Abstract
A survey was conducted in four districts of Manicaland province of Zimbabwe on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata) to document ethnobotanical knowledge of the pumpkin and to identify the local landraces. Informal surveys for key informants, formal surveys and focus group discussions and other participatory rural appraisal approaches were used in the study. Seven distinct landraces of pumpkin were identified by local names as “Nzunzu”, “Ditimanga”, “Ndodo”, “Hokore”, “Musatani”, “Dasanana”, and “Muzwere”. Landrace “Nzunzu” was the most popular followed by “Ditimanga” and “Ndodo”. The most prevalent landraces by area were “Nzunzu” (65% of respondents), followed by “Ditimanga”, “Hokore” and “Musatani”. One landrace (Musatani), was specifically grown by the local people as a leafy vegetable mainly and was available all year round. Landrace “Nzunzu” had large variegated fruit while “Ditimanga” has large creamy yellow to white fruit. Landraces “Nzunzu”, “Hokore” and “Ndodo” have variegated leaves perceived to be resistant to powdery mildew while the rest of the landraces had plain leaves. The pumpkin is grown mostly in intercrops mainly with maize, (85 % respondents) and was planted and grown mainly in summer (67%) as the crop is damaged by frost. Pumpkin is mainly fertilized by cattle manure and most respondents (62%) do not apply an N side dress to the crop. Leaf harvest started 2 - 3 weeks after emergence in landraces such as “Nzunzu” and “Ditimanga” while the other landraces can be started at about 4 weeks after emergence. The pumpkin leaves are consumed 3 - 4 times a week during the rainy season. The main problem during production of pumpkin was insect pests and diseases. Farmers use mainly retained seed (71.9%) for planting that is stored in any available container in the home. This study highlighted local indigenous knowledge of pumpkins and established a baseline of the cultural practices carried out by smallholder farmers. Key words: Pumpkin, traditional vegetables, landraces, indigenous knowledge, Zimbabwe and participatory approaches.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Seven locally named pumpkin landraces were identified.
Verbatim
e0“Seven distinct landraces of pumpkin were identified by local names as “Nzunzu”, “Ditimanga”, “Ndodo”, “Hokore”, “Musatani”, “Dasanana”, and “Muzwere””
Claim · model-written summary
Nzunzu was the most popular landrace, followed by Ditimanga and Ndodo.
Verbatim
e0“Landrace “Nzunzu” was the most popular followed by “Ditimanga” and “Ndodo””
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Nzunzu was the most prevalent landrace by area, reported by 65% of respondents.
Verbatim
e0“The most prevalent landraces by area were “Nzunzu” (65% of respondents)”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Musatani was grown mainly for leaves and was available year round.
Verbatim
e0“One landrace (Musatani), was specifically grown by the local people as a leafy vegetable mainly and was available all year round”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Nzunzu had large variegated fruit.
Verbatim
e0“Landrace “Nzunzu” had large variegated fruit”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Ditimanga had large creamy yellow to white fruit.
Verbatim
e0““Ditimanga” has large creamy yellow to white fruit”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Nzunzu, Hokore and Ndodo had variegated leaves perceived to resist powdery mildew, unlike other plain-leaved landraces.
Verbatim
e0“Landraces “Nzunzu”, “Hokore” and “Ndodo” have variegated leaves perceived to be resistant to powdery mildew while the rest of the landraces had plain leaves”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pumpkin was mostly intercropped with maize by 85% of respondents.
Verbatim
e0“The pumpkin is grown mostly in intercrops mainly with maize, (85 % respondents)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pumpkin was mostly planted and grown in summer by 67% of respondents because frost damages it.
Verbatim
e0“was planted and grown mainly in summer (67%) as the crop is damaged by frost”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pumpkin was mainly fertilized with cattle manure.
Verbatim
e0“Pumpkin is mainly fertilized by cattle manure”
Claim · model-written summary
Most respondents, 62%, did not apply nitrogen side dressing to pumpkin.
Verbatim
e0“most respondents (62%) do not apply an N side dress to the crop”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf harvest for Nzunzu and Ditimanga began 2 - 3 weeks after emergence.
Verbatim
e0“Leaf harvest started 2 - 3 weeks after emergence in landraces such as “Nzunzu” and “Ditimanga””
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf harvest for other landraces began about four weeks after emergence.
Verbatim
e0“the other landraces can be started at about 4 weeks after emergence”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”
Claim · model-written summary
Pumpkin leaves were consumed 3 - 4 times weekly in the rainy season.
Verbatim
e0“The pumpkin leaves are consumed 3 - 4 times a week during the rainy season”
Claim · model-written summary
Insect pests and diseases were the main pumpkin production problem.
Verbatim
e0“The main problem during production of pumpkin was insect pests and diseases”
Claim · model-written summary
Most farmers used retained planting seed, reported by 71.9%.
Verbatim
e0“Farmers use mainly retained seed (71.9%) for planting”
e1“on pumpkin(Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata)”