Forest Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation � Non-Timber Forest Produces

Non-Timber Forest Produces

Non-Timber Forest Produces (NTFP) department takes up studies on ethnobotany, sustainable extraction of NTFPs, phyto-chemical analysis and systematic studies on the NTFPs. Ethnobotany, a highly promising branch of science is a point of convergence of various related subjects like ethnomedicine, ethnopharmacology, etc. Identification of target molecules through phyto-chemical analysis makes its application precise and purpose oriented. Once the active ingredients of a species is identified and separated, their presence can be examined in other plants also. This reduces the pressure on the traditional source and thereby the threat of depletion.

One of the ways to sustain NTFP resources is through sustainable harvesting. For sustainable harvesting should be proportionate to the regeneration rate of the resource. The capacity of NTFP species to regenerate after different rate of harvesting is measured by regeneration index method. Regeneration index of important annual and biennial NTFP species were studied and their sustainable harvesting standardized.

The Conservation is as important as generation of information as part of the ex situ conservation, a live collection of 420 NTFP species are maintained in the institute. The NTFP Dept. also holds a reference collection of authentic raw drugs.

Ongoing Research Projects

  1. Bioactivity guided fratination and mechanistic elucidation of biomolecules from Cocculus iaurifolius DC. Of Southern Western Ghats
  2. Sophisticated analytical instrumentation facility
  3. Bioactivity and mechanistic studies of certain botanical extracts for their potential application as biopesticides
  4. Studies on pattern of usage of pesticides and their impact on the ecosystem of plantation and adjacent areas in GEF-Munnar landscape project area
  5. Bamboo shoot processing facility
  6. Characterization and quality assessment of bark/gum of alternative species for Jiggat production
Contact: Dr. R Jayaraj
Kerala Forest Research Institute
Peechi 680653, Thrissur, Kerala, INDIA
Tel: +91-487-2690291
e-mail: ntfp@kfri.res.in

Facilities

Scientists

  1. Dr. R Jayaraj

PhD Scholar

  1. Alina Paul
  2. Blaise Jose K