Subject: Re: Moringa oleifera info

From: Jayasankar Subramanian <[email-masked]>
Date: 11 May 1996 00:42:00 GMT

Moringa is a widely used vegetable in south India and Sri Lanka. The 
young fruits and leaves are rich in vitamins (B,C &E) and iron. Fruits 
have sulfur compounds also and is considered as an aphrodisiac. Although 
propagated traditionally by cutting (pollards?), seeds are used now. A 
perennial tree, but now cultivated annually thanks largely to the release 
of an annual moringa from the Horticultural College and research 
Institute, Tamilnadu Agrl. Univ., Periyakulam in India. It prefers well 
drained soils in general; does well in red clay and black soils; can 
tolerate dry spells. Major pest: fruit fly.Sometime back (late 80's) I 
read an interesting article about the seeds of moringa (in "The Hindu" 
Daily Newspaper). Powdered seeds exhibited water clarifying and purifying 
properties according to this article. Eventually it generated some 
interest from some European institutes who had visited the College in 
1989-90. In southern Tamilnadu it is grown over 5000 acres and the fruits 
are shipped throughout India and also exported to middle East. Canned 
moringa fruits are available at most Indian Grocery Stores in US &Canada 
and fresh fruits are occasionally available. More information can be had 
>from  Dr. S.Sambandhamoorthy, Dean, Horticultural College, Periyakulam 
625601, Madurai District, Tamilnadu, India. Unfortunately this college 
does not have a fax or internet facilities so far. I might be able to 
help if you have any specific questions as I worked in the above college 
before coming here.