Twenty-three Indonesian participants completed SEAMEO BIOTROP’s training course on weed management in forestry and plantation systems held on 19-24 May 2014 at the Centre’s headquarter in Bogor. They came from the Indonesian Institute of Science, sugarcane and oil palm plantation companies, and agrochemical companies.

The objectives of the training course were to refresh the participants on the basic and recent advances on the management and control of weeds and Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS), and to serve as a forum for exchange of information and establish collaboration among participants representing government and private sectors. 

In his welcome and opening remarks, SEAMEO BIOTROP Deputy Director for Program Dr. Jess Fernandez stressed the important roles of all sectors in controlling and managing weeds and IAS in forestry and plantation systems. After the opening program, he facilitated the workshop for the participants to identify the current issues and the actions needed in weed and IAS control and management in Indonesia in the context of the sectors they represent.

The training course covered the following topics: concepts of weeds and invasive alien plant species; taxonomy and morphology of weed and weed identification; impacts of weeds on plantations and forestry systems; integrated weed management, and weed control and risk assessment. On the other hand, practical works were conducted on weed identification, vegetation analysis, and competitions and biological control of weeds.  The participants also had the opportunity to practice vegetation analysis during a field trip at an Oil Palm Plantation in Cimulang.

Resource persons during the training course were Dr. Soekisman Tjitrosoedirdjo, Dr. Sri Sudarmiyati Tjitrosoedirdjo,  Drs. Imam Mawardi, and Ir. Sri Widyawanti from SEAMEO BIOTROP; Ir. Kasno, MSc and Dr. Dwi Guntoro   from  Bogor Agricultural University, and Mr. Remaja Sitepu and Mr. Gunarja from Gunung Madu Sugarcane Plantation.

As a requirement, the participants presented and submitted the outputs of their group research projects on vegetation herbicide selectivity analysis, weed competition, weed risk analysis, and biological control of  water hyacinth.
During the closing program, SEAMEO BIOTROP Director Dr. Bambang Purwantara congratulated the participants and handed over their certificates of completion.

Dr. Sri S. Tjitrosoedirdjo served as the technical training coordinator.