Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol 27, Issue 4, 2021; Page No.(1953-1961)

A PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON SOME MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES OF FENUGREEK SEEDS FROM SUDAN

Nuha Mohammed Elhassan Satti

Abstract

The fenugreek (Trigonellafoenum-graecum) seeds are called “Hilba” in Sudan and nearby countries and are used in food flavoring and in curing many health problems such as diabetes and GIT disturbances,but still, the official approval of using Hilba as medicine is controversial. Sudanese Hilba seeds called “Baladi Hilba” were green colored differing from the Indian yellow Hilba seeds. This study was based on an observational approach using simple techniques,to avoid the complicated and sophisticated instrumentation which are scarce in our underdeveloped countries. Some differences in the characteristics between the green Baladi seeds and the yellow seeds were observed and reported as photographs. The Baladi green Hilba seeds appear to be larger than the yellow Indian seeds, around 3.5 mm × 2 mm. The Wt of 1000 green seeds was higher than that of yellow seeds (14 g, and 12 g, respectively), while the bulk density of green Hilba seeds was lower than the bulk density of yellow seeds (0.5770 g/cm3, and 0.6553 g/cm3, respectively). When soaked in water for 36 hrs, the expansion rate of yellow seeds and Baladi seeds were 4.00 and 4.25, respectively. Local expert people in medicinal plants in Sudan declared that treating different GIT disorders depend on the way of taking Hilba either in dry form or ascooked seeds. The two terms Hilba and Fenugreek were used alternatively through this study for the same meaning.