Paraserianthes Falcataria Research Articles

Pathogenicity test of sengon (Falcataria moluccana) seed-borne endophytic fungus

The sengon (Falcataria moluccana) is one of the high-economic and highly cultivated industrial plants in Indonesia. Attacks by pests and diseases can affect quality and quantity and thus require effective control. One of the rare sengon plant fungus explorations has been developed. This study aims to find out the pathogenicity of 13 seed-borne endophytic fungi from sengon seeds. The result shows that seven endophytic fungi were pathogenic (Daldinia sp, Curvularia lunata, Sardiomycetes sp. Eremothecium ashbyi, Annulohypoxylon stygium. Arthrinium malaysianum, Annulohypoxylon nitens) and six non-pathogenic (Onchroconis humicola, Cladophialophora boppii, Aspergillus ruber, Aspergillus chevalieri, Ascotricha sp., and not identified fungi). Thus the isolated endophytic fungi mainly were potentially pathogenic. Among the six species of non-pathogenic endophytic fungi, O. humicola is better able to increase the increase of plumules, radicals, cotyledons, and leaves higher than six other isolates

Furfurylation Effects on Discoloration and Physical-Mechanical Properties of Wood from Tropical Plantation Forests

Wood from tropical plantation forests has lower physical and mechanical properties than mature wood. Furfuryl alcohol (FA) impregnation into the wood could help to enhance hydrophobic properties, dimensional stability, and structural strength. Furfurylation was applied to specimens of the following four fast-growing tropical wood species: jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba), sengon (Falcataria moluccana), mangium (Acacia mangium), and pine (Pinus merkusii). The discoloration and physical and mechanical properties were subsequently measured, and the results showed that furfurylated wood had a darker color and better physical and mechanical properties than untreated wood. Specifically, the furfurylated wood had higher density, modulus of elasticity, and hardness and lower moisture content, water absorption, swelling, and shrinkage. The furfurylation significantly enhanced physical and mechanical properties.

The Effect of Invigoration Using Polyethylene Glycol And Ultra Fine Bubble on Improving of Sengon Seeds (Falcataria Moluccana Miq.) Quality After Two Years Storage

Utilization of seeds storage results in decreased plant productivity. The increase can be used by treating seeds before planting through the technique of invigoration. This purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of invigoration methods using polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and ultrafine bubbles (UFB) to improve viability and vigor of sengon seeds (Falcataria moluccana). Seed agieng using 96 % ethanol was carried out to obtain the diversity of seedlot viability as the materials for testing the effectiveness of invigoration treatments. A complete random design was used to test the effectiveness of 5 invigoration treatments, i.e., seed without invigoration treatment, soaking in PEG 6000 -0.8 Mpa, soaking in PEG 6000 -1.2 Mpa, soaking in UFB water injected by environmental air, and soaking in UFB water injected by oxygen 99 %, with soaking time is 24 hours for each treatment. Seed agieng resulted three classes of seed viability, i.e. 62 % (initial seed), 83 % (seed agieng for 30 minutes) and 57 % (seed agieng for 60 minutes). In the condition of seed germination before treatment (DBA) 57 % and DBA 62%, invigoration treatments were significantly affected on seed germination capacity, but not significantly different in DBA 83 %. The soaking treatment of UFB injected by oxigen 99 % was able to improve the germination parameters (germination capacity, germination rate, and vigor index) on the sengon seeds with DBA 57 %. For seeds with DBA 62 %, the soaking treatment in UFB injected by environmental air was provided the best germination capacity, T50, and vigor index. The treatment of UFB injected by oxygen 99 % was more effective to improve the seed with very low viability and vigor (DBA 57 %). In general, improving of seed viability and vigor is more effective by using UFB than PEG 6000.

Provision of land resources for the sustainable sengon raw material industry in Bedadung Jember Watershed

Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) is a mainstay commodity as an industrial raw material, so it has high economic value. The domino effect that appears is the increase in the area of ​​​​sengon land and causes changes in land use. Land conversion will be vulnerable to erosion and increase the level of erosion hazards. Inappropriate land changes will also threaten the sustainability of the agroindustry, therefore it is necessary to evaluate the suitability of the sengon plant land. This study aims to identify the suitability of sengon land in the Bedadung watershed for sustainable agro-industry development. The analyzed parameters are 14 and the method used is matching and overlay. The results of land suitability analysis on dominant sengon plants were categorized as S3 "marginally appropriate" (48.07%). The limiting factor for sengon plants is rainfall as a source of water and soil solum. Efforts to increase the rainfall factor are to build reservoirs or dams, but these improvements require a lot of money and time. Meanwhile, efforts to improve soil solum are difficult because it takes a long time. Thus, the sengon commodity in Jember Regency will experience sustainability problems if the limiting factor is not found a solution.

