• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.313-318
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• 2011

Cyperus esculentus L., a cosmopolitan noxious weed, has been recorded for the first time in a pepper agricultural field in Icheon of Gyounggi, Korea. It is not clear yet how and when it was introduced into Korea. Conventional weed control methods including hand weeding and application of herbicides were only partially effective in controlling the weed. It is estimated that the weed has a high risk potential to spread further out quickly and cause serious damages to Korean agriculture soon. Therefore, its spread should be promptly restricted.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2019

Sedge family is second largest family in the Korean flora with more than 240 taxa, following Aster family (about 300 taxa). Although high species diversity, a very limited number of taxa has been utilized for ethnobotanical usages. In the study, previous researches on Cyperaceae ethnobotanical information are documented and analyzed for future research directions on the taxa. A total number of seven taxa has been used for medicinal, food, and material purposes: Carex boottiana Hook. & Arn., Cyperus amuricus Maxim., Cyperus esculentus L., Cyperus exaltatus Retz., Cyperus rotundus L., Eleocharis kuroguwai Ohwi, and Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla. Underground parts such as tubers are used with medicinal purpose, and aboveground portions such as leaves and stems provide materials for various tools and foods for people and animals. They are all native to Korea, except C. esculentus, which is introduced from Mediterranean areas for anti-erosion materials. The ethnobotanical value of C. esculentus has been well recognized from ancient times, for example, starch grains in USA (excavations at the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation) and Tiger nut milk (Horchata de chufa in Spain). Among material sources, C. exaltatus has a long history in the Korean peninsula from Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BC~668 AD). C. rotundus is distributed widely in Asia, Africa, Europe, and America, and utilized for medicines, food, and materials. In addition, Eleocharis kuroguwai is only one taxon utilized for ethnobotanical uses among fifteen Eleocharis Korean native species. The number of species with ethnobotanical uses is small in sedge family, but the family has long been utilized accompanying long human history. Cyperus papyrus L., the source of papyrus paper (Egypt in the Nile Delta), is also a member of sedge family. Sedge family has contributed to human societies in various aspects but, the cultural, botanical, ecological values of family members have been underestimated.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2002

Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) belongs to one of the sedge family and pows well in summer. The aboveground part of chufa is mostly consisted of leaves and the underground part is mostly composed of a clump of fibrous root with tuber. At the seeding year, it does not reproductive development but produces a lot of tuber. It produced many tillers from the tuber and grows in clumps as a bunch type. The plant height of mature chufa was 73 to 75cm and it grown fully in the middle of July. The number of tillers were increased rapidly until the end of July and still increased slowly after August but it showed very poor growth. The final fresh weight and dry matter yield of aboveground part of chufa were 40.3 tou/ha and 12.1 tou/ha. respectively. The regrowth of aboveground part was vigorous in the early stage of growth after 1st cutting but it was decreased rapidly after the second cutting. In control plot, the number of tubers per a clump were 722 at final stage and their fresh and drymatter yields per m: were 4.2kg and 1.9kg, respectively. In experimental plots, the amount of tubers was decreased steadily according to delay of cutting date, but late cutting date was not affect the tuber formation severely because the tuber produced already early in August. The nutritive value of chufa in vegetative growth stage was good but it was decreased according to growing up. The contents of crude protein(CP), neutral detergent fiber(NDF), dry matter digestibility (DMD) and total digestible nutrients(TDN) of aboveground part of chufa harvested finally were 6.1%, 51.5%, 39.8%, 33.2% and 39.4％, respectively. The contents of crude protein(CP), neutral detergent fiber(NDF), dry matter digestibility(DMD) and total digestible nutrients(TDN) of tubers of chufa were 6.1%, 81.5%, 39.8%, 33.2% and 39.4%, respectively and the content of oil was as high as 16.2%, especially.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-263
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the growth rate and hematological changes of the rats when supplemented with the powdered tubers of chufa(Cyperus esculentus) for four weeks. Nutritional composition of the powdered tuber of chufa is crude lipid(22.3%), crude protein(7.0%), crude fiber(8.8%), ash(5.1%), nitrogen free extract(48.9%) and water(7.9%), respectively. Sixteen Sprague-Dawley male $rats(173.1\pm3.8$ g) were randomly divided into two groups, control group and chufa group. Rats in control group were fed with American Institute of Nutrition(AIN)-76 diet and rats in chufa group were fed with modified AIN-76 diet contained the powdered tubers of chufa at the proportion of 26% of total diet in order to substitute the oil content of AIN-76 diet. Final body weight, gain of body weight and feed intake of rats in chufa group were larger than those of rats in control group significantly. But feeding efficiency of rats in chufa group was less than that of rats in control group significantly. All hematological values such as hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit and serological values such as glucose, total protein, albumin, AST, ALT, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride were not significantly different between control and chufa group, respectively. Thus powdered tuber of chufa showed good tastefulness and did not provoke any adverse effect to the health indicators of rats. Therefore tuber of chufa would be used as new adequate feed resource for animals and possibly as suitable food resource for humans.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.94-98
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• 2011

