Next Article in Journal
A Flying Fish Across the Tethys: Thoracopterus wushaensis Tintori et al., 2012, from the Pelsa/Vazzoler Fossil-Lagerstätte (Late Ladinian, Middle Triassic) in the Dolomites (Italy)
Previous Article in Journal
Population Size and Habitat Suitability of the Endangered Sichuan Sika Deer (Cervus nippon sichuanicus) in a Forested Landscape
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Diversity
Volume 17
Issue 12
10.3390/d17120846
diversity-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Citation: Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Exploring Edible Underground Storage Organ Plants in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand: Diversity, Traditional Uses, and Horticultural Importance. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846

by
Piyaporn Saensouk
1,2,
Surapon Saensouk
1,3,*,
Areerat Ragsasilp
1,4,
Sombat Appamaraka
1,3,
Auemporn Junsongduang
5,
Phiphat Sonthongphithak
1,
Yuefeng Zhang
1,6 and
Tammanoon Jitpromma
1,3
1
Diversity of Family Zingiberaceae and Vascular Plant for Its Applications Research Unit, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
3
Walai Rukhavej Botanical Research Institute, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
4
Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
5
Program of Biology, Department of Science and Technology, Faculty of Liberal of Art and Science, Roi Et Rajabhat University, Ko Kaeo, Selaphum District, Roi Et 45120, Thailand
6
Agriculture and Food Engineering College, Baise University, Baise 533000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diversity 2025, 17(12), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846
Submission received: 24 November 2025 / Revised: 5 December 2025 / Accepted: 6 December 2025 / Published: 9 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Edible underground storage organ (EUO) plants, including tubers, rhizomes, corms, and root tubers, play a crucial role in food security, nutrition, traditional medicine, and local livelihoods, yet many regions of northeastern Thailand, including Maha Sarakham Province, remain underexplored in ethnobotanical research. This study aimed to document the diversity, traditional uses, and economic importance of EUO plants in the province. Field surveys, local market assessments, and ethnobotanical interviews were conducted, and voucher specimens were collected. Quantitative indices, including the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI), Fidelity Level (%FL), and economic value (EV), were applied to evaluate the cultural, medicinal, and economic significance of each species. A total of 53 EUO taxa from 22 families were recorded, representing both wild-harvested and cultivated resources. Dioscoreaceae and Zingiberaceae were among the most species-rich families. Among the EUO plants, Allium ascalonicum L. stood out for its cultural significance, Gloriosa superba L. for its medicinal importance, and Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp.) H.Rob. for its economic value. Several other EUO plants exhibited high cultural consensus and consistent use patterns, underscoring their integration into local diets, traditional healthcare, and rural economies. The study demonstrates that EUO plants contribute not only to dietary diversity and cultural identity but also to rural economies. These findings highlight the importance of conserving biological and traditional knowledge and promote sustainable cultivation and horticultural development of priority EUO species to strengthen local food system resilience.
Keywords: Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI); ethnobotany; Maha Sarakham Province; medicinal plants; Thailand; tuberous plants; underground storage organ plants Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI); ethnobotany; Maha Sarakham Province; medicinal plants; Thailand; tuberous plants; underground storage organ plants

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Citation: Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Exploring Edible Underground Storage Organ Plants in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand: Diversity, Traditional Uses, and Horticultural Importance. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846

AMA Style

Saensouk P, Saensouk S, Ragsasilp A, Appamaraka S, Junsongduang A, Sonthongphithak P, Zhang Y, Jitpromma T. Citation: Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Exploring Edible Underground Storage Organ Plants in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand: Diversity, Traditional Uses, and Horticultural Importance. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846. Diversity. 2025; 17(12):846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846

Chicago/Turabian Style

Saensouk, Piyaporn, Surapon Saensouk, Areerat Ragsasilp, Sombat Appamaraka, Auemporn Junsongduang, Phiphat Sonthongphithak, Yuefeng Zhang, and Tammanoon Jitpromma. 2025. "Citation: Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Exploring Edible Underground Storage Organ Plants in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand: Diversity, Traditional Uses, and Horticultural Importance. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846" Diversity 17, no. 12: 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846

APA Style

Saensouk, P., Saensouk, S., Ragsasilp, A., Appamaraka, S., Junsongduang, A., Sonthongphithak, P., Zhang, Y., & Jitpromma, T. (2025). Citation: Saensouk, P.; Saensouk, S.; Ragsasilp, A.; Appamaraka, S.; Junsongduang, A.; Sonthongphithak, P.; Zhang, Y.; Jitpromma, T. Exploring Edible Underground Storage Organ Plants in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand: Diversity, Traditional Uses, and Horticultural Importance. Diversity 2025, 17, 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846. Diversity, 17(12), 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120846

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop