Qualitative and quantitative agronomic study of Cyperus esculentus L.(earth almond) - An unexplored source of energetic food

Abstract

The globoid rhizomes of Cyperus esculentus L. are used by the rural population of Ceará in the Northeast of Brazil as aphrodisiac and antiophidic remedies. They can be found in vegetable market and some stores of Tiangua City. They are also used for the treatment of the measles and feverish problems, or as a dessert for its sweet flavor of coco nut (Cocus nucifera L.).  Cyperus esculentus L. are known as “tiger nut”(USA), “earth almond”(USA), “amande de terre”(France) or “chufa”(Spain). Considering that they can be a new crop in Ceará State, plants are cultivated in the Medicinal Plants Garden at UFC. Results showed that the best time for its harvest was on the 114th day after the planting. At this time they present larger rhizomes, with lower humidity and  could reach 14 t ha-1 of rhizomes that produce starch, maltose and 18% of fixed oil with the fatty acids caprilic, capric, myristic, palmitic, oleic and araquidonic.