Minor Seed Spices: Ajwain, Dill, Celery, and Aniseed

The seed spices are cultivated in arid to semi-arid regions in India as well as in the Mediterranean climatic conditions. There are about 20 seed spices grown worldwide, some of which are considered major seed spices and are produced and traded globally. While certain others are grouped under minor seed spices and are restricted in their production and trade. The former group includes cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and fennel. The rest of the seed spices are considered minor seed spices. This group includes nigella (black cumin, Nigella sativa L.). ajowain (ajowan, Trachyspermum ammi L.), celery (Apium graveolens), dill (Anethum graveolens), anise (Pimpinella anisum), caraway (Carum carvi), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), radhuni (Trachyspermum roxburghianum), and a few others too such as black caraway (Elwendia persica (Bunium persicum)), tuberous caraway (Bunium tuberosum), etc. The prominent states in India where seed spices are produced are Rajasthan and Gujarat and relatively in small areas in other states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Almost all the states in India grow one or more seed spices, but the major growing belt spreads from arid to semi-arid regions covering large areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat. India produces about 6,00,000 tonns of seed spices from an area of 9,00,000 ha annually. The seed spices-producing countries other than India are Morocco, Russia (aniseed, fennel), Bulgaria (coriander, fenugreek), Turkey, Iran, Egypt (cumin, ajowan, nigella), China (celery), Romania, Germany, Hungary (dill), southern France, Cyprus, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Many other countries in South America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia are also likely to enter in the production of seed spices (Malhotra 2000b; Malhotra and Vashishtha 2007; Vijay and Malhotra 2002). This chapter is a discussion on four of the more important of the minor seed spices, namely ajwain (ajowan), celery, dill, and anise. Each of the crops is reviewed holistically, though briefly, so as to give an overall picture of these crops. Each of the spices is dealt with the heads: botany and genetic resources, crop improvement and biotechnology, chemical composition, pharmacology and toxicology, crop husbandry, harvesting and postharvest management, and uses.