In-vitro propagation: application of gibberellic acid (GA3) in enhancing germination in ‘Jernang’ or ‘Dragon Blood’ (Daemonorops sp.)

Abstract

‘Dragon blood’ (Daemonorops sp.) is widely known as one of the indigenous Non-Forest Timber Products (NFTP) with high economical value in the deep forests of Indonesian and Malaysian Peninsula. The name referred to red resinous exudations from four distinct plant species that are endemic to various eco-geographical regions. It has been highly valued in Chinese traditional medicines or painting industries since the 14th century. Its resin is strongly related with active bio-compound with strong curing activities for stomach ulcers or intestines’ related cancer. However, jernang’s number of population in its natural habitats has been decreasing over the past three decades as a result of unsustainable harvesting. Thus, this has dramatically reduced its population and lower genetic diversity. Another challenge is that the period of seed germination is relatively long; namely up to 12 weeks as the seeds are usually covered with thick coat. Thus, immersion in water is prerequisite in order to support the germination. The best performance was shown with 1*24 h water imbibed seeds with GA3 (W = 2 mg l−1). For in-vitro, various organs from 3-4 months old of young seedlings were employed as explants. However, current mixture of media did not promote an accelerated growth of explants. Therefore, applying another mixture of growth hormone is highly recommended in order to deliver better experimental result. This paper can be concluded as a basic pioneer in ex-situ conservation of ‘jernang’.