Comparative Study of Understory Between Exotic Monoculture Plantation (Acacia Sp.) and Adjacent Natural Sal (Shorea Robusta) Forest

To achieve forest management goal it is important to maintain biodiversity. This paper compares understory plant species diversity between exotic monoculture plantation (Acacia auriculiformis) and adjacent natural sal (Shorea robusta) forest. A total of 35 sample plots were taken by random sampling from six patches of adjacent natural sal forest and exotic monoculture plantation. Shannon-Wiener diversity index, species richness and evenness were calculated and compared. Result revealed that, a total of 2,218 plants of 42 species were recorded in natural sal (Shorea robusta) forest. Dominant families were Apocynaceae and Verbanaceae, having three species in each family. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 2.1 and mean species richness was 14.4. On the contrary, 2,827 plants were found from 15 species in exotic monoculture (Acacia auriculiformis) plantation study area. Dominant family was Leguminosae family. Three species were found under Leguminosae family. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 0.86 and mean species richness was 4.47. Therefore, Shannon diversity index and richness were significantly higher in natural sal forest as compared to exotic monoculture plantation. Species evenness of natural sal forest was 0.8 and 0.6 for monoculture plantation which indicates less equitable distribution of understory vegetation in monoculture than adjacent natural sal forest. With regard to herb species, evenness was significantly lower in monoculture plantation (0.03) as compared to natural sal forest (0.52). There was no equitable distribution for the herb species under monoculture plantation. Jaccard’s similarity index showed that 36% shrub species and 30% of herb species were same in exotic monoculture plantation area and adjacent natural sal forest.

Transformasi Sistem Pemanenan Latex Tanaman Karet: Review

Most people understate that latex harvesting is merely cutting the bark and collecting the sap. Since it was cultivated in the monoculture plantation system, rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) harvesting system has been transformed continually. This article presents the transformation of rubber harvesting systems, tapping innovations that have been developed, and the current condition of rubber agribusiness and its impact on the tapping system applied. At the beginning of the development of the rubber cultivation era, tapping was conducted with multiple slicings to gain high rubber yield. This system turned into one slice to extend the economic span of the plant. The invention of latex stimulants transformed the rubber tapping system from once every two days (d2) without stimulants to once every three days (d3) with stimulants. In the case of the tapping technique, several tapping systems have been developed, including puncture tapping, upward and double-cut tapping, Alternate Tapping System, and Change Over Panel. Except for the puncture tapping, those tapping systems are still used nowadays. Latex diagnosis, that is the measurements of the sucrose, inorganic phosphate, and thiol contents in the latex, became the basis of clonal grouping and the clonal typology tapping system. The current low rubber price renders the adoption of low-frequency tapping systems (d4, d5, or d6) with high dose and frequency of stimulant application. In the future, the low-frequency tapping system will remain the ultimate choice as labor costs continue rising. Besides, the use of sensory technology and digital instruments is being widely studied, which indicates that the latex harvesting system in rubber plants is believed to continue to develop. Keywords: Hevea brasiliensis, latex diagnosis, latex yield, stimulant, tapping ABSTRAK Sebagian besar masyarakat beranggapan bahwa memanen lateks hanya mengiris kulit dan menampung getahnya. Namun sebenarnya, sejak dikembangkan dalam sistem perkebunan monokultur, sistem pemanenan lateks karet (Hevea brasiliensis) terus mengalami pembaharuan. Artikel ini menyajikan transformasi sistem pemanenan lateks tanaman karet, inovasi-inovasi yang pernah dikembangkan, serta kondisi agribisnis karet saat ini dan dampaknya terhadap sistem sadap yang diterapkan. Pada awal perkembangan perkebunan karet, penyadapan dilakukan dengan banyak irisan untuk mendapatkan hasil sebanyak-banyaknya. Ini kemudian berubah menjadi satu irisan untuk memperpanjang umur ekonomis tanaman. Penggunaan stimulan mengubah sistem penyadapan karet dari dua hari sekali (d2) tanpa stimulan menjadi tiga hari sekali (d3) dengan stimulan. Dalam hal teknis, beberapa sistem sadap pernah dikembangkan antara lain, sadap tusuk, penyadapan ke arah atas, sadap ganda, Alternate Tapping System, dan Change Over Panel. Selain sadap tusuk, inovasi-inovasi penyadapan tersebut tetap digunakan sampai saat ini. Diagnosis lateks melalui pengukuran kadar sukrosa, fosfat anorganik, dan thiol dalam lateks, menjadi dasar pengelompokan klon dan penyadapan tipologi klonal. Harga karet yang rendah saat ini menyebabkan perusahaan perkebunan cenderung mengadopsi sistem sadap frekuensi rendah (d4, d5, atau d6) dengan dosis dan frekuensi stimulan yang tinggi. Di masa yang akan datang, sistem sadap frekuensi rendah akan tetap menjadi pilihan utama karena upah tenaga kerja terus meningkat. Selain itu, penggunaan teknologi sensorik dan instrumen digital mulai banyak diteliti. Melihat fakta-fakta ini, sistem pemanenan lateks pada tanaman karet diyakini akan terus berkembang. Kata kunci: diagnosis lateks, Hevea brasiliensis, penyadapan, produksi karet, stimulan

