Maca, Pepper grass, Pepper weed
A tropical plant. It is cultivated on small plots at high altitudes in Peru. It can tolerate strong winds and cold temperatures. It grows between 3,500 and 4,100 m altitude. It is very frost resistant. It grows in regions with temperatures below 0°C. It is probably a short day plant and probably does not form the root storage organs in cold high latitude places.
Also known as:
Ayak, Ayak willku, Chichira, Chijura, Peruvian ginseng
Synonyms
- Lepidium affine Wedd.
- Lepidium gelidum Wedd.
- Lepidium marginatum Griseb.
- Lepidium meyenii var. affine (Wedd.) Thell.
- Lepidium orbigyanum Wedd.
- Lepidium peruvianum G. Chacon de Popovici
- Lepidium weddellii O. E. Schulz
Edible Portion
- Tubers, Leaves, Roots
Where does Maca grow?
Found in: Andes, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South America
Notes: There are about 150 Lepidium species.
Growing Maca, Pepper grass, Pepper weed
Cultivation: It is grown from seed. Seed is collected from specially selected plants Seedlings are transplanted. It takes 300 kg of seed for one hectare. Plants are sown at the beginning of the wet season. To produce seed, selected plants are placed in a hole 50-60 cm deep and after 25-30 days plantlets grown. These are then transplanted to grow into seeding plants after 6-7 months.
Edible Uses: The small tubers are roasted or made into gruel. The small leaves are edible. The roots are used for salads, jams, bread, coffee substitute and beer.
Production: The crop takes 8-10 months to mature. The roots can be dried and stored for years. They are normally exposed to the sun for 4-6 days until they are dry. Yields between 2 and 15 tonnes per hectare occur depending on the care with production.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
References
Castillo, R. O., 1995, Plant Genetic Resources in the Andes: Impact, Conservation, and Management. Crop Science 35:355-360
Creed-kanashiro, H., et al, Traditional food system of an Awajun community in Peru. Indigenous Peoples' food systems Chp. 4 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Etkin, N.L. (Ed.), 1994, Eating on the Wild Side, Univ. of Arizona. p 50 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Hermandez Bermejo, J.E., and Leon, J. (Eds.), 1994, Neglected Crops. 1492 from a different perspective. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series No 26. FAO, Rome. p18, 165 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
INFOODSUpdatedFGU-list.xls
Kay, D.E., 1973, Root Crops, Digest 2, Tropical Products Institute, London, p 93 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1804 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 51
Nov. Actorum Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 19(suppl.1):249. 1843 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/ (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Rondan-Sanabria, G. G., et al, 2009, Physical-chemical and functional properties of maca root starch (Lepidium meyenii Walpers). Food Chemistry 114: 492-498
Tapia, M. E., The role of under-utilised plant species with regard to increased food security and improved health of poor poeople, in mountain regions. IIAP-PNUD/Peru
Terra, G.J.A., 1973, Tropical Vegetables. Communication 54e Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, p 56 (As Lepidium peruvianum)
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/econ.pl (10 April 2000) (As Lepidium peruvianum)
Vecera, R. et al, 2007, The Influence of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on Antioxidant Status, Lipid and Glucose Metabolism in Rat. Plant foods for Human Nutrition. 62: 59-63
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew