ABSTRACT
Some 4 000 edible plant species have been used by man as a source of food. Over the centuries the tendency has been to concentrate on fewer and fewer of these plants. Today only about 150 plant species are widely cultivated, and a mere 20 species supply most of the world’s food [1]. Food security in the world today is based upon rice, wheat and maize, which between them provide approximately 60% of the world’s food [2]. Most of the others, the largest part of the world’s storehouse of potential crops, are in danger of becoming extinct as crop plants [1,2]. There are many edible plant species in the world, which have yet to be developed to their full potential.