Host range studies of Fusarium oxysporum, causal agent of seedling wilt disease of Acacia mangium

Abstract. Soleha S, Muslim A, Suwandi S, Kadir S, Pratama R. 2021. Host range studies of Fusarium oxysporum, causal agent of seedling wilt disease of Acacia mangium. Biodiversitas 23: 25-32. Fusarium oxysporum is a serious pathogen that causes severe wilt disease in commercial nurseries of Acacia mangium in South Sumatra, Indonesia. This study aimed to investigate the host range of F. oxysporum as a nursery wilt pathogen in A. mangium and several forest and industrial plants. Three isolates of F. oxysporum with different translation elongation factor (tef 1-a) sequences were tested for pathogenicity on different fabaceae family plants and the growth of population was also observed. The results showed that all the three isolates were able to infect all the tested plants with different reactions of wilt disease. The Acacia crassicarpa and Falcataria moluccana were highly susceptible; Archidendron pauciflorum, Leucaena leucocephala, and Parkia speciosa were moderately vulnerable and Acacia auriculiformis was moderately resistant. The pathogen population in A. crassicarpa and F. moluccana grew rapidly along with the increase in disease scores, while in L. leucocephala it was moderate, and slow in A. pauciflorum, P. speciosa and A. auriculiformis plants. In conclusion, F. oxysporum pathogen, which was isolated from A. mangium, has a wide range of hosts in the fabaceae family.

Phenotypic and Genetic Diversity Evaluation of Sengon (Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barneby & JW Grimes) from Solomon Provenance on Progeny Trial in Cirangsad Experimental Forest, West Java

Initial evaluation of phenotypic variability and genetic diversity was conducted on the progeny test of 2 years-old sengon from Solomon provenance, which derived from nine families of mother tree and were then planted in 4 blocks in the Cirangsad Experimental Forest. Phenotypic assessment on eight traits was conducted on 36 trees using a scoring system, while genetic diversity of 15 selected individuals which represented high and low-score phenotypic traits was analyzed using 5 selected RAPD primers. The result on phenotypic assessment showed that family 3 (57.25 points) has the highest average score of phenotypic quality and family 4 has the lowest average score (7.50 points). Furthermore, genetic analysis showed that the low-scoring sengon population had a greater mean genetic diversity (He = 0.2535) than the high-score population (He = 0.2345). The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a significant genetic differences (p-value < 0.001) among high and low-score populations and the dendrogram of genetic distance revealed clustering of individuals having similar superior phenotypic against those having non-superior, indicating the selection based on phenotypes in this study had succeeded in pooling the good quantitative alleles in the selected population. This evaluation results can be used as a reference in determining the best families to produce superior sengon (from Solomon provenance) offspring in the future that have desired adaptability, productivity, and diversity.

Intercropping Short Rotation Timber Species with Teak: Enabling Smallholder Silviculture Practices

Community forest management for timber production requires short- and long-rotation companion species to fulfill the demands of the timber industry, improve farmer welfare and maintain environmental sustainability. Four species (Falcataria moluccana, Neolamarckia cadamba, Acacia mangium and Gmelina arborea) were tested as short-rotation timber crop companion species for teak (Tectona grandis) on dry-rocky soil in the Gunungkidul community forest. The selection of short-rotation timber species was based on growth performance and survival rate at the teak site. Two years after planting, the viability of G. arborea (87.3%) and A. mangium (78.2%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of N. cadamba (40.6%) and F. moluccana (18.0%). G. arborea and N. cadamba achieved the best growth in terms of height, diameter, basal area, and volume, with the growth of A. mangium and F. moluccana being significantly inferior. Gmelina arborea has the ability to adapt to teak sites, grow well, and accompany teak. Neolamarckia cadamba demonstrated good growth with potential as a teak companion, and it demonstrated limited drought tolerance on the dry-rocky soils of the study sites. Acacia mangium had a high survival but produced slow growth, indicating that it required an advance evaluation in future years. Falcataria moluccana has different growing site requirements to teak so the performance was relatively poor at the study site. This mixed pattern provides benefits to farmers through commercial thinning of short rotations species, 5–8 years post establishment. Thinning operations will also increase the productivity of residual teak stands. The diversification of timber species in community forests can provide earlier returns, enabling the adoption of silviculture management by smallholders and communities.

