Journal of Advanced Plant Sciences 2021.11(1): 13-28 13 RESEARCH ARTICLE Conservation and Management of Plant Bioresources by the Tai Phake of Assam: Role of Home Garden and Monastery Mamoni Phukan Borgohain*, Robindra Teron and Ajit K. Tamuli Department of Life Science & Bioinformatics, Assam University, Diphu Campus, Diphu – 782462, Karbi Anglong, India Received: 17 May 2020 / 1st Revised: 20 November, 2020 ; 2nd Revised 7 March 2021 / Accepted: 30 April 2021 © Botanical Society of Assam 2021 Abstract Introduction Home gardens represent a typical traditional agro- Homestead garden is a traditional agroforestry ecosystem, intensively managed lands close to system distributed in all regions of the world and human dwellings, primarily managed for meeting being managed by mankind since millennia. Home basic household requirements. Besides other gardens are a typical type of traditional agro- benefits, it significantly contributes towards in situ ecosystem, being intensively managed lands close to conservation of several land races and cultivars, rare human dwellings, varying in their layouts and types and endangered species of plants. The plant of species grown, and associated with different domestication among the Tai Phake people of geographical areas or ethnic groups (Huai and Assam has been examined to study the Hamilton, 2009). Home gardens are important agro- agrobiodiversity, management and utilization. It was ecosystems found in traditional communities practiced under two forms viz. home garden and throughout the world (Borthakur 1997a, Singh & monastery. Data collection employed the following Teron, 2016). The main function of home garden is methods- group discussion, semi-structured to ensure food security of the rural families and also interview and personal observation. Every Phake provide cash income to the family. It fulfils other household and monastery maintains a garden of sustenance needs such as healthcare practice, varied size where useful plants have been cultivated cultural and religious uses, firewood, dye, building and managed since decades. This study documented materials for construction etc. total 116 species belonging to 94 genera and 60 families are under active domestication process. During the last 40-50 years, the relative importance Distribution of the species inventoried showed has shifted from the traditional forestry to variability with 46 species (40%) recorded from homestead forestry and in this context homestead home gardens and 22 species (19.13%) from garden plays a vital role in providing firewood, monasteries; 48 (47.73%) species are common in fodder, medicine, fruit and timber (Roy et al. 2013). both home gardens and monasteries. Domestication The Indian Eastern Himalaya, a diversity of hotspot, of plant resources is a novel process of conservation is a harbour of diverse ethnic tribes and sub-tribes, and a good strategy towards ever declining potential who are expert bio-harvester of the agro-ecosystem. plant habitats and will be useful in mitigating the The tribes are known for their indigenous effects of climate change. knowledge which they exhibit in their socio-cultural activities. Conservation of bioresources in home Keywords: Tai Phake • home garden • monastery • garden is a traditional culture of Tai community agro biodiversity • conservation. (Borthakur and Gogoi, 1992). The Tai community is the large goup and composed of six sub-groups. Corresponding author, This study endeavour to investigate home gardens email: [email protected] and monasteries on Tai Phake of Assam with the following objectives: document the agrobiodiversity Published online: 30-04-2021 Journal of Advanced Plant Sciences 2021.11(1): 13-28 14 and domestication practices, document utilization of Field survey and data collection: agrobiodiversity, understand the motives of plant domestication and analyse the gender influence on Field study was undertaken in Tai Phake villages of plant domestication. Almost every Phake household upper Assam. Data on plant diversity was collected maintains a homestead garden to conserve essential from the heads of the families and the priests of the plants for various utilities (Gogoi, 1995). Being monasteries of each village following semi Buddhists, Phakes and other Tais built monastery as structured interview (Alexiades 1996). From home the place of worship where a garden is maintained gardens, the plants were listed and its availability to grow flowers for ritual needs and for recreation. and utilization recorded based on cross checked information provided by the informant. Plant inventory in monasteries included interview of Materials and Methods Bhantes and listing of the plants, uses and other relevant information. To corroborate the Study area and the people information, personal observations were made by walking in the home gardens and monasteries along The Tai is a large community that entered Assam in with informants (head of family and priests). Plant the historical past originally from Yunnan province