CEKUR MANIS - POTENTIAL CROP

CEKUR MANIS or PUCUK MANIS or ASIN-ASIN (Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr.) ia a popular plants grown in Malaysia consumed as vegetable. The plants are with Phyllanthaceae
 family wildly found in South East Asia. This species may be transferred to the genus Phyllanthus. A paper by Warren L. Wagner and David H. Lorence a scientist known as a wellknown nomenclator of Pacific oceanic island Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) however has proposed submerging the genera Breynia, Glochidion, Reverchonia, Saurupus and Phyllanthodendron into a broadened concept of the genus Phyllanthus. This proposal has not yet (2014) been fully accepted, although the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families has accepted the name changes of the Pacific Island species of Glochidion, as detailed in the paper. No revised form of this name has been seen as yet. In English the common Name are Sweet Leaf (or Pucuk Manis in Bahasa Malaysia). This is because sweet leaf is a shrub growing about 3 metres tall. The plant is widely cultivated in several countries in east and southeast Asia including Malaysia as a medicinal plant and as a vegetable. It also often sold in local markets and it is one of the most prolific, nutritious and appetising of all green vegetables and deserves to be more widely known. There are some report on the hazards effect but has to be justified. This article in ''Anim Agriculture Technology" I would like to share info ablut Cekur Manis with all readers.

The plants are easy to manage and native to East Asia ranging from India, Bangladesh, South China to Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and few others. The habitat required a fertile soil with slopes with brushwood, sunny forest margins at elevations of 100 - 400 metres. The properties according to many scientist by sector are as edibility rating (5 star), for medicinal Rating (2 stars) and for other uses rating (2 star). it was a habit shrub with a optimum height of 3.00 meter. Even thouh it grow well in wild condition but recently cultivated in a commercial scale in Malaysia.  This plant of the tropics where it is well adapted to lowland conditions but can also be cultivated at elevations up to 4,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 35°C, but can tolerate 5 - 38°C. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 900 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 600 - 4,000 mm. Succeeds in full sun and semi shade, survives dry conditions and does not require a rich soil and the plants tolerant of very heavy soils. It also tolerant of heavy rainfall areas, though they prefer a well-drained soil with prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5. The first harvest may be taken after 55 - 70 days after planting with proper agronomic practices. Plants can be harvested throughout the year[. In Malaysia the plant flowers all year-round and fruiting is usually abundant. The besta about this plant are where the plants are fairly resistant to insect predations.

The plant are edible either fresh or cooked whereby normally the leaf used as raw or cooked. Young leaves make a good addition to salads whilst older leaves are best cooked. They also can be added to soups or cooked with rice. The young shoots about 7cm long are harvested as the leaves unfurl, have a flavour like asparagus.  A sweet flavour where it was rather similar to fresh garden peas. The leaves are a good source of protein (about 6 - 10% in lab analysis an clain asa a very nutritious). The ripe fruits can be made into sweetmeats. A green dye are obtained from the leaves is used as organic and safe for food dyeing. In the medical aspects, this plant especially the leaves are used as a medicine for coughs and to soothe the lungs, as a tonic, and as a febrifugal to relieve internal fever[. The plants can be grown as a hedge so long as they are trimmed regularly to keep them within bounds. They are commonly grown as a living fence or to shade vegetable cultures. This articles able to share info ablut cekur manis for all readers. Thanks.!

By,
M Anem,
Senior Agronomist,
Bandar baru UDA, Johor Bahru,
Johor, Malaysia.
(4 September 2018).