Diversity of mistletoes and their distribution in Dramaga Campus, West Java, Indonesia

Mistletoes are flowering plants in the Santalales order that parasitize the branches of trees and shrubs. The objective of this research was to reveal the diversity of mistletoe species and record their distribution within this study site. The study site was Dramaga Campus (240 ha), which consisted of a mosaic of tree plantation, experimental fields, buildings, and a housing complex. Field research was conducted in February-March 2021 by censusing all mistletoes, their distribution, and plant species parasitized by the mistletoes. There were 351 individual mistletoes found, consisted of 5 species: Dendrophthtoepentandra (55.2%), Viscum ovalifolium (32.3%), Scurrula atropurpurea (9.1%), Macrosolen chochinchinensis (2.8%), and Viscum articulatum (0.6%). These mistletoes were found mostly on branches or twigs (99.1%) and few on trunks (0.9%) of 49 tree species (25 families) having an average height of 14.9±4.2m, and diameter 34.11± 22.22cm. Tree species frequently parasitized were Falcataria moluccana (32.8%), followed by Samanea saman (12.5%), and Averrhoa carambola (7.7%). Most mistletoes were found in the open area (99.1%), including on trees between/among buildings and along roads/streets, mainly on the south and southeast part of the campus. The mistletoe attacked in this research location was included in the low category (79.4%).

UJI EFEKTIVITAS FUNGISIDA NABATI SEBAGAI BAHAN PENGAWET UNTUK MENCEGAH SERANGAN JAMUR PEWARNA KAYU

Woods which have low natural durability are easy to be attacked with wood staining fungi (blue stain) so can decrease its wood quality. Syzygium aromaticum, Melia azedarach and Piper betle contain of active components (botanical fungicide) that can be used as natural preservative to prevent staining fungi attack. The purpose of this research is to know effect of botanical fungicide species and preserved wood investigated, i.e Paraserianthes falcataria and Toona sureni on the attack intensity of wood staining fungi. Results of the research showed that interaction between botanical fungicide and wood species gived very significant effect on the attack intensity of wood staining fungi. The lowest of attack intensity was resulted on Toona sureni that had preserved by Melia azedarach leaf extract. The leaf extract of Syzygium aromaticum, Melia azedarach and Piper betle could keep Paraserianthes falcataria and Toona sureni wood against staining fungi. Toona sureni wood was more resist against wood staining fungi than Paraserianthes falcataria, it was due to higher extractive in Toona sureni than Paraserianthes falcataria. To preserve woods which had bright colour such as Paraserianthes falcataria, more suitable to use Melia azedarach leaf extract which not change wood colour. 
 Key words: Botanical Fungicide, Preservative, Wood Staining Fungi

Dimensional Stability of Treated Sengon Wood by Nano-Silica of Betung Bamboo Leaves

Sengon (Falcataria moluccana Miq.) is one of the fastest growing wood that is broadly planted in Indonesia. Sengon wood has inferior wood properties, such as a low density and dimensional stability. Therefore, sengon wood requires a method to improve its wood quality through wood modification. One type of wood modification is wood impregnation. On the other hand, Betung Bamboo leaves are considered as waste. Betung Bamboo leaves contain silica. Based on several researches, nano-SiO2 could improve fast-growing wood qualities. According to its perfect solubility in water, monoethylene glycol (MEG) is used in the study. The objectives are to evaluate the impregnation treatment (MEG and nano-silica originated from betung bamboo leaves) in regard to the dimensional stability and density of 5-year-old sengon wood and to characterize the treated sengon wood. MEG, MNano-Silica 0.5%, MNano-Silica 0.75%, and MNano-Silica 1% were used as impregnation solutions. The impregnation method was started with 0.5 bar of vacuum for 60 min, followed by 2.5 bar of pressure for 120 min. The dimensional stability, density, and characterization of the samples were studied through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the treatment had a significant effect on the dimensional stability and density of sengon wood. Alterations in the morphology of treated sengon wood were observed through the full coverage of the pits on the vessel walls (SEM analysis results) and the detection of ethylene (FTIR analysis results) and silica (XRD and FTIR analysis results). Overall, the 0.75% MNano-Silica treatment was the most optimal treatment for increasing the dimensional stability and density of 5-year-old sengon wood.

Diversity of Endomycorrhizas in Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barneby & J.W. Grimes Affected by Gall Rust Disease in Laguna, Philippines

Endomycorrhizas or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are microfungal associates known to facilitate nutrient absorption in higher plants that benefit growth and survival. Studies have shown that they can induce systemic host resistance against pathogenic fungi, but little information is known about its contributions to gall rust disease in Falcataria moluccana, an important plantation tree species. This paper investigated the community of endomycorrhizas under F. moluccana stand affected by