Highlands Of Northern Thailand Research Articles

Grain quality attributes of an on-farm Thailand's highland rice germplasm directly beneficial to the farming households

Rice (Oryza sativa) from the highlands of Northern Thailand where the crop is predominantly planted with local varieties was examined for grain quality features having direct benefits for the local population. Un-husked rice seed provided by farmers of 10 minority groups had large grains, in contrast to the slender grain type found in the lowlands. The highland-grown rice directly benefits the local population by providing a higher dietary intake of Fe but not of Zn. The highlands have been identified as a rich source of pigmented rice with a high anthocyanin content and an environment favouring the production of premium quality rice. On-farm experiments confirmed the effects of genotype (G) and environment (E) and the G × E interaction on grain quality. The local rice with high grain Zn exhibited higher concentrations under the upland conditions, while the high anthocyanin variety produced greater levels under wetland conditions. The pigmented rice had a higher anthocyanin content at high altitudes than at lower altitudes. The information concerning the value of local rice germplasm benefits the local population and should facilitate more sustainable on-farm conservation efforts than rewards offered to the farmers from external funding sources.

Urban air pollution anxieties, forest conservation, and farmland expropriation: State territorialization in the uplands and highlands of northern Thailand

The burning of agricultural residue during the dry season in rural northern Thailand has been identified as an important source of air pollution at the heart of an ongoing haze crisis particularly felt in the region’s urban areas. Public outcry in Chiang Mai over poor air quality pressured the government into developing fire management and prevention efforts in areas with high numbers of open-air fires, such as Mae Chaem district. Nevertheless, the haze situation deteriorated, prompting the 2014–2019 military-led government to develop a pilot fire-reduction project known as the Mae Chaem Model, whose original design to mitigate and prevent fires in the district evolved into a series of sustainable development objectives. Given optimistic discourses surrounding the project’s novel and participatory nature, this paper offers a critical analysis of initial project results. The project claims to offer prized benefits such as tenure security in exchange for the collaboration of villagers in the project. Interviews with villagers and other stakeholders reveal a series of concerns regarding 1) the production of land use history maps for 2002, 2011 and 2016, and 2) substantial expropriation of farmland and other severe land use restrictions. Our calculations suggest that, under a likely scenario, an average of 66% of farmland would be expropriated in the process (88% in one community). In accordance with villagers interviewed in two villages of Mae Chaem district, we are concerned about the capacity of local villagers to sufficiently intensify their production or otherwise limit the negative impact of such drastic land use restrictions on their livelihood. The paper also outlines other problems related to the temporary and revocable nature of the benefits offered and the rather dubious claims of coercion-free ‘participation’.

Indian genetic heritage in Southeast Asian populations.

The great ethnolinguistic diversity found today in mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) reflects multiple migration waves of people in the past. Maritime trading between MSEA and India was established at the latest 300 BCE, and the formation of early states in Southeast Asia during the first millennium CE was strongly influenced by Indian culture, a cultural influence that is still prominent today. Several ancient Indian-influenced states were located in present-day Thailand, and various populations in the country are likely to be descendants of people from those states. To systematically explore Indian genetic heritage in MSEA populations, we generated genome-wide SNP data (using the Affymetrix Human Origins array) for 119 present-day individuals belonging to 10 ethnic groups from Thailand and co-analyzed them with published data using PCA, ADMIXTURE, and methods relying on f-statistics and on autosomal haplotypes. We found low levels of South Asian admixture in various MSEA populations for whom there is evidence of historical connections with the ancient Indian-influenced states but failed to find this genetic component in present-day hunter-gatherer groups and relatively isolated groups from the highlands of Northern Thailand. The results suggest that migration of Indian populations to MSEA may have been responsible for the spread of Indian culture in the region. Our results also support close genetic affinity between Kra-Dai-speaking (also known as Tai-Kadai) and Austronesian-speaking populations, which fits a linguistic hypothesis suggesting cladality of the two language families.

