Nutmeg

This chapter gives general information on tree spices, their area, production statistics, and a brief introduction on individual spices. History of trade in various tree spices, their introduction to various countries and further distribution are also elaborated. A brief on their usage history is also provided. Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.), one of the major tree spices, is discussed in detail. The nutmeg tree is unique among spice plants as the donor of two distinct spices: nutmeg and mace. The tree grows abundantly in its native land, Indonesia, from where the spice found its way to the whole of South East Asia. The chapter presents information on history, origin and distribution, botanical aspects, crop improvement, cultivation practices and crop management, plant protection, post-harvest technology and end uses, and functional properties and uses – medicinal, culinary, and others. Nutmeg is predominantly dioecious in nature; however, monoecious trees are being reported from many places. Attempts to characterize dioecy in nutmeg yielded no definite methods to identify the male and female plants. The wild and related species of Myristica occurring in India and the extent of germplasm holdings are given. The main difficulties on the crop improvement aspect of nutmeg are the long juvenile phase, the difficulty in propagating vegetatively, the dioecy, and the single ovule in the female flower. Description about the high yielding varieties developed in nutmeg is included. Being an obligatory cross-pollinated crop, wide natural variability is expected in nutmeg with respect to vegetative and reproductive characteristics. A detailed review on biochemistry of the nut and mace as well as the chemical profile of the volatile oils, fixed oils, and oleoresin finds a place in the chapter. The crop management aspects, viz., propagation, manuring, irrigation, and pest and disease management, are mentioned in detail. Post-harvest technology which is a growing field in the crop is provided in detail. Nutmeg and its various components have many biological and pharmacological properties. Advanced research findings on functional properties and pharmacological aspects are also included. Among the various functional properties, some of the more important ones, viz., antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, anticancer, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, anti-lipemic, etc., are reviewed in this chapter.