Diversity and sustainable use of Garcinia species in Si Sa Ket, north-eastern Thailand

Si Sa Ket Horticultural Research Center (SHRC) conducted a study entitled “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Cultivated and Wild Tropical Fruit Diversity: Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods, Food Security and Ecosystem Services” with the governments of India, Indonesia and Malaysia during 2010-2014. This study aimed to access Garcinia species diversity and apply good practices for Garcinia management. The project areas covered the Huai Thap Than and Ise communities in Si Sa Ket province, Thailand. Since 1937, the Huai Thap Than community has used wild madan (Garcinia fusca) sticks (over 10,000 sticks day-1) to produce a grilled chicken dish called Kai Yang Huai Thap Than. During the last few years, the population of wild madan has dwindled. Data were collected through surveys and interviews of 80 farmers in 10 communities using a baseline survey of tropical fruit tree genetic resources (TFTGR), four-cell analysis (FCA) and most-significant-change (MSC) techniques. The result found five Garcinia species and one unidentified species: (1) Garcinia schomburgkiana; few trees, many households (FT-MHH); (2) G. fusca, many trees, few households (MT-FHH); (3) Garcinia cowa, few trees, few households (FT-FHH); (4) Garcinia mangostana, FT-FHH; (5) Garcinia speciosa, FT-FHH; and (6) Garcinia sp. Kouk, FT-FHH. Research was also conducted to explore additional products from fruits, bark and leaves. Young leaves of G. fusca contained 27,894.1 μmol TE 100 g-1 total antioxidant activity (ORAC). Mature fruits of G. mangostana, G. schomburgkiana, G. cowa and G. speciosa can be edible. Leaves, husk and bark of G. mangostana and G. fusca are suitable to extract natural dyes for dyeing cloth. In 2015, SHRC and an Ise women's empowering group applied dye from wild madan to cloth and earned more than 12,000 USD income. Finally, the knowledge gained from the study of Garcinia species has encouraged the protection of the natural habitat and its genetic diversity.