Tracing the Geographic Origin of Merbau (Intsia palembanica Miq.) in Century Old Planting Trials

Our study highlights the utilization of a genetic database for wood-origin identification in Intsia palembanica, a valuable heavy hardwood from the tropical forests. This forensic tool is essential for strengthening the verification of legality in the wood supply chain from the forest to the end-users. An increasing number of rules and regulations are being put in place to promote sustainable practice in the timber trade, one of which involves ensuring that importers declare the correct species name and source of geographic origin of the timber. We aimed to determine the origin of the I. palembanica seed source used in the early establishment on the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) campus. DNA samples of I. palembanica individuals from the FRIM campus were obtained and analyzed using four chloroplast (cp) DNA markers to characterize the haplotype variants for population identification. In addition, the DNA samples were also genotyped at 14 short tandem repeat (STR) loci for individual identification. Individual assignment to the possible geographic origin was done through an assignment test. On the basis of our recently developed I. palembanica genetic databases, the I. palembanica seed source for the early establishment was inferred to be originated from a mixture of several sources, with a large portion from the southern region (89%) and a relatively small portion from the northern region (11%) of Peninsular Malaysia. The I. palembanica seed source used for the early establishment on the century old FRIM campus was inferred to be originated from several forest reserves located not far from the planting sites. This study proves the applicability of the DNA method in supply-chain verification, where an unknown I. palembanica tree can be traced to its geographic origin using genetic databases.

POTENSI TUMBUHAN BERKAYU GETAH MERAH PADA KAWASAN HUTAN BEMBAB KABUPATEN MANOKWARI SELATAN

Tujuan dari penelitian ini ialah untuk mengetahui potensi dan keragaman jenis tumbuhan bergetah merah di kawasan hutan Bembab Kabupaten Manokwari Selatan dengan menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan kegiatan survey dan pengambilan data lapangan sesuai desain plot pengamatan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat 15 jenis dari 7 genus dan 3 famili tumbuhan penghasil getah merah di kawasan hutan Bembab. Total kerapatan tumbuhan getah merah untuk semua fase pertumbuhan mencapai 5.038 individu per hektarnya dengan rata-rata kerapatan individu per hektarnya sebesar 336. Secara rinci, kerapatan jenis tumbuhan penghasil getah merah berkisar dari tingkat kerapatan tinggi hingga rendah sebagai berikut: Pometia coreace dengan 3117 individu, Intsia bijuga dengan 744 individu, Intsia palembanica dengan 385 individu, Pometia pinnata dengan 276 individu, Incarpus fagifer dengan 151 individu, Myristica fatua dengan 107 individu, Myristica subumbrans dengan 98 individu, Pterocarpus indicus dengan 72 individu, Gymnacranthera farquhariana dengan 28 individu, Horsfildia sylvestris dengan 25 individu, Myristica subargantea dengan 17 individu, Horsfieldia iryana and Horsfieldia parviflora dengan 4 individu, dan juga Horsfieldia irya dengan hanya 1 individu.

The Utilization of Cocopeat as Growing Media for Paraserianthes falcataria and Intsia palembanica

Rising urban development decreased the availability of topsoil for growing media. Therefore, it was necessary to study potential alternative media such as cocopeat. The objective of the study wasto know the optimum composition of cocopeat and soil for optimum growth of Paraserianthes falcataria and Intsia palembanica. The method used was a complete random design. Five treatments were applied to each seedling, included: A (100% soil), B (75% soil + 25% cocopeat), C (50% soil + 50% cocopeat), D (25% soil + 75% cocopeat) and E (100% cocopeat). Seedlings growth were analyzed using analysis of variance, followed by least significant different (LSD) test. Result showed that the 25% cocopeat compound was the most optimum composition for Intsia palembanica seedlings, while 25% and 50% of cocopeat composition was the most optimum for the Paraserianthes falcataria growth. Keyword : cocopeat, growing media, Intsia palembanica, Paraserianthes falcataria, seedling growth.

Upaya Perbaikan Pertumbuhan Bibit Merbau Darat (Intsia Palembanica) Dengan Naungan Dan Pemupukan

Mirabow (Intsia palembanica) is one of high quality tropical wood. The wood of mirabow is categorized in durable class I, II and strong class I, II. Mirabow has the straight wood fiber, can be used as plywood, panels, furniture, musical instrument and beautiful shiny wood surface. Among the factors that affect plant growth were shading intensity and nutrients. The purpose of the research were to figure out the effect of shading intensity and fertilization to the growth of mirabow. The Block Randomized Design (BRD) of 4 groups and 3 treatment was employed as research design. Group of the reseach was the provision of no shading (0%), shading intensity 55%, shading intensity 65%, and shading intensity 75%, meanwhile the dose of NPK fertilizer of 0 g/polybag, 2 g/polybag, and 4 g/polybag were employed as the treatments. The large of experimental unit were used 1 seedling. The variable that was observed were high accretion, diameter accretion, root length, number of leaves, crown root ratio, dry weight of crown, dry weight of root, total dry weight and quality index of seedling. Bartlett test was employed to figure out the homogenity of datas. Then, analysis of variance was used to the least significant difference. The entire data tested on 5% significant level. The results showed that 55% shading intensity, obviously increase the dry weight of crown, however the shading intensity more than 65% in fact, evidently decrease the dry weight crown and total dry weight of mirabow seedling. The dose of 4 g/polybag of NPK fertilizer, evidently the number of leaves, crown root ratio, dry weight of crown and total dry weight of mirabow seedling.Keywords : mirabow, seed fertilisation, shading intensity