Underutilized Plant Species and Agricultural Sustainability in Egypt

Global agriculture is under pressure to produce a higher yield of food and feed. There are more than 50,000 edible plants in the world, yet two-thirds of global edible plant species is provided only by wheat, maize, and rice. Current reliance on commercial plant species and crops has inherent nutritional, ecological, and economic risks and is unsustainable in the long term. Wider utilization of underutilized plant species (UPSs) to agricultural systems is a good solution to this problem. Many UPSs are rich in bioactive compounds, vitamins, antioxidants, oils, and protein. UPSs could play an important role in the enhancement of nutrition, health, and income for local Egyptian communities. Also, UPSs are resilient in natural and agricultural conditions, making them a suitable surrogate to the major edible plants.

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