Field Reintroduction and Performance Assessment of Wild Edible Fruit Plants in Sorisiapada, Kapilash Forest, Odisha, India

In the Eastern Ghats of India, protecting wild edible fruit plants is crucial for maintaining biodiversity,sustaining rural livelihoods, and maintaining the health of the ecosystem. In the Podagada region ofKapilash Forest, Odisha (20.09029°N 85.06896°E, Altitude: 57m), this study evaluates the fieldreintroduction and survival efficacy of six wild edible fruit species that are important for nutritionand ethnobotany: Antidesma ghaesembilla, Carmona retusa, Eugenia roxburghii, Glycosmispentaphylla, Polyalthia suberosa, and Toddalia asiatica. Nursery-hardened seedlings that had beenproperly selected and acclimated were transplanted during the 2023 monsoon season. Over thecourse of 180 to 360 days after transplanting, morphometric, physiological, and biochemicalparameters were monitored in order to assess growth increment, survival, photosynthetic efficiencyas measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidant enzyme activities. A comparable controlstudy in Kapilash Forest was contrasted with these.The average survival rate at Podagada was 82.4%,which was significantly greater than the control site, according to the results. The species with thebest growth and establishment rates were Glycosmis pentaphylla, Eugenia roxburghii, and Carmonaretusa.Biochemical experiments demonstrated that Antidesma ghaesembilla and Carmona retusasaplings could adapt to their local environment by handling stress well and having great antioxidantpower. Plant survival increased and more local participation and management were encouragedwhen these reintroduction efforts were incorporated into community-managed forests. Importantdetails regarding species selection, propagation, and management for biodiversity restoration areincluded in this comprehensive study. The findings lend credence to the expansion of indigenouswild edible fruit species in conservation and afforestation projects, highlighting their importance inpreserving traditional knowledge, improving food security, and preserving ecological balance inOdisha's delicate forest ecosystems.