First high-quality genome assembly data of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll)

The sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll) is a all-rounder palm, it is both a tropical halophytic starch-producing palm as well as an ornamental plant. Recently, a genome survey was conducted on this palm using Illumina sequencing platform but the BUSCO genome completeness is very low (21.5%) and most of them (~78%) are either fragmented or missing. Thus, in this study, the sago palm genome completeness was further improved with the utilization of the Nanopore sequencing platform that produced longer reads. A hybrid genome assembly was conducted and the outcome was a much complete sago palm genome with BUSCO completeness achieved at as high as 97.9% with only ~2% of them either fragmented or missing. The estimated genome size of the sago palm is 509,812,790 bp in this study. A sum of 33,242 protein-coding genes were revealed from the sago palm genome and around 96.39% of them had been functionally annotated. An investigation on the carbohydrate metabolism KEGG pathways also unearthed that starch synthesis was one of the major sago palm activities. These data are indispensable for future molecular evolutionary and genome-wide association studies.

PEMANFAATAN HASIL HUTAN BUKAN KAYU SEBAGAI BAHAN BAKU ANYAMAN OLEH MASYARAKAT DESA PANDU RAYA KECAMATAN PARINDU KABUPATEN SANGGAU

The people of Pandu Raya Village, Parindu Subdistrict, Sanggau Regency, still use non-timber forest products which are used as raw materials for webbing. The research aims to analyze the use and describe the making of woven from non-timber forest products by the people of Pandu Raya Village, Parindu District, Sanggau Regency. The research method was carried out by interview. Retrieval of data using purposive sampling techniques. The results found 11 types of non-timber forest products used, namely 8 species of uwi such as uwi omak (Calamus javanensis Blume), uwi joronang (Daemonorops melanochaetes Blume), uwi siguh (Calamus caesius Blume), uwi golapak (Daemonorops geniculata (Giff) Mart) , uwi lowa (Korthalasia echinometra Blume), uwi danan (Calamus trachycoleus Becc), uwi marao (Korthalsia rigida Blume) and uwi joroyat (Calamus manan Miq). 1 type of korupok (Pandanus tectorius). 1 type of sago (Metroxylon sago) and 1 type of poring lantae (Gigantochloa hasskarliana). The highest utilization value (UV) was uwi omak (Calamus javanensis Blume) with a utilization value (0.8488) while the lowest utilization value was uwi danan (Calamus trachycoleus Becc) with a utilization value (0.3488). Of the 11 types of non-timber forest products used include stems with a percentage (50%), fronds with a percentage (9%) and leaves with a percentage (41%). The resulting webbing is in the form of raga, jarai, so`ok, tomik, korosah, punjuk, juah, jampot, koranyak, simpae and bakol, omaa` korupok, sorok, bomap, omaa` sago, roat sago, copat, limpak and oyok podi.Keywords: Non-Timber Forest Products, Utilization, Wicker. Masyarakat Desa Pandu Raya, Kecamatan Parindu, Kabupaten Sanggau, masih memanfaatkan hasil hutan bukan kayu yang dijadikan bahan baku anyaman. Penelitian bertujuan untuk menganalisis pemanfaatan dan mendeskripsikan pembuatan anyaman dari hasil hutan bukan kayu oleh masyarakat Desa Pandu Raya, Kecamatan Parindu, Kabupaten Sanggau. Metode penelitian dilakukan dengan wawancara. Pengambilan data menggunakan teknik Purposive sampling. Hasil penelitian ditemukan 11 jenis hasil hutan bukan kayu yang dimanfaatkan yaitu 8 jenis uwi seperti uwi omak (Calamus javanensis Blume), uwi joronang (Daemonorops melanochaetes Blume), uwi siguh (Calamus caesius Blume), uwi golapak (Daemonorops geniculata (Giff) Mart), uwi lowa (Korthalasia echinometra Blume), uwi danan (Calamus trachycoleus Becc), uwi marao (Korthalsia rigida Blume) dan uwi joroyat (Calamus manan Miq). Korupok 1 jenis (Pandanus tectorius). Sago 1 jenis (Metroxylon sagu) dan poring lantae 1 jenis (Gigantochloa hasskarliana). Nilai pemanfaatan (UV) tertinggi yaitu uwi omak (Calamus javanensis Blume) dengan nilai pemanfaatan (0,8488) sedangkan nilai pemanfaatan terendah yaitu uwi danan (Calamus trachycoleus Becc) dengan nilai pemanfaatan (0,3488). Dari 11 jenis hasil hutan bukan kayu yang dimanfaatkan meliputi batang dengan persentase (50%), pelepah dengan persentase (9%) dan daun dengan persentase (41%). Anyaman yang dihasilkan berupa raga, jarai, so`ok, tomik, korosah, pingat, juah, jampot, koranyak, simpae dan bakol, omaa` korupok, sorok, bomap, omaa` sago, roat sago, copat, limpak dan oyok podi.Kata Kunci: Anyaman, Hasil Hutan Bukan Kayu, Pemanfaatan

