Responding to the decline of game, fruit and fiber post-logging, communities along the Capim River in Pará, Brazil, requested that research be initiated into the value of non-timber forest products. As a first step, an ethnobotanical inventory of one hectare of mature terra firme forest was conducted. The percentage use-values described reflect that Capimenses are knowledgeable about the use of many species (60% of inventoried species); however, active use has declined. Compared to other South American inventories, Capimenses demonstrate a higher degree of trade in timber, a lack of trade in non-timber products, the decreasing use of plants for technological purposes, and the description of the use of many species in the past tense. During the longitudinal study, the 15 most highly valued fruit, nut, game attracting, and medicinal tree species became included in the suite of species extracted by the timber industry.

Sweetgrass (Muhlenbergia filipes [M. A. Curtis] J. Pinson and W. Batson) is a coastal, nontimber forest resource ranging from North Carolina southwestward to Texas. The plant has special cultural and economic importance in coastal South Carolina, where the local Gullah community uses this resource in a form of coiled basketry. The plant is becoming increasingly unavailable to basket makers, however, because of habitat destruction, habitat limitation, and private ownership of the resource. This study examines stakeholder involvement in and perceptions of past and current sweetgrass management. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with Charleston, South Carolina area basket makers and were analyzed for emergent themes using content analysis, a technique permitting objective analysis of text. Survey respondents identified residential development as a major cause of sweetgrass inaccessibility and indicated that purchasing raw materials has become standard practice. Furthermore, respondents indicated several potential solutions to the problem and expressed their willingness to contribute time to management efforts.

Two semi-cultivated Solanum species (S. sessiliflorum Dunal and S. stramonifolium Jacq.) are utilized by the Amazonian Indians of the Upper Orinoco Basin in Venezuela. The manner in which they have become partially domesticated by the Piaroas and other native tribes of this rain forest region is elucidated in the following text. Both species have two varieties, with and without prickles, the latter being the result of human selection. Patterns of indigenous utilization of these species brought to the selection of morphologic forms and to the differentiation of karyotypes of varieties, and exploitation of the species also reflects in the perception of them among users. S. sessiliflorum is cultivated in swiddens and has an economic role, whereas S. stramonifolium is grown in dooryards. This difference is detectable to the Piaroas, as they recognize in their folk taxonomy three different varieties of S. sessiliflorum and one of S. stramonifolium, according to the stage of domestication of the species and the way in which they are utilized.

The effects of different concentrations of various macroelements on growth and endogenous GAs levels in root, stem, and leaf tissue of maize plants (Zea mays L.) were studied. Plants were cultivated in sand and supplied twice a week with a nutrient solution containing optimum, excessive, or deficient concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and iron. Plants were harvested from three different periods: vegetation (4–5 leaves), flowering, and fruiting. The levels of gibberellic acid-like substances (GA₃equivalents ng g⁻¹FW) were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

In the first period (vegetative; 4–5 leaves), the levels of GAs in root, stem, and leaf of maize plants treated with excessive concentration of N, P, and Mg were increased between 6% and 27%. In the second period (flowering), significant increase was not observed in the levels of GAs, whereas a decrease was determined between 8% and 35%. In the third period (fruiting), the levels of GAs were lower (between 11% and 76%) than control plants in all applications.

This study focuses on the genetic diversity of the cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) grown by the Chibchan Amerindians of Costa Rica. The authors collected cassava in various locations within two Amerindian Reserves: Talamanca, inhabited by Cabecares and Bribris, and Coto Brus, inhabited by Guaymi. Through the use of isozyme electrophoretic techniques we found variation for six out of nine systems analyzed, namely DIA, EST, IDH, MDH, PGI, and SKD. No variation was found in ADH, PGD, and PGM systems. We analyzed the distribution of variation within and between the reserves, and found most of the variation occurred within reserves (Gst = 0.1084). Only low levels of genetic differentiation were found between reserves (Nei's genetic distance = 0.0088). The high levels of genetic variation within reserves that we found concur with results of previous studies on cassava grown by South American Amerindians and farmers. The role of the breeding system of cassava and the agricultural practices of Amerindians in the maintenance of high levels of genetic diversity are discussed.

This paper reports on the knowledge and useful applications of various fungi by the Hotï, a recently contacted Native American society inhabiting the Sierra Maigualida region of the Venezuelan Amazon. At least 31 folk taxa of fungi are esteemed as sources of nutrition, powerful media for hunting magic, protective charms against black magic, human medicinal agents, or body adornments. Even though the results presented here probably do not exhaust the total number of species known and used by them, they nevertheless suggest that the Hotï constitute one of the rare mycophilic societies in the Venezuelan Amazon. Further research is needed in order to obtain a more complete picture of the complexity of human-fungi relationships in this society.

Garlic has been used worldwide as a folk medicine to cure a wide range of diseases. Although Allium sativum is the species commonly used, several other Allium species have been used as a substitute for common garlic, especially in the past. This work compares the extracts from bulbs of common garlic with those of other Allium species. TLC analysis was used to compare the sulphur compounds in A. sativum, A. subhirsutum, A. pendulinum, A. roseum, and A. triquetrum. Results have showed that the use of the above mentioned wild Allium species is not without scientific support.

Herbs are commonly used throughout Bulgaria for medicinal purposes, in the preparation of food, decoratively, and as a source of income. A survey conducted from December, 1998 to March, 1999 revealed that fifteen herbs are commonly used throughout Bulgaria. These herbs are primarily popular medicinal species or are used in traditional cuisine. Even though herbs are commonly used throughout Bulgaria, there are significant regional differences in herb use. Local topography, natural diversity of herbs in proximity to a town, town population size, and traditional knowledge all affect regional use of herbs. Changing demographics and the transition to a market economy may reduce herb availability.

The extent and structure of the genetic variability of traditional varieties of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) have been little documented, despite considerable evidence for this crop's great varietal diversity in traditional agroecosystems. We used microsatellite markers to assess the genetic structure of traditional landraces of sweet and bitter cassava collected from five South American sites. As reference, we used a sample of 38 accessions from a world collection of cultivated cassava. For a total of 10 loci examined, we found 15 alleles that were not represented in this sample. Ten of these had been previously detected in wild Manihot species. The geographical structure of genetic variability was weak, but the genetic differentiation between bitter and sweet landraces was significant, suggesting that each form had evolved separately after domestication. Our results showed that traditional landraces form an important source of genetic diversity and merit more attention from managers of crop genetic resources.

The authors report on ongoing work in the Brazilian Amazon to assess the current and prospective management of rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora Ducke) populations threatened by a half-century of predatory extraction for the valuable essential oil linalool used widely in perfumery. The report synthesizes prior research on rosewood exploitation and markets and recent research to develop new essential oil products derived from rosewood leaves and stems. The study suggests alternative rosewood production systems, to guide investment in management and certification of sustainable rosewood oil supplies.

Indigenous people, such as the Tagbanua of Palawan Island in the Philippines, are often considered to be experienced and responsible users of natural resources. The Tagbanua have traditionally been involved in the collection of nonwood forest products (NWFPs) both for trade and for subsistence purposes. The proximity of many Tagbanua communities to the forest allows them easy access to NWFPs, although various restrictions, such as distance from markets, legal land issues, and lack of formal education, prevent them from receiving more favorable earnings from the sale of NWFPs. Similarly, increasing access to manufactured products also lessens dependence on NWFPs for food, medicine, and housing purposes, although small incomes prevent extensive conversion to the use of purchased goods. The knowledge and current subsistence-level use of NWFPs by the Tagbanua from the settlement of Boong are described and discussed.

Wild edible plants form an important constituent of traditional diets in the Himalaya. In the Sikkim Himalaya a total of 190 species have been screened as edible species out of which nearly 47 species come to the market. The present paper deals with nutritive values of 27 most commonly consumed wild edible plants in the Sikkim Himalaya. Of 27 plant species that were analyzed for their nutritive values, 22 were edible for their fruits and five for leaves/shoots. Among different plant parts, generally higher nutrient concentration was recorded for leaves, followed by new shoots and fruits. For different species the crude fiber content ranged between 2.15–39.90%, and the total soluble salts between 4.66–21.00%, and the vitamin C content from 6–286 mg/100 g. The fat content was determined high in the fruits of Castanopsis hystrix, Machilus edulis, and Cinnamomum species, while the protein content was highest in Hippophae rhamnoides, Cucumis melo, and Eleagnus latifolia. The total carbohydrate content ranged from 32–88% in the fruits of various wild edibles, the reducing sugar from 1.25–12.42%, total sugar from 2.10–25.09%, the lignin content varied from 9.05–39.51%, the hemicellulose between 25.63–55.71% and cellulose content varied from 9.57–33.19% in different species. Among the various macronutrients estimated in the plant samples of different wild edible species, nitrogen was present in highest quantity, followed by potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper contents were analyzed in different plant parts of various wild edible species. The iron content was higher in leaves and new shoots. The nutritive values of certain wild edible species determined in this study are comparable with various commercial fruits. It is suggested that a few wild edible species need to be grown for commercial cultivation and adopted in the traditional agroforestry systems, which will lead to reduced pressure on them in natural forest stands as well as producing economic benefits for poor farmers.

This paper presents data on marketing, value addition and management concerns of the wild edible plants of the Sikkim Himalaya. At least 23 weekly markets, locally called ‘Hats’, have been identified in the state, and three markets, viz. Gangtok, Namchi and Singtam, were studied in detail, for one year, with reference to the availability, quantity sold and retailers involved with the marketing of wild edible species. A total of 44 wild edible species have been recorded to be sold annually in the three markets. Among all the species, Spondias axillaris was sold in highest quantity and more retailers were involved in its business than for any other wild edible plant. Other important species were Machilus edulis, Diplazium esculentum, Eleagnus latifolia, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii, Agaricus and Baccaurea sapida. The rural economics of wild edible plants is estimated to be some 140 tons per annum, and the prices for various species have increased over the years. At Gangtok, prices increased 3 to 6 times from 1981 to 1996–1997. Analysis of the field data showed that the wild edible plants were an important source of income to the plant dwellers and subsistence for farm families. Value addition was done to a few wild edible species, and cost-benefit analysis showed that the income from the fruits could be increased by at least 3–5 times after making pickles, squash and jam. It was recorded that plant dwellers have open access for the collection of these plant resources, which often leads to their over exploitation, and the local state government at present lacks policies and strategies for protecting and promoting wild edible plants in any of its programs. It is suggested that suitable conservation practices and policies need to be formulated to conserve these plants in the wild habitats within the state.