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| Black ginger cultured in the laboratory, ready to be planted in nature |
Sharing the hardships with farmers
Not only in Hue and not just among the scientific community, many farmers in the villages also know the name Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Thi Bich Phuong. Her research focuses on plant physiology and molecular genetics… or, in simpler terms, they are studies closely connected to farmers and serve agricultural communities. It’s easy to be understood; Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong has carried out dozens of projects over the past decades, working side by side with farmers, sharing meals with them, laboring together, and helping them earn a living. On more than one occasion, when we asked her why she was so passionate about researching plants, agriculture, and rural life, she simply shared, “Farmers have struggled so much already. As a scientist, I feel a responsibility to share their burdens and help them love their land more, stay committed to their gardens, and create products and wealth.” With that philosophy, in each of her research topics and projects, she always combines two approaches: scientific research and real-world application. Because doing science without practical relevance is, in her view, an incomplete success.
For nearly 20 years focusing on research in the field of biotechnology, Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong and her colleagues have produced a series of scientific products to serve the people. She remains proud when mentioning the creation of drought-resistant rice varieties, the generation of blast disease-resistant genes, and the discovery of a method to treat the “wilt disease” on pepper plants for the entire North Central region. Each project and study, upon completion, has been made accessible to partners and farmers.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Thanh Tung, Rector of College of Sciences, Hue University, along with familiar colleagues such as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Thi Kim Hong and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ai Nhung, all admire the “exemplary standards” in scientific research demonstrated by Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong. In each of her projects and studies, there is always potential and practical value that the community expects. Although her persistence, passion, and relentless dedication have at times caused her sleepless nights and loss of appetite, she remains unwavering.
Paving the way for valuable medicinal herbs
After successfully transferring the Hue ginger variety to hundreds of households in Thuy Bieu and Thuy Bang (Hue City) for cultivation, as well as the fermented ginger production process to Hoang Mai Fresh Agriculture Co., Ltd., Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong continued her journey by researching the propagation of black ginger and processing medicinal products from this plant.
Like “tuning into the right frequency,” Assoc. Prof. Phuong couldn't hide her special fondness and excitement as she shared about this precious and highly promising plant. With her professional sensitivity, she identified that products made from black ginger could be a “nemesis” in preventing and treating H. pylori bacteria - one of the major common causes of stomach cancer. “H. pylori spreads easily through daily activities and communication, so I’m really concerned about it. Fortunately, during my research, I discovered that black ginger contains active compounds capable of treating several diseases, including stomach cancer. That’s why I immediately dove into developing this project,” shared Assoc. Prof. Phuong.
When we asked out of curiosity about the name “black ginger”, Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong explained that it is an endemic species and a valuable medicinal herb of Vietnam. According to research, the essential oils extracted from the leaves and stems of black ginger contain many active compounds with therapeutic effects: they help treat bronchial dilation in humans, prevent seizures, have sedative and pain-relieving properties, possess anti-cancer abilities, protect the stomach, fight fungal infections, inhibit human leukemia HL-60 cells, and are used to treat coughs, muscle pain, functional neurological disorders, rheumatism, asthma, etc..
Although it has many special uses, black ginger is still a rare species, found only in scattered patches under natural forest canopies. Not wanting this "precious treasure" to fade into oblivion, Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong and her colleagues ventured into the forests to search for mother plants, bringing them back to the laboratory for tissue culture and propagation through cuttings. The black ginger plant that the team is currently researching is the green-leaf variety, D. citrea. Afterward, they plan to continue with the purple-leaf variety, D. orlowil. According to chemical studies, this purple-leaf species contains the highest concentration of medicinal compounds among the four species belonging to the black ginger family.
Up to now, the residents of Tan My village and the Nature for Life Association of Phong My commune (Phong Dien district) have been planting thousands of square meters of black ginger along forest edges and stream banks. Bach Ma National Park is also growing more than 1,000 square meters of black ginger following VietGAP standards and plans to expand cultivation to 8,000 square meters soon. After nearly a year of field planting, the black ginger plants have proven to be easy to grow, thriving with lush green foliage. This is promising news for local farmers, cooperatives, and businesses to adopt and transfer propagation technologies, as well as planting and care processes for widespread development in other native areas such as Phu Loc, Phong Dien, and A Luoi.
In addition to developing raw material areas for black ginger, participating in this project, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hien Trang and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Van Quoc Bao from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Processing, College of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, are tasked with researching the processing procedures for black ginger tea bags. Cong Thanh Investment and Development Joint Stock Company will be the partner responsible for developing the product strategy and bringing black ginger tea to the market. This is just an initial partner; plans for joint ventures and cooperation to cultivate and process black ginger medicinal tea will be expanded to include farming households, cooperatives, and processing and trading enterprises in Hue.
Although the research project on black ginger propagation and medicinal tea production has not yet been officially approved, Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong is not hesitant to reveal this innovative scientific work. She and her research team are hopeful that the results will be successful, as black ginger medicinal products promise great opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry and for public health care and disease treatment. "I'm certain that black ginger will take deep roots not only in Hue but also spread to other regions. I believe black ginger will become a crop that brings prosperity to the people," Assoc. Prof. Bich Phuong shared optimistically.