Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. Wild of the Province of Taza, Morocco: Ethnomedicinal and Socio-Economic Survey and Perspectives
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Abstract
Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. is an edible mushroom highly valued by consumers worldwide for its nutritional and therapeutic qualities. In the absence of studies on this mushroom in Morocco, this study aims to evaluate its ethnomedicinal use and its socio-economic impact on the local population. Therefore, an ethnomedicinal and socio-economic survey was conducted among 163 people in 6 stations in the province of Taza in Morocco in March, April and May 2019. The survey data were processed using Excel 2010. The study showed that Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. is poorly known among the local population, with only 1.22% of the population considering that this mushroom has a therapeutic effect for diabetics and people suffering from cardiovascular problems, and 4.3% of the population includes it in their culinary habits as a spice or grilled. On the other hand, this study revealed that the mushroom provides a significant seasonal income, reaching MAD 3,000/€ 274.58 per collector, at MAD 60/€ 5.48 per kg. This study showed that Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. is not well known and is not exploited ethnomedicinally, even though it represents an important economic resource for the local population. Therefore, there is a need for further research on Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. from Taza in Morocco to reveal the benefits of this famous mushroom.
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