Identification of mother plant for in vitro propagation of sumatra benzoin as a strategy to improve non-timber forest product

Abstract

Efforts to increase non-timber forest products need to be made to prevent illegal logging. One of the strategy is increasing the production of frankincense sap, which has high economic value as a raw material for medicine and cosmetics. This study aims to choose the best Sumatra Benzoin (Styrax benzoin Dryander) mother plant that qualifies as a source of explants for in vitro propagation, in an effort to provide seeds for forest conservation and at the same time to increase non-timber products. The research was conducted in the forest area of Pakpak Bharat Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The research stages included surveying the Sumatran Benzoin plants in forest areas, identifying plant quality phenotically, and determining the best plants based on the production of incense sap. The production of incense sap at each harvest period is determined based on the quantity and quality of the sap produced by using traditional tapping techniques. The best parent plants was chosen as the source of explants for in vitro propagation. The mature and productive Sumatra Benzoin trees had been identified and marked as good quality plants that met the criteria as mother plants for in vitro propagation. The traditional technique used by the farmers to extract frankincense sap from mature trees is described in this study which guarantees the production of gum in large quantities and with very good quality of sap. The best quality mother plant has been selected, namely plant of Styrax benzoin Dryander that is phenotically very fertile, dense, bearing fruit, relatively resistant to various forest plant diseases, and productive produce lagrge quantity accompany with very good quality incense sap. This mother plant has been determined as the source of explantsin the in vitro propagation of Sumatra Benzoin.