Underutilized plant species: What are they?

The use of the term underutilised is used to refer to categories of wild and cultivated plants. In general it is commonly applied to species whose potential has not been fully realised. The underutilised species were once popular but now it is neglected due to variety of agronomic, genetic, economic, social and cultural factors. Farmers cultivate them less than in the past because these species are no longer competitive with the crops that have come to dominate the world food supply and that are supported by seed supply systems, production and post-harvest technologies and extension services. In order to bring underutilised species back into cultivation, their competitiveness has to be addressed and new opportunities such as new food and lifestyle trends and the developments taking place in production and post-harvest technologies have to be explored.