Amending Potassic Fertilizer with Charcoal and Sago (Metroxylon sagu) Bark Ash to Improve Potassium Availability in a Tropical Acid Soil

In Ultisols and Oxisols, potassium (K) in the soil solution is leached from the rhizosphere before it interacts with soil colloids, or exchanged with other cations at the exchange sites of the soils because of the abundance of kaolinite clay minerals. These soils are highly weathered, low in organic matter, and low in pH, but high aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe) ions. Hence, K becomes unavailable for plants, and this compromises crop production and farmers’ profitability. The pH neutralizing effects of sago (Metroxylon sagu) bark ash and the ability of charcoal to chelate Al and Fe could be utilized to improve soil pH, reduce soil acidity, and improve K availability. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of amending muriate of potash (MOP) with charcoal and sago bark ash on selected soil chemical properties in a tropical acid soil (Typic Paleudults) over 90 days in a laboratory incubation. The proportions of charcoal and sago bark ash were varied at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, but the MOP was fixed at 100% of the recommended rate. Selected soil chemical properties before and after incubation were determined using standard procedures. Results revealed that co-application of the soil amendments with MOP increased soil-exchangeable K compared with conventional practice. Moreover, amending the acid soil with charcoal and sago bark ash positively enhanced the availability of other base cations and soil cation exchange capacity (CEC). This was possible because the amendments increased soil pH and reduced exchangeable acidity, exchangeable Al3+, and exchangeable Fe2+. However, there was no significant improvement in water-soluble K (WSK) in the soil with or without charcoal and sago bark over the 90 days laboratory study. The findings of this study suggested that increasing soil pH could potentially improve soil K sorption capacity. Thus, the optimum rates of charcoal and sago bark ash to increase K availability were found to be 80% charcoal with 80% sago bark ash, 60% charcoal with 60% sago bark ash, and 80% charcoal with 40% sago bark ash, because these rates improved soil-exchangeable K+ and CEC significantly, besides minimizing soil-exchangeable acidity.

Sago and the indigenous peoples of Papua, Indonesia: A review

A significant concern with the food security issue worldwide is indigenous peoples and their food resources. The indigenous peoples of Papua are still very dependent on rice, a heavily imported commodity. During the global pandemic, the indigenous peoples of Papua faced the issue of food supply and food resilience. Simultaneously, Indonesia has the largest sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) palm-growing areas, accounting for over half (51%) of the 2.3 million hectares of sago worldwide, and about 90% of sago is estimated to be in Papua and Maluku. Indigenous food crops such as sago are exceptionally resilient to adverse local environments, highlighting their crucial role in ensuring food and nutrition security, particularly during a natural disaster. However, despite sago’s multiple uses and benefits, it is still poorly evaluated as a food resource by the government, with consumption at relatively low levels. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art regarding indigenous peoples and their food resources, focusing on why sago is essential, not only for the indigenous peoples of Papua but also for the possibility of introducing sago to the world.

Isolation and Identification of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria from Sago Palm (Metroxylon sagu, Rottb.)

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are strains of naturally occurring soil bacteria that live in close vicinity to the plant’s rhizosphere region which possess the capability to augment host growth. This study was conducted to isolate and identify potential PGPR isolates indigenous to Metroxylon sagu, Rottb. rhizosphere. These potential isolates were characterised based on their beneficial plant growth promoting (PGP) properties and identified by molecular analysis via 16S rDNA sequencing. A total of 18 isolates were successfully isolated, out of which five isolates were tested, and designated as (S1A, S2B, S3A, S3C and S42). Among the five isolates, two isolates (S2B and S3C) were found to produce high levels of indole-3-acetic acid (2.96 μg/mL and 10.31 μg/mL), able to fix nitrogen and show significant activity in phosphate solubilisation. The analysis of their sequences via National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) suggested their close identity towards Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis. It can be concluded that the isolated PGPR possesses beneficial PGP attributes. It can be implied that the isolated PGPR are potential to be used as inoculant biofertilisers, beneficial for Metroxylon sagu, Rottb. growth. Hence, further studies need to be done to evaluate the effectiveness of the beneficial microbes towards sago seedlings growth, under pot experiment.

Optimisation of Charcoal and Sago (Metroxylon sagu) Bark Ash to Improve Phosphorus Availability in Acidic Soils

Soil acidity is an important soil factor affecting crop growth and development. This ultimately limits crop productivity and the profitability of farmers. Soil acidity increases the toxicity of Al, Fe, H, and Mn. The abundance of Al and Fe ions in weathered soils has been implicated in P fixation. To date, limited research has attempted to unravel the use of charcoal with the incorporation of sago (Metroxylon sagu) bark ash to reduce P fixation. Therefore, an incubation study was conducted in the Soil Science Laboratory of Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Malaysia for 90 days to determine the optimum amounts of charcoal and sago bark ash that could be used to improve the P availability of a mineral acidic soil. Charcoal and sago bark ash rates varied by 25%, whereas Egypt rock phosphate (ERP) rate was fixed at 100% of the recommendation rate. Soil available P was determined using the Mehlich 1 method, soil total P was extracted using the aqua regia method, and inorganic P was fractionated using the sequential extraction method based on its relative solubility. Other selected soil chemical properties were determined using standard procedures. The results reveal that co-application of charcoal, regardless of rate, substantially increased soil total carbon. In addition, application of 75% sago bark ash increased soil pH and at the same time, it reduced exchangeable acidity, Al3+, and Fe2+. Additionally, amending acidic soils with both charcoal and sago bark ash positively enhanced the availability of K, Ca, Mg, and Na. Although there was no significant improvement in soil Mehlich-P with or without charcoal and sago bark ash, the application of these amendments altered inorganic P fractions in the soil. Calcium-bound phosphorus was more pronounced compared with Al-P and Fe-P for the soil with ERP, charcoal, and sago bark ash. The findings of this study suggest that as soil pH decreases, P fixation by Al and Fe can be minimised using charcoal and sago bark ash. This is because of the alkalinity of sago bark ash and the high affinity of charcoal for Al and Fe ions to impede Al and Fe hydrolysis to produce more H+. Thus, the optimum rates of charcoal and sago bark ash to increase P availability are 75% sago bark ash with 75%, 50%, and 25% charcoal because these rates significantly reduced soil exchangeable acidity, Al3+, and Fe2+.

Variation in Leaf Morphology of Sago Trees (Metroxylon sagu) in South Borneo Province, Indonesia.

Natural populations of sago (Metroxylon sagu) in Indonesia show morphological variations in its organs, particularly the leaves. The existing variations resulted in sago type names provided by the locals. The sago plant types include Mahang, Buntal, Salak, Madang and Gandut. Sago leaves are economically important in Indonesia, mainly because they provide a potentially profitable and environment-friendly source of house roofing materials. Determining leaf variation among sago plants would provide information for a better way of choosing which among the current accessions/varieties of sago has the best leaf quality and production. Leaf variations in sago were recorded in shape, size, and color. The aim of this study are a) to compare differences in leaf morphology among sago types obtained from different geographic areas, and b) to determine whether these different sago types correspond to certain sago plant grouping. The qualitative and quantitative analysis showed variations in leaf characteristics of sago trees. Additionally, this study shows that based on leaf variations, the sago of South Borneo Province can be separated into two groups. The first group is Mahang and Gandut, which have long rachis, leaflets and leaves, and largest leaf area. The second group composed of Buntal, Salak and Madang accessions, which have short rachis and leaves, and smallest leaf area. Other results showed that there were characters that contributed significantly to the diversity of sago plants in the study area including spines, white stripe or banding on the rachis and petiole length. In line with our results, Mahang and Gandut accessions are the best accessions to be cultivated in the area, because they have wider leaves which support higher rates of photosynthesis. Further study should be conducted on phylogenetic using DNA sequencing to confirm divisions of the two sago groups.