Hybrid rice development in Indonesia: constraints and opportunities

This paper reviews the constraints and opportunities of hybrid rice development in Indonesia. Indonesia has released more than a hundred hybrid rice varieties; Indonesian Center for Rice Research (ICRR) developed 21 varieties. Extensive trials were conducted on the various aspects of seed production by government sectors and private companies. Significant progress has been made in hybrid rice seed production, with seed yield increasing from 1 t/ha to 3 t/ha. Various problems should be considered to develop a good seed production system. The constraints are the low outcrossing rate, shortage of suitable land, high cost and labor, lack of trained personnel, climatic fluctuations in rainfall and temperature, and limited hybrid rice seed grower. Private sectors investment in hybrid rice has been increased. Positive support from government and private companies will boost hybrid rice’s adoption rapidity. Collaboration of hybrid rice dissemination across institutions was a meaningful way to encourage hybrid rice adoption. Optimizing seed production technologies could significantly increase the present level of hybrid seed yield. The opportunities are an increase of rice demand, various materials genetic, distribution of rice ecosystem, and public-private sector partnership that developed on hybrid seed production to accelerate the adoption of hybrid rice. It supports not only the research and development but also the dissemination and adoption.

Upaya Peningkatan Produksi Kentang Melalui Penggunaan Benih Bersertifikasi di Kawasan Sembalun, Kabupaten Lombok Timur

Melalui kegiatan pengabdian pada Masyarakat ini Perguruan Tinggi ingin membantu diseminasi produksi benih kentang yang bermutu bersertifikat dan menjadikan kelompok tani sebagai penangkar benih (Seed Grower) yang handal secara berkelanjutan. Keberadaan penangkar benih ini diharapkan dapat mensuplai benih pada budidaya kentang khususnya ditingkat lokal kawasan Sembalun . Adanya penangkar Benih kentang ini sekaligus dapat meningkatkan income generating dari Kelompok Petani penangkar dan permasahan penyediaan benih bermutu untuk petani di Kawasan Sembalun khususnya dan di Kabupaten Lombok Timur pada umumnya dapat diatasi. Selanjutnya penggunaan benih bermutu bersertifikasi diharapkan juga dapat meningkatkan produksi kentang dan akhirnya dapat meningkatkan pendapatan petani. Berdasarkan hasil kegiatan dan evaluasi yang dilakukan antara lain diperoleh bahwa Penyuluhan yang diikuti dengan demonstrasi Plot budidaya benih kentang bersertifikat bagi Masyarakat Kelompok Tani Calon Penangkar Benih di Desa Sembalun Bumbung- Lombok Timur dapat meningkatkan minat, pengetahuan dan keterampilan masyarakat petani dalam pengembangan benih Kentang bersertifikat, sehingga produksi dan kualitas kentang yang dihasilkan menjadi lebih baik. Masyarakat desa Sembalun Bumbung mempunyai motivasi yang tinggi untuk mengusahakan tanaman kentang termasuk minat yang cukup tinggi untuk menjadi penangkar benih kentang. Untuk keberlanjutan usaha perbenihan disarankan antara lain perlunya pengawasan dan bimbingan yang terus menerus kepada petani penangkar benih kentang di desa Sembalun Bumbung terutama dari pihak terkait seperti BPSB sehingga kelas atau mutu dan kualitas benih kentang yang dihasilkan menjadi lebih baik dan lebih profesional sebagai penagkar benih. Disarankan kepada para petani calon penangkar benih kentang agar terus meningkatkan kualitas benih yang dihasilkan dengan cara melengkapi sarana dan prasarana seperti penyiapkan gudang penyimpanan benih.Kata Kunci: Benh Kentang; sertifikat; Penangkar; Sembalun

Incidence of Colletotrichum coccodes in Certified Potato Seed Tubers Planted in Washington State

Incidence of Colletotrichum coccodes in lots of certified seed tubers planted in Washington state, originating from nine western and midwestern states in the United State and two provinces in Canada, ranged from 0 to 90% in 1994 and 0 to 53% in 1995. In 1994, significant interactions between state/province and cultivar, and between seed grower and cultivar, were evident. In 1995, incidence of C. coccodes in seed lots did not vary significantly among states and cultivars. C. coccodes was not isolated from nuclear seed tubers and incidence of infected tubers was higher with higher seed generations. The fungus was isolated from the tuber periderm and outer medulla tissues and isolation frequency was greater from tuber stem ends than from either bud ends or lateral sections. Significantly greater stem infections developed in plants grown from seed tubers in which C. coccodes had been detected than in plants grown from seed tubers from which C. coccodes had not been isolated. This study confirms that C. coccodes is distributed among potato-production areas within seed tubers, and that seed tuber infection increases the incidence of early-season plant infection.

TEN NOTABLE WOMEN HORTICULTURISTS IN THE HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE

There are many notable women horticulturists who deserve greater recognition in college horticultural curricula. Ten notable women in horticultural history, listed alphabetically, are,Jenny Butchart (1868-1950) - Created Butchart Gardens.Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959) - American landscape gardener, famous for Dumbarton Oaks and many other landscapes.Annie Jack (1839-1912) - Canadian horticultural author.Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) - English landscape gardener.Martha Logan (1702/04-1779) - Pioneer nurseryman.Jane Loudon (1807-1858) - English horticultural author.Isabella Preston (1881-1965) - Canadian plant breeder.Theodosia Burr Shepherd (1845-1906)- Pioneer California flower seed grower/breeder and retail florist.Harriet Williams Russell Strong (1844-1926) - Pioneer in irrigation and in the California walnut industry.Cynthia Westcott (1898-1983) - The plant doctor.

A seed dresser's perspective of seed production

The objective is to optimise financial return to the seed grower by saving the maximum amount of seed at the highest possible quality standards. It is possible to always achieve the highest grades by dressing* a line very hard and discarding a large proportion of the sample, with a loss of potential value to the grower. It is also possible to take out too little of the empty seed and weeds, with a consequential loss of value to the grower which may equal that of the first instance. The trick is'to achieve a balance wherein all possible good seed is saved while the required standards for that type of seed are still met.