Assessing Intensity of Mistletoe Infestation in Teak Clonal Seed Orchard (CSO) Padangan, East Java

Abstract

Teak Clonal Seed Orchards (CSO) in Perum Perhutani are an essential source of improved seeds that are managed with appropriate silvicultural practices including pest and disease monitoring. However, the attack of mistletoe has been observed recently in the orchard and become a significant parasite causing decrease fruit yields in many mother trees. Attempts to overcome of this problem have not yet been well formulated due to lack of basic information on the mistletoe. The main objective of this research was to assess the degree of teak mistletoe infestation within the teak CSO, located in Padangan near Cepu, East Java. The assessment was carried out in compartments of teak clones that have been designated as observation sample plots/OSPs (n = 4) with size of more than 1ha depending on distribution observation measurement plots/OMPs within OSP following various infestation intensities, namely low, moderate, high and control (no infestation). Four OMPs (@ 50 m x 50 m) per OSP, each comprising of 25 trees, were made to record infestation intensity referring to modified TMR (true mistletoe rating) of 9-class systems, i.e. rating of mistletoe amount and infected branch intensity. Results showed that levels of mistletoe infestation ranging from rather slight to rather moderate (TMR 0.86 – 3.58). Additional data from map of teak mistletoe species distribution showed that Dendrophthoe pentandra and Macrosolen tetragonus were observed in the whole area, while Viscum articulatum was found only in certain area.