were collected and pressed following techniques of of China. The Tai Ahoms were the first Tai people Jain and Rao (1977) and identified with the help of who entered Assam during the early part of the 13th local floras (Hooker 1999-2006; Haridarsan and Rao century. Other groups who followed the Ahom 1985-1987; Islam 1989; Prajapati et al. 2003). between the middle of the 18th century were the Nomenclature of plants has been updated online Khamtis, the Phakes, the Aiton, the Khamyangs and from www.theplantlist.org. the Turungs. The Tai Phake is the second largest group of Tai Tribes of Southeast Asia (Sharma Thakur, 1982). They claim themselves as descendants of the Tai Royal Officials. On reaching Assam, they at first resided on the bank of Buridihing, whence they were bought by the Ahoms. Today, there are six Tai tribes in Northeast India such as Tai Ahom, Tai Khamti, Tai Phake, Tai Khamyang, Tai Turung and Tai Aiton. The Tai Phakes however, are distributed in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia district of upper Brahmaputra valley of Assam. They practice patriarchal society and are followers of Buddhism. Phake villages are distributed in nine villages of Dibrugarh districts (Nam Phake and Tipam Phake) and in Tinsukia district (Bar Phake, Man Mo, Nong Lai, Long Phake, Moung Lang, Ning gam and Pha Neng) (Fig.1). Bar Phake is the oldest Phake village in Assam. These Phake villages are located beside rivers and dense forest which reflects their close association with nature. The inhabitants are mainly Fig.1 Tai Phake villages of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia dependent on farming for sustenance and district of Assam, 1.Nam phake, 2. TipamPhake, 3. livelihoods. The head of every family and the BorPhake, 4. Man mo, 5.Nong Lai, 6. Long Phake, 7. Bhantes (priests) of monasteries of each village Ning Gam, 8. Moung Lang& 9. PhaNeng maintain their gardens mainly to conserve the plant resources for their daily life. Ethnobotanical data generated from field study were presented as tables and graphs. Diversity of plants and its uses were presented in rows and columns. Published online: 30-04-2021 Journal of Advanced Plant Sciences 2021.11(1): 13-28 15 Table 1: Inventory of plant bioresources of Tai Phake Home gardens and Monasteries of Assam. [Med.: Medicine; Veg.:Vegetable; Mast.:Masticatory; Const.:Construction; Rit.: Ritual; Ornam.:Ornamental; HG:Home garden; Mons:Monastery; Vet: Veterinary, Cosm: Cosmetics] Plant [Family]Voucher Phake Parts Med Application Distribution number name used Acorus calamus L. Sam po Root Med. Dried powder rhizome is taken HG, Mons [Acoraceae] MPB-52, dt. orally as blood purifier and in acidity 12.10.14 Aegle marmelos Corrêa Ma Kao Fruit Med Fruits taken raw for stomach Mons [Rutaceae] MPB-109, dt. Cha problem 8.1.15 Allium sativum Linn. Polo sing Bulb Veg, Use as spice, Eaten raw orally in HG [Liliaceae]; MPB-76, Med, hypertension dtd.5.12.14 Vet Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. Li ngong Leaf Med. Leaf paste instantly apply locally in HG, Mons [Asparagaceae] MPB-69, burn dt. 22.10.14 Alocasia cucullata Phag hon Rhizome Veg Rhizome use in traditional soup with HG Schott[Araceae]; MPB- gam leafy spice 70, dtd. 5.12.14 Amaranthus viridis Pa loom Leaves, Veg, Used as curry, helps in stomach HG Linn[Amaranthaceae]; tender Med problem MPB-132, dtd. 3.7.15 stem Ananas comosus L. Maak Tender Med, Tender leaves is taken orally in HG, Mons Merrill. maha nat leaves, Fruit worms, fruit taken raw helps in [Bromeliaceae] Fruit digestion MPB-180,dtd.6.9.15 Areca catechu L. Mak po Nut Mast., Masticator nut taken with piper betel HG [Arecaceae] MPB- 40, dt. Rit. and a little lime 15.7.14 Aristolochia tagala Cham. May aa Inflresce Med Inflorescence and leave mixed with HG, Mons [Aristilochiaceae] MPB- nce Aegle leaves, juice is taken orally in 215, dtd.16.2.16 stomach problem Artocarpus chaplasha Malang Stem Fruit, Fruit eaten raw, Timber used in Mons Roxb [Moraceae]; MPB- thaon Const. construction 214,dtd16.2.16 Artocarpus heterophyllus Malang Fruit, Fruit, Fruit eaten raw, Timber used in HG, Mons Lamk [Moraceae]; MPB- Thaon stem Dye, construction, dye is extracted from 105,dtd.8.1.15 Const the bark Averrhoa carambola L. Maak Fruit Med Fruit eaten raw or extracted juice is HG, Mons [Oxalidaceae] MPB-235, phoung used in liver disease dtd.19.4.16 Published online: 30-04-2021 Journal of Advanced Plant Sciences 2021.11(1): 13-28 16 Azadirachta indica A. Pan na Leaf Med, Leaves paste used in skin disease HG, Mons Juss. [Meliaceae] MPB- Veg and used as curry 251,dtd.4.7.16; Baccaurea sapida Ma Phai Fruit Fruit Fruit eaten raw HG RoxbMuell .[Euphorbiaceae] MPB- 203,dtd.16.2.16; Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. Mei sang Stem Const. Used in construction HG, Mons Ex J.C.Wendl.[Poaceae]; MPB-171, dtd.30.7.15 Bambusa balcooa Roxb. Mechang Stem Const., Used in construction, bamboo shoot HG, Mons [Poaceae] MPB-30, nam Veg. used as curry or raw item dt.6.7.14 Bambusa polymorpha Mei Stem Const.