Source: SEAMEO BIOTROP's Research Grant | 2011
Abstract:
Pinus merkusii is an important industrial tree species for pulp and paper that grows across Southeast Asian countries. In Indonesia, it is the most favored species for gum resin production, reafforestation, and rehabilitation. Leaked resin pinus is one pine genotype that gives high resin productivity. However, tree improvement in terms of vegetative propagation, and genetic and wood anatomy analyes are needed to address the problem of decreasing pine forest areas and the market demand for better quality and sufficient quantity of resin.The research showed that the selected leaked resin pinus candidates can be propagated by vegetative method through vascicular multiplication, cutting and grafting. But proper consideration of plant age and the condition of the plant materials is needed to ensure success.
Verification of morphological characteristics of the pinus candidates indicated correlation among total tree height, branch-free height and slope with quantity of resin, while molecular verification showed high genetic variations (He) among them. Cluster analysis results indicated that individual leaked resin candidates could be divided into two major groups, i.e., higher and lower leaked. Heritability ranged from 0.4478 for lower leaked resin to 0.5289 for higher leaked resin. The results of wood anatomy verification showed that there are differences in macroscopic and microscopic properties among lower leaked, higher leaked and normal wood. Resin duct diameter for higher leaked resin ranged from 449.57 to 661.27 um while for lower leaked candidates ranged from 434.82 to 492.77 um. At normal pine resin duct diameter ranged between 170 and 190 um.
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