Chomphu Prachin Plumeria, the variety of frangipani found to be grown locally in the Khok Makok community in Prachin Buri, has been registered by the Department of Agriculture under the plant species protection law as Thailand's third new local plant variety.
The first two to be registered are the Theppharot tangerine grown in Samut Prakan and the Thong Pramun Phrommani marian plum grown in Nakhon Nayok.
Chomphu Prachin Plumeria has a smooth greenish-grey trunk, green spear point-shaped leaves and oval petals in light to dark pink shades with radiant lines on them.
Prior to approving the application for registering this frangipani variety, the department's Plant Varieties Protection Office (PVPO) compared Chomphu Prachin against two other close varieties, Chonphu Bannakan and Charlotte Abbert, and found it was sufficiently distinguished to be considered a separate variety.
Now that it has been registered as a local plant belonging to the Khok Makok community, the community hold the sole right to develop the plant for mass production for export or simply to sell its sprouts domestically, the PVPO says.
Registration comes with the initial 12-year renewable protection for the Chomphu Prachin variety, said the PVPO. Each renewal brings another 10 years of protection.
Other parties who wish to make use of the registered variety for commercial purposes are required to sign an agreement with the community and pay about 60% of the benefits gained from using the plant.
Other communities are also encouraged to apply for registration to protect their own plant varieties.