Fingerprinting sengon (Falcatria moluccana) accessions resistant to boktor pest and gall rust disease using microsatellite markers

Siregar UJ, Rahmawati D, Damayanti A. 2019. Fingerprinting sengon (Falcatria moluccana) accessions resistant to boktor pest and gall rust disease using microsatellite markers. Biodiversitas 20: 2698-2706. Sengon (Falcataria moluccana Miq.) is a multipurpose fast-growing tree species and widely planted as community forest in Indonesia. According to Indonesian Light Wood Association (ILWA) F. moluccana wood products coming from forest industries in Jawa worth US$ 244.46 million export to China alone. The wood dust also has high potential as source for biomass-based energy in the form of wood-pellet. Monoculture plantation however often suffers from stem borer pest, known as boktor (Xystrocera festiva) and a gall rust disease, caused by fungi Uromycladium falcatarium. This research was aimed to characterize accessions of resistant and susceptible sengon individuals to both gall rust disease as well as stem borer pest using microsatellite markers. Totally 50 accessions of resistant and of resistant to stem borer pest were collected from Sumedang, West Jawa Province, while 88 accessions of resistant and of resistant to gall rust disease were sampled from Kediri, East Jawa Province and Sukabumi, Indonesia. Eight microsatellite markers could amplify most of the accessions used in this study and produce polymorphic fragments. High genetic diversity was detected in all of F. moluccana populations, with He ranged from 0.431 to 0.650. AMOVA showed that most genetic variations come from within populations. A dendrogram based on Nei’s genetic distance (1972) clustered some resistant accessions to either stem borer pest or gall rust disease separately from susceptible ones.

ARTHROPOD DIVERSITY LOSS DUE TO MONOCULTURE PRACTICE IN SOUTH LAMPUNG, INDONESIA

It has been widely known that animal biodiversity is higher in ‘more natural’ environment than agricultural system. Arthropod is one of phyla in animalia kingdom which member includes 90% of identifiable animal species and their diversity can act as bioindicator of environment health. The objective of this study is to compare arthropod diversity in mixed plantation, pasture, and monoculture plantation in South Lampung, Indonesia. Forty pitfall traps were set at 1 m interval in each area. Mixed plantation has the highest diversity index and the lowest dominance. Our result suggested that land-use change from natural environment, which is reflected by mixed plantation, into pasture and monoculture plantation has reduced arthropod diversity in South Lampung.

Assessment of Suitability of Tree Species for Bioenergy Production on Burned and Degraded Peatlands in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Large areas of deforested and degraded land, particularly degraded peatlands, need a viable long-term solution for restoration, ideally one that ensures energy security without compromising food security or biodiversity conversation. To address a knowledge gap on the most adaptive bioenergy crop(s) for degraded lands, this research project assessed the survival and growth performance of potential bioenergy crops to restore burned and degraded peatlands. Our methodology compared the bioenergy species with the potential to survive in extreme environments, i.e., gamal [Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.], kaliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner), kemiri sunan [Reutealis trisperma (Blanco) Airy Shaw], and nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum L.). Observed parameters are plant survival rates, tree height, and circular stem growth. The experiment was conducted between March 2016 to February 2017 in a two-hectare demonstration plot on burned and degraded peatland in Buntoi village, Pulang Pisau, Central Kalimantan province. Using a split plot design, two treatments were given to each species, i.e., monoculture plantation and agroforestry (intercropped with Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.); with each treatment, the species were replicated on two separate plots. Results indicate that nyamplung is the most adoptable species followed by kemiri sunan, however both species performed very well under agroforestry treatment when compared with monoculture. Further study is needed to assess the productivity and associate biofuel yield.