Hualien researchers tout seedling production work - Taipei Times

The Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station has developed cutting propagation and seedling production techniques for makauy to address short supplies of the indigenous plant by boosting its germination rate to 70 percent.

Makauy, also known as Taiwan mountain pepper (Litsea cubeba), is a perennial plant with fruit that has lemon, pepper and pine aromas.

It is a native aromatic spice often used by indigenous people that has become popular in the domestic market.

Photo: Liu Pin-chuan, Taipei Times

However, the industry has faced a shortage of seedlings, as the plant is difficult to propagate, the station said.

After many years, it has boosted the plant's germination rate to 70 percent, it said.

In 2023, the station informed the Sioulin Township (秀林) Office of the technique, leading to a bountiful harvest this year, it said.

The office last year named makauy as one of the township's "three treasures" alongside pigeon pea and red quinoa, showing that the crop has become important to the local agricultural industry, it said.

Station researchers regularly visit the township to inspect makauy cultivation and reported that most of the plants are more than 2m tall, it said.

The results show that the township's soil and climate is suited for growing makauy, the station said.

A local grower told the station that production used to be unstable, as the crop was rarely found in the wild.

However, production has stabilized within only two years since the station shared the technique, the grower said, adding that green makauy fruits cover the hillside near his home.

The station said the technique is expected to resolve the seedling shortage and provide indigenous communities with stable incomes.

Makauy is dioecious, meaning that only its female plants produce flowers and bear fruit.

Given that it is difficult to identify whether a makauy plant is male or female at its seedling stage, the station has conducted cutting propagation trials to produce high-quality female plants via asexual propagation, the station said.

Standardizing the technique effectively controlled the male-to-female ratio of seedlings, ensuring that most plants grown by local farmers are female, it said.

The method has significantly increased makauy yields per unit area in indigenous communities, it added.

The station said it has also been researching makauy by-products.

Leaves and flower buds of the plant were collected during different seasons and from different areas to compare essential oil extraction efficiency, it said.

The goal is to develop processed makauy products for the township's Taroko communities while balancing sustainable resource use with ecological restoration, the station said.