per 10kg fresh material). Filter the Solid out of the solution. The solid matter, which contain 12-14% protein, can be used as livestock feed. Dilute the extract with water at a 1:32 ratio and spray directly onto plants. Apply about 25ml per plant (Store in a freezer if extract is not going to be used within five(5) hours).

39. Moringa leaf extract as plant growth hormone Cont.

40. Moringa leaf extract as plant growth hormone Cont.

41. Immature Pods as Vegetables Immature fruits are eaten as vegetable and has export market value in European markets The pods can also be processed into canned vegetables

42. Moringa seed oil Extraction Seeds yield 38-40% of a non-drying oil, known as Ben Oil, used in arts and lubricating watches and other delicate machinery. Oil is clear, sweet and odourless and never becomes rancid. It is useful as cooking oil, bio-fuel for diesel engines, the manufacture of perfumes and hairdressings.

43. Moringa as Livestock feed Moringa leaves constituting 40-50% of feed, milk yields for dairy cows and daily weight gain for beef cattle increased 30%. Birth weight, averaging 22kg for local Jersey cattle, increased by 3-5kg. The high protein content of moringa leaves must be balanced with other energy food. Cattle feed consisting of 40-50% moringa leaves should be mixed with sugar cane, young elephant grass, sweet (young) sorghum plants, or whatever else is locally available. The maximum protein and fiber content of livestock feed should be : Protein Fiber Lactating cow : 18% 26-30% Beef cow : 12-14% 36% Lactating sow : 16-18% 5-7% Meat pig : 12-14% 5-7%

44. Use of Moringa as water purifiers inrural tropics

45. Coliform removal by M. oleifera extractscompared to effect of alums on muncipalwastewater

46. Water treatment

47. Water treatment Cont. The active ingredient (a polyelectrolyte) has been isolated in the laboratory 100kg of moringa kernels will produce about 1kg of (almost pure electrolyte) The seed powder can also be used to harvest algae from waste water The seed powder has been used in large scale community water treatment

48. Water treatment Cont.

49. Water treatment Cont.

50. Multiple uses and future perspectives