Celebrate Moringa Peregrina
We begin 2022 with another Moringa story from Jordon, but this time it is a different species – Moringa peregrina.
Please meet Dr Nasab Qasim Alrawashdeh who is a Plant Genetic Resources Specialist and Plant Biodiversity, and has done extensive research into Moringa peregrina, a plant that thrives in hot desert regions.
Her research has led her to write various scientific paper, with a number having been published.
Much of her early knowledge comes the Beduin people (Indigenous people of southwest Jordan Wadi Fenan), who have been using Moringa peregrina for centuries.
We are so delighted that she has been willing to share her knowledge with us. Mariana Price interviews her in the videos below. The first video is just in English and the second has Arabic subtitles.
“Let us begin to discover Moringa peregrina.”
Watch the interview below – either the English version or the version with Arabic subtitles.
Dr. Nasab Qasim Alrawashdeh
Plant Genetic Resources Specialist And Plant Biodiversity – NCARE
How did you discover Moringa and what were the results?
During my formal mission conducted in the 2012 year in the southwest of Jordan Wadi Fenan, I discovered trees of Moringa Peregrina locally called ‘AlYASER’ or AL-Ban trees. Then during personal communication with Beduin people (Indigenous people), I found that they utilize and use Moringa peregrina as food by extracting seed oil using the traditional method. They then used the oil in cooking and fresh table use like olive oil.
Moringa peregrina seeds were also used to keep fresh milk from deterioration when they were transferring it long-distance for sale.
Moringa trees are exposed to many threat factors:
As I began to look further into Moringa peregrina, I learned that they are exposed to the following threats.
- Scattered giant trees were found in a very harsh habitat condition where severe grazing prevents the establishment of new plantlets in addition to the adverse effect of continuous drought and community ownership.
- Fire
- Moringa Peregrina found in Zara /dead sea Wadi Fenan /Wadi Araba, Wadi Ben Hammad/Karak provinces in Jordan
What have you done with Moringa?
After the Mission, I research plant genetic resources, plant biodiversity, and medicinal plants, and I am highly interested in Miracle trees.
I decided to write a proposal entitled “THE POTENTIAL OF MORINGA PEREGRINE FOR AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL USES”
Submitted to Scientific Research Fund I got to conduct and fund the research.
Research Main Objectives
- To evaluate the potential of cultivation of Moringa species in Wadi Araba and other locations in Jordan
- Potential of silage production from the Moringa trees for feeding livestock to enhancing feed and food security under climate change
- To study the fatty acid patterns of Moringa oil compared with olive oil
- To study the nutritional value of the Moringa properties seeds.
- To investigate the potential use of Moringa peregrina leaves extract as a growth enhancer in some vegetable crops to increase production (used in organic production) the nutritional value and medicinal uses of all parts of the tree leaves as baby food.
- To investigate potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic properties of Moringa peregrina using in vivo animal models
- To evaluate the potential use of Moringa peregrina as a cognitive enhancer: if aims 6 and 7 succeed, the plant
- The extract could be a potential new herbal product of Jordan.
Your Moringa Today
After conducting the research proposal the Major Findings, Three published papers are the following:
- Evaluation of the Effect of Moringa peregrina Extract on Learning and Memory: Role of Oxidative Stress
- Karem H. Alzoubi, Nasab Q. Rawashdeh, Omar F. Khabour,amam El-Elimat, Hanan Albataineh, Feras Q.
- Alal i & Hamzeh M. Al-Zghool –
- Fatty Acid comparison between Oil of Moringa Peregrina and Olea Europea
- Nasab Qasem AlRawashdeha, Ibrahim Mohammad AlRawashdehb* Auhoud Micheal Hourni)
- The Journal of Ethnobiology and Traditional Medicine. Photon 118 (2013) 264-268
- Original Research Article. ISJN: 6642-3194 The Journal of Ethnobiology and Traditional Medicine
- AMINO ACIDS AND MINERALS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS OF Moringa peregrina FORSSK (FIORI) IN JORDAN
- Vol. 11 ,No. 5 ,MAY 2016 ARPN Journal of Agriculture and Biological science ©2006 -2016 Asian Research Publishing Network
Other published papers:
- Moringa peregrina leaf extract as a plant growth enhancer in the callus culture system of Crataegus Aronia.
We are arranging for additional research and experiments to discover the potential benefits and advantages of Moringa extract and to utilize Moringa to manufacture growth enhancers from moringa leaf extract to use in organic farming for vegetable crop production.
Where are you going with Moringa?
Because I retired from the research center I am now looking for an umbrella to apply the research conducted and to proceed further, also to seek funds from potential donors.
First, I would like to thank Dr. Nasab Qasim from Jordan for discovering the forgotten type of Moringa in the Horn of Africa.
It has advantages that favor it over other types of moringa, especially in the high percentage of oil in the seed and the tree bears drought, high temperatures and lack of water.
I am also in Sudan. This type of Moringa has been identified and discovered since 2003, but it still needs research and knowledge to become a national economic project in Africa.
Finally, I would like to thank the Moringa Africa Hub for this opportunity
Yasir Hussain – Ministry of Agricultural – Sudan