Enset in Ethiopia: a poorly characterized but resilient starch staple

Abstract

Background Enset (Ensete ventricosum, Musaceae) is an African crop that currently provides the staple food for approx. 20 million Ethiopians. Whilst wild enset grows over much of East and Southern Africa and the genus extends across Asia to China, it has only ever been domesticated in the Ethiopian Highlands. Here, smallholder farmers cultivate hundreds of landraces across diverse climatic and agroecological systems.• Scope Enset has several important food security traits. It grows over a relatively wide range of conditions, is somewhat drought-tolerant, and can be harvested at any time of the year, over several years. It provides an important dietary starch source, as well as fibres, medicines, animal fodder, roofing and packaging. It stabilizes soils and microclimates and has significant cultural importance. In contrast to the other cultivated species in the family Musaceae (banana), enset has received relatively little research attention. Here, we review and critically evaluate existing research, outline available genomic and germplasm resources, aspects of pathology, and explore avenues for crop development.• Conclusion Enset is an underexploited starch crop with significant potential in Ethiopia and beyond. Research is lacking in several key areas: empirical studies on the efficacy of current agronomic practices, the genetic diversity of landraces, approaches to systematic breeding, characterization of existing and emerging diseases, adaptability to new ranges and land-use change, the projected impact of climate change, conservation of crop wild relatives, by-products or co-products or non-starch uses, and the enset microbiome. We also highlight the limited availability of enset germplasm in living collections and seedbanks, and the lack of knowledge of reproductive and germination biology needed to underpin future breeding. By reviewing the current state of the art in enset research and identifying gaps and opportunities, we hope to catalyse the development and sustainable exploitation of this neglected starch crop.

Micronutrient composition and microbial community analysis across diverse landraces of the Ethiopian orphan crop enset

“…The food products of the large perennial herb Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman (Musaceae) are an important dietary starch source in Ethiopia (Borrell et al, 2018; Fanta & Satheesh, 2019; Negash & Niehof, 2004). Commonly known as enset (or alternatively as the false banana or Abyssinian banana), this major food crop is principally cultivated as a highly resilient staple that withstands a wide range of environmental conditions and can buffer seasonal variation in food availability.…”

“…Commonly known as enset (or alternatively as the false banana or Abyssinian banana), this major food crop is principally cultivated as a highly resilient staple that withstands a wide range of environmental conditions and can buffer seasonal variation in food availability. Enset contributes to the food security of over 20 million people, but is virtually unknown outside of its narrow zone of cultivation in South West Ethiopia, despite growing undomesticated and unutilized across much of East and Southern Africa (Borrell et al, 2018). In addition to being processed for multiple food products, enset is also used for livestock fodder, packaging materials, fiber and traditional medicine (Borrell et al, in press ; Mohammed, Martin, & Laila, 2013; Olango, Tesfaye, Catellani, & Pè, 2014).…”

“…Despite the importance of enset for food security and the existence of hundreds of diverse landraces (Borrell et al, 2018), the nutritional composition of the raw plant tissues and processed food products (e.g. kocho ) has only been reported in a small number of landraces (Bosha et al, 2016; Daba & Shigeta, 2016; Mohammed et al, 2013; Nurfeta, Tolera, Eik, & Sundstøl, 2008).…”

“…Reported nutritional composition and the relative concentrations of certain micronutrients show considerable variation. Whilst this may be attributable in part to differing analysis methods, the extensive diversity of genetically differentiated enset landraces (Borrell et al, 2018; Tobiaw & Bekele, 2011), heterogeneity of farm management practices (Garedew, Ayiza, Haile, & Kasaye, 2017; Olango et al, 2014) and environmental conditions, particularly soil (Amede & Diro, 2005; Borrell et al, 2018), may also be a contributing factors. Therefore, we highlight the need to profile micronutrient composition across a representative subset of enset landrace diversity, whilst also characterizing the ubiquitous effects of fermentation on the composition, relevant to the quality and safety of enset foods, and the associated microorganism diversity responsible for mediating tissue processing.…”

“…The edible parts of enset comprise the starch rich pseudopetioles forming the pseudostem (overlapping leaf sheaths) which are decorticated, and the corm (the underground base of the stem that serves as a storage organ) which is pulverized and pressed (Borrell et al, 2018). These two main tissues are collectively processed, using fermentation pits, into starch staples including bulla and kocho (see Birmeta, Bakeeva, & Passoth, 2018, for a detailed description).…”