Proximate chemical components (protein, oil, carbohydrate, ash, fiber, and starch) were determined from tubers grown in upland and wetland conditions. The contents of crude protein, oil, carbohydrate, and starch were higher in upland condition than in wetland condition. Eight gibberellins were commonly identified and quantified in leaves and tuber of chufa grown in wetland and upland field during growing season. Gibberellin content was always higher specifically in the leaves and tubers grown in wetland condition than in those grown in upland condition. The current knowledge of gibberellin biosynthesis suggests that the two endogenous bio-active gibberellins both $GA_1$ and $GA_4$ are differently metabolized according to cultural conditions. Major gibberellin biosynthesis route is ascertained dominantly the non C-13 hydroxylation pathway leading $GA_4$ in chufa plants.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2004

A new oil crop chufa(Cyperus esculentus var. sativus) was studied to evaluate the yield potential of tuber and productivity of leaf as a new forage crop resources. Response to nitrogen fertilizer was not clear, showing low yield over 10kg/l0a of nitrogen application. Tuber yield was higher at 50cm $\times$ 15cm and 50cm$\times$20cm of planting population of tuber. Planting at early May showed high tuber yield, and sprouting tuber planting could not increased the tuber yield. The plant height of Chufa is 126cm, and the number of tiller per $\m^2$ are 671. It is moderate to lodging, but susceptable according to the amount of field products. Fresh forage and dry matter yield of above ground of chufa were 2,135kg/10a, and 590kg/l0a, respectively. The contents of crude protein, ether extract, fiber, ash, and acid detergent fiber are 24.8%, 8.1%, 38%, 64.4%, 52.8%, and 55.9%, respectively. It was considered that the nutritive value of chufa leaf in maturing stage was so good as rice straw.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2014

The discovery of bioactive compounds in foods has changed the dietary lifestyle of many people. Cyperus esculentus (tigernut) is highly underutilized in Africa, yet tigernut extract is highly profitable in Europe. This study aims to add value to tigernut extract by revealing its health benefits and food value. In this study, tigernut tubers were germinated or roasted and the extracts were combined with Moringa oleifera extract (MOE) or Hibiscus sabdariffa extract (HSE) and spiced with ginger to produce functional drinks. The drinks were evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, sensory parameters, and antioxidant potentials. The total phenolic content of each beverage was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity of each beverage was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assays. The beverages from the germinated tigernut extracts had the highest titratable acidity and the lowest pH, while beverages containing the roasted tigernut extract had the highest $^{\circ}Brix$. Germination and roasting significantly enhanced the total phenolic content of the drinks. The beverage containing HSE and germinated tigernut extract had a total phenolic content of 45.67 mg/100 mL gallic acid equivalents, which was significantly higher than the total phenolic content of all other samples. The DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with germinated tigernut extracts was significantly higher than the DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with fresh tigernut extract. The taste and overall acceptability of drinks containing the roasted tigernut extract were preferred, while the color and appearance of drinks with the germinated samples were preferred. Roasting or germinating tigernuts before extraction and addition of MOE or HSE extracts is another way to add value and enhance the utilization of tigernuts.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.404-412
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• 2006

TThe purpose of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of chufa(Cyperus esculentus L., var sativus Boeck) starches by physical and chemical modification. Chufa starches were exposed to the microwave with 700W power oven for 1, 2, and 3 minutes. Also, starch was oxidized with 1.5%, 3% and 6% (15, 30, 60 mg Cl2/g starch $40^{\circ}\C$, pH 10, 3.0 hr) sodium hypochlorite. The shape of starch granules was not changed much by microwave heating and sodium hypochlorite. Water binding capacity increased but amylose content swelling power, and solubility decreased with increasing microwave heating time. Water binding capacity of the oxidized starch decreased with increasing the content of sodium hypochlorite. With increasing the microwave heating time, gelatinization temperature decreased, but enthalpy(${\Delta}H$) increased in physical modification of chufa starches. Also, chemically modified chufa starches have the similar pattern in gelatinization properties. Peak viscosities of RVA in physically modified chufa starches were 416-188 RVU, and in chemically modified chufa starches they were 129-267 RVU.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.382-388
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• 2006

Physicochemical properties of chufa starch were investigated The result are summarized as follow: Moisture content crude protein and crude fat were 10.10%, 0.31% and 0.41,% respectively. Amylose content of chufa starch was 41.6% and blue value was 0.49. Lightness and whiteness of chufa starch was 96.36 and 92.23 of Hunter's color value. In iodine reaction, maximum absorbance wavelength (${\lambda}max$) was 628 nm. Water binding capacity was 83% and swelling power and solubility of chufa starch were increased slowly to $60^{\circ}C$, but increased rapidly after $60^{\circ}C$. Scanning election microscope(SEM) showed that granule type of chufa starch was round or elliptic type, and average granule size was $10{\mu}m$. The results by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) revealed that gelatinization patterns were similar to those of potato or rice starch. In rapid viscoanalyzer(RVA) examination, pasting temperature was $79.95^{\circ}C$ and peak viscosity of chufa starch was 385.08.