Non-Timber Forest Produces

Non-Timber Forest Produces

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

One way to sustain NTFP resources is through sustainable harvesting. Sustainable harvesting should be proportionate to the resource's regeneration rate. The capacity of NTFP species to regenerate after different rates of harvesting is measured by the regeneration index method. The regeneration index of important annual and biennial NTFP species was studied, and their sustainable harvesting was standardised.

Conservation is as important as information generation. The institute maintains a live collection of 420 NTFP species as part of ex-situ conservation. The NTFP Dept. also holds a reference collection of authentic raw drugs.

Ongoing Research Projects

1. A comprehensive assessment of microplastics pollution in the mangrove ecosystems of Kerala

   Project No.GOK RP 890/2024   Funding Agency: Kerala Forest Department (KFD)
   Principal Investigator: Dr. R Jayaraj 

Ongoing Extension projects

1. Management and Sustenance of facilities and services at centre for Analytical Instrumentation- Kerala (CAI-K)

   Project No.PG EP 381/2023   Funding Agency: KFRI Plan Grants
   Principal Investigator: Dr. R Jayaraj 

2. Identification of elite varieties of selected medicinal plants using phytochemical methods

   Project No.GOK EP 392/2024   Funding Agency: Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Traditions and Medicinal Plants Board (CGSMPB) through Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE)
   Principal Investigator: Dr. R Jayaraj 

3. Centre for Analytical and Instrumentation Facility (CAI- K ) KFRI, Thrissur

   Project No.GOK EP 398/2024   Funding Agency: Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)
   Principal Investigator: Dr. R Jayaraj