Improving Shelf Life, Maintaining Quality, and Delaying Microbial Growth of Broccoli in Supply Chain Using Commercial Vacuum Cooling and Package Icing

Poor and inconsistent quality is a major barrier to increasing produce consumption, and the lack of shelf-life after purchase is the quality issue at retail displays of produce. This research aimed to investigate and identify cooling techniques, namely vacuum cooling and package icing used in supply chains, and any resulting extension of broccoli shelf-life, maintenance of physicochemical quality, and delay in microbial growth at retail stores. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica cv. Montop) sustainably grown in the highlands of northern Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, under the Royal Project Foundation was experimented on vacuum cooling and package icing were selected to precool broccoli to 4 ± 1 °C. The effects of vacuum cooling using a final pressure of 0.6 kPa for 30 min and package icing using liner Styrofoam boxes (the best ratio of broccoli to crushed ice was 1:1 w/w) on physicochemical qualities, microbial growth, and shelf-life in simulated refrigerated retail displays were examined. The results illustrated that the shelf-life and quality of broccoli could be extended using both vacuum cooling and package icing. Both precooling techniques inhibited the yellowing of florets, provided high sensory scores, delayed microbial growth, and could be able to extend the shelf-life of broccoli. However, package icing offered greater potential for maintaining quality, especially retaining bioactive compounds, and extending shelf-life, thereby increasing the produce market window from 5 to 12 days at 8 ± 1 °C with 85% RH. Therefore, package icing was recommended in the supply chain for fresh broccoli cv. Montop grown in northern Thailand.

Effect of microsite light on survival and growth of understory natural regeneration during restoration of seasonally dry tropical forest in upland northern Thailand

The framework species method (FSM) of forest restoration involves planting mixtures of native forest trees to catalyze or complement natural regeneration and accelerate recovery of a diverse understory in tropical forests. Data on naturally regenerating tree seedlings, however, is sparse, and we lack an understanding of how environmental factors affect seedling persistence and growth. We investigated relationships between microsite light availability and two-year survival and growth of naturally-recruited tree seedlings in 11- to 14-year-old FSM trial plots, established to restore seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) in the highlands of northern Thailand. We also explored relationships among seedling survival, growth, successional guild and leaf habit. We sampled seedlings belonging to 13 tree species, representing various successional guilds (pioneer, intermediate and late-successional) and leafing habits (evergreen and deciduous). They included seedlings of “overstory species,” species planted to establish the plots, and “re-colonizing species,” species recruited into the plots by seed-dispersal from outside.Seventy-two percent of sampled seedlings survived two years. Ten species had high two-year survival (≥69%); however, three deciduous pioneer species had low survival (<50%). Deciduous pioneers had significantly lower probability of survival than any other combination of successional guild and leaf habit (p < 0.001). Mean microsite light availability was 11% of full sunlight. Survival was unrelated to microsite light, suggesting that most seedlings were tolerant of the range of understory light levels. Relative growth rates of height (RGRH) and stem diameter (RGRD) both increased significantly with microsite light level (p < 0.001). This indicated that seedlings were sensitive to increases in understory light and that light was an important factor that drove regeneration and community assembly in SDTF undergoing restoration. Still, neither model fully explained variability of either RGRH (Rm2=0.230) or RGRD(Rm2=0.138) suggesting that there are additional, unconsidered factors important to growth.High two-year seedling survival indicated that within 14 years of implementing the FSM, the understory environment had become adequate for regeneration of a wide range of tree species. Regeneration of re-colonizing species confirmed previous reports that the FSM fosters regeneration of species-diverse tree communities. The results suggested that thinning or gap creation, to increase light levels, may accelerate seedling growth, but are not essential for regeneration of the studied species, and that enrichment planting or direct seeding of intermediate and late-successional species would help to accelerate ecosystem diversification. Introducing such species just before canopy closure and before planted overstory trees become reproductive may provide them with a competitive advantage over seedlings of overstory species.

Identifying rice grains with premium nutritional quality among on-farm germplasm in the highlands of Northern Thailand

Local rice varieties with premium nutritional quality grains are beneficial to consumers, and their genetic traits may be deployed in breeding programmes for many purposes. This study explores grain quality characteristics with health implications of rice germplasm maintained and used by farmers in the highlands of Northern Thailand. Concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), phenols and anthocyanin and anti-oxidative capacity were determined in the caryopsis without husk of 77 samples of rice seed collected from farmers. Entries with the highest grain quality characteristics identified were grown together with four standard check varieties at two different elevations in a farmer’s field at Mae Wang District of Chiang Mai province (800 m above mean sea level), as well as in pots at Chiang Mai University (CMU) (330 m above mean sea level). The grain quality characteristics were determined at maturity, separately for 10 individual plants grown at CMU. A wide variation in all the grain quality characteristics was found among samples grown in the farmer’s field. There were approximately twofold differences in the lowest and highest Fe and Zn concentrations, especially high variation in contents of phenols and anthocyanin and anti-oxidative capacity found in grain with purple pericarp. The top entries identified from the farmer’s seed had significantly higher anthocyanin concentration and anti-oxidative capacity than the check varieties when grown together at Mae Wang and CMU, in spite of the strong locality specific effects on these characteristics. Further variation was found in the grain quality characteristics within each of the selected farmer’s seed samples. Quality improvement could thus be made by either eliminating the poorest performing lines or development of single-seed descent lines from the top-performing plants. The desirable genetic traits can also be used in breeding programme for improvement of grain yield as well as cooking and nutritional quality.

Toward Educational Equity for Ethnic Groups in the Highlands of Northern Thailand: A Study of Comprehensive Humanity

Toward Educational Equity for Ethnic Groups in the Highlands of Northern Thailand: A Study of Comprehensive Humanity

Community Participation in Developing and Assessing Household Food Security in the Highlands of Northern Thailand

The communities in the highland environments are food insecure, depriving of land ownership, and less accessible to infrastructures and services. The present study aimed to understand how the highland communities perceived and defined their food security, and to develop community food security assessment. Two upland villages and three highland villagers in the Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand were selected. Quality research methods and tools were employed. The meaning of food security as given by farmers could be grouped into seven attributes. Using the FAO food security framework, there were 18 key indicators covered farmers’ meaning and perception of food security. Based on new modified indicators, the community's self-assessment showed that each village had reached different levels of food security. Thus understanding farmers’ perception and assessment of their food security would have practical implications for enhancing community food security.

Building Local Capacities in Natural Resources Management for Food Security in the Highlands of Northern Thailand

The objectives were to assess vulnerability context of the Karen community and to enhance community-based natural resource management in relation to agricultural systems and food security. We facilitated key informant and focus group discussions, and conducted household interviews. In the study area of Mae Khanad watershed, the Karen's traditional rice based farming livelihoods were threatened by demographic change and movement, accelerating environment degradation, declining access to suitable agricultural land, and increasing restricted use of forest resources. A few households experienced rice deficits from 3 to 7 months. Despite the income disparity between the lowland and upland-highland villages, the bonding relationships between the northern Thai and the Karen communities enabled an effective management of communal irrigation systems, and mutual understanding between the local conservation officials and the Karen communities helped lessened in land use disputes, and paved way for promising co-management of natural resources. A tentative step-wise procedure for utilizing natural resources was proposed. Unfortunately the local administrative organization was less active and less supportive about community's collective action in natural resource management.

ASSESSMENT OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF PEACH ROOTSTOCKS UNDER DROUGHT AND ALUMINUM STRESS

The challenging constrain of peach production in highlands of northern Thailand is limited irrigation water and acidic soil. These problems could be alleviated by using a suitable rootstock. Field screening for drought and acidic soil tolerant rootstocks is time consuming and costly. Therefore, any parameter related to these traits detected in a greenhouse screening would be very useful as a selection index for a breeding program. In acidic soil, aluminum toxicity is one of the major confinements on plant growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential morphological (shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf size and leaf burn) and physiological (photosynthesis, chlorophyll a content, leaf conductance, leaf water potential and proline content) parameters related to drought and aluminum stress. A factorial experiment with two levels of the irrigation: 1) well watered (100% of evapotranspiration, ET) and 2) drought treatment (25-50% of ET), combined with three levels of aluminum: 1) no aluminum, 2) 50 mg kg-1 of aluminum and 3) 100 mg kg-1 of aluminum was done with four-week-old ‘Flordaguard’ rootstocks. The results showed that drought and aluminum stress caused leaf burn. Drought treatment significantly reduced shoot fresh weight (50%), shoot dry weight (35%), photosynthesis rate (80%), leaf conductance (90%) and leaf water potential (75%). Conversely, drought effect increased proline content by 10%. Aluminum stress caused linear decrease in shoot fresh weight and quadratic decrease in shoot dry weight and leaf size, but leaf burn was quadratic increased. For drought stress all parameters, except leaf size, leaf burn and chlorophyll content, were potentially selection index. Meanwhile, for aluminum stress, potential selection parameters were shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf size and leaf burn.

Comparative study of endophytic and endophytic diazotrophic bacterial communities across rice landraces grown in the highlands of northern Thailand

Communities of bacterial endophytes within the rice landraces cultivated in the highlands of northern Thailand were studied using fingerprinting data of 16S rRNA and nifH genes profiling by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The bacterial communities' richness, diversity index, evenness, and stability were varied depending on the plant tissues, stages of growth, and rice cultivars. These indices for the endophytic diazotrophic bacteria within the landrace rice Bue Wah Bo were significantly the lowest. The endophytic bacteria revealed greater diversity by cluster analysis with seven clusters compared to the endophytic diazotrophic bacteria (three clusters). Principal component analysis suggested that the endophytic bacteria showed that the community structures across the rice landraces had a higher stability than those of the endophytic diazotrophic bacteria. Uncultured bacteria were found dominantly in both bacterial communities, while higher generic varieties were observed in the endophytic diazotrophic bacterial community. These differences in bacterial communities might be influenced either by genetic variation in the rice landraces or the rice cultivation system, where the nitrogen input affects the endophytic diazotrophic bacterial community.

A different kind of difference

This commentary explores the implications of identifying an Antipodean economic geography distinct from an apparent Anglo-American hegemony. I explore Wray et al.’s (2013) proposal that there is a different kind of ‘edginess’ to the work produced by those on the underside of the world. Using an example from fieldwork in the highlands of northern Thailand, I suggest that identifying with perspectives of the so-called periphery, and striving to see those perspectives as, in fact, central is a crucial part of critical knowledge production.

Area Study Prior to Companion Modelling to Integrate Multiple Interests in Upper Watershed Management of Northern Thailand

Ethnic minorities living in the highlands of northern Thailand have long been accused of degrading the upper watersheds of the country's major basins. In the nineties, the Thai government reinforced his environmental policies and further restricted their access to farm and forest resources. In the meanwhile, the policy framework also favoured decentralization and public participation. This contradiction resulted in an increasing number of con icts over land-use between local communities and state agencies. This situation underlines the need for adapted participatory methodologies to facilitate the coordination of multiple stakeholders with competing interests. Companion Modelling (ComMod) is one of them. When drawing the lessons from many past participatory projects, several authors highlight their limited impact due to the lack of support at higher institutional levels. Moreover, because of a lack of attention to the local socio-political situations, the less powerful stakeholders were often left behind. This article discusses the usefulness of an area diagnostic study prior to the launch of a ComMod process to avoid such pitfalls and to facilitate genuine communication among stakeholders within and across institutional levels. The article is illustrated by a ComMod experiment conducted in Nan province and is focusing on a con ict between two Yao communities and a recently established national park. We argue that a relatively short but well-structured initial agrarian and institutional analysis to assess the various stakeholders' characteristics, perceptions of the issue to be solved, and interactions is useful to identify the constraints to an equitable outcome of a subsequent participatory process. Such an area diagnosis can also be used to tailor the ComMod process in order to mitigate these constraints. Moreover, an understanding of the initial resource management situation is necessary to be able to monitor changes and to assess the effects of the participatory process.

Factors and processes of gibbsite formation in Northern Thailand

Gibbsite is usually considered as end product of weathering in tropical environments with potentially high leaching rates. However, there are also hints towards gibbsite formation in initial stages of weathering in different climates. This study reports on a systematic approach based on soil forming factors in order to research the conditions of gibbsite formation in northern Thailand highlands. Therefore, three major study sites were chosen, which differ with respect to parent rock, relief, climate and vegetation. The results show that gibbsite is common in soils of the area. Reasons for its occurrence in soils are manifold. It can be a heritage of the parent rock, a result of initial weathering under free draining conditions or an accumulation under intense chemical weathering caused by high rainfall. Especially the investigation in granite and gneiss areas with a high share of primary minerals indicates that gibbsite can be an early and direct transformation without intermediates from micas and feldspars if free drainage is assured. With progressing soil genesis clay formation reduces drainage and favours kaolinite formation. Only sites with extremely high rainfall and low evaporation (high elevations in northern Thailand) show again a dominance of gibbsite in the clay fraction throughout the whole soil profile.

Agricultural Commercialisation, Diversification, and Conservation of Renewable Resources in Northern Thailand Highlands

The process of commercialisation-diversification in the highlands of upper northern Thailand and the accompanying dismissal of self-subsistence are documented based on the findings from seven case studies carried out in different agricultural and social situations during the past decade. The characteristics of the key driving forces powering this agrarian transition such as rapid economic growth, decrease in the share of labour employed in the agriculture, urbanization and changes in food consumption patterns, and improved communication infrastructures, are presented in the Thai context. The environmental impact of these profound agrarian transformations on the degradation of key renewable resources, particularly soil erosion, is assessed. Their socio-economic consequences on an extensive differentiation among farming households and equity issues are also discussed. Finally the authors draw several lessons from this Thai experience that illustrate the very strong adaptive capacity of small highland farmers. They could be useful in similar agro-ecological zones of neighbouring countries that are presently experiencing the same kind of agricultural transition in the Montane Mainland Southeast Asia ecoregion. Particularly, the article underlines the need for more holistic and integrated approaches to agricultural development and the management of renewable resources in highland agro-ecosystems to alleviate poverty while conserving the resource base.

Lychee tree parameters for water balance modeling

Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is widely grown under irrigation in the tropical northern Thailand highlands. Water efficient irrigation requires sound irrigation scheduling for which the requisite soil moisture information can be obtained from water balance modeling. A prerequisite for water balance predictions are plant parameters which describe interception, root distribution evaporation and transpiration. These parameters depend on climate, soil, as well as plant physiology, variety and age. This study investigated the plant parameters for 7-year-old lychee trees in tropical granite landscapes, as they are as yet unavailable. Interception could be satisfactorily predicted with the modified Gash model. The Gash parameters (canopy capacity per canopy cover area (Sc), canopy cover factor (c)) were determined to be 21.8 mm and 0.22, respectively. The spatial distribution of lychee tree roots depended on slope inclination. On the level plateau position, root length density (RLD) distribution was trunk-symmetrical and could be predicted with an empirical function. On the slope, the asymmetrical and irregular root development was not predictable. The suitability of the dual crop coefficient approach predicting daily potential evaporation (Epot) and daily potential transpiration (Tpot) rates for water balance modeling was limited due to the weak correlations of Epot and Tpot with the potential reference evapotranspiration (ETo). As a result, no universal values for the potential evaporation coefficient (Ke,max) and the potential transpiration coefficient (Kcb) could be determined. Hence, Epot and Tpot measurements are mandatory if accurate Epot and Tpot data are necessary. In the case of missing measurements, Ke,max values of 0.6 and 1.6 are recommended for rough Epot estimates underneath and in-between the lychee tree canopies. For Tpot predictions in irrigation scheduling, a relatively high Kcb of 0.8 is recommended in order to ensure a water stress free fruit development within the irrigation season.

The development of sustainble cropping systems in the highlands of South-East Asia: general lessons for development projects

Soil conservation in the highlands of South-East Asia is essential for sustainable&#x0D; agro-environmental development. The effectiveness of soil conservation treatments developed&#x0D; in runoff plots was investigated in farmer-managed plots on a natural catchment. This was&#x0D; achieved by the development and scientific evaluation of modified and novel cropping&#x0D; practices in a representative highland catchment in Yunnan Province, China. Wang Jia&#x0D; Catchment covers 40.1 hectares near Kedu, in Xundian County, north-east Yunnan (25o28'N,&#x0D; 102o53'E). The initial project consisted of an evaluation of the effects of modified cropping&#x0D; practices on maize productivity and soil properties. This programme was extended to&#x0D; investigate ways of increasing the productivity of maize, wheat and soybean on fragile slopes&#x0D; in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. The approach incorporates modified and&#x0D; novel agronomic and soil conservation measures, with the evaluation of their agricultural,&#x0D; environmental and socio-economic impacts using multidisciplinary approaches. This European&#x0D; Union funded project involved an international research team from Belgium, China, Ireland,&#x0D; Thailand and the U.K. Five co-ordinated work packages were implemented. Involving: (1)&#x0D; Background agricultural and environmental assessment of Wang Jia Catchment. (2)&#x0D; Implementation and evaluation of modified and novel cropping systems for wheat, maize and&#x0D; soybean in the catchment. (3) Cost-benefit analyses of the socio-economic impacts of the&#x0D; changed cropping practices. (4) Comparative scientific evaluation of the cropping techniques&#x0D; in the highlands of northern Thailand. (5) Dissemination of project outcomes and&#x0D; establishment of training programmes for best practice in highland rural development. The&#x0D; lessons of the Project for promoting sustainable agro-environmental development in tropical&#x0D; and subtropical highlands include: (1) Recognizing the importance of both 'north-south' and&#x0D; 'south-south' co-operation in development projects, (2) Integrating local people as full partners&#x0D; in the research programme, (3) Matching the different 'time horizons' of the different&#x0D; stakeholders and (4) Developing multidisciplinary teams, including biophysical scientists and socio-economists.

Book Review: Living at the edge of Thai society: the Karen in the highlands of northern Thailand

Book Review: Living at the edge of Thai society: the Karen in the highlands of northern Thailand

Diversity of Water Management Systems: Examples from Hmong and Thai Communities in Mae Sa Watershed, Northern Thailand

In Thailand water is widely perceived as an open access resource. It is also common belief that organization of highland irrigation in northern Thailand is characterized by a relatively simple structure, and that local communities are not able to adjust their management practices to new realities. The existence of diverse forms of control, ownership and rights of use relating to water resources is widely ignored. This goes along with a stereotypical and static picture of highland people—and ethnic minorities in particular—as being environmentally destructive and culturally backward. These misperceptions fail to recognize that economic, institutional and social conditions are rapidly changing in the highlands of northern Thailand. These changes bring about a range of cultural and economic adjustments at the local level, which is also reflected in the management of water resources. The present article argues that cultural identities and social norms in the highlands are fluid, that local communities continuously adapt their water management practices to new circumstances, and that the outcomes of this process are not always beneficial to sustainability and distributional equity.

北部タイ高地水田に生育するシャムアギナシの種内変異

北部タイ高地水田に生育するシャムアギナシの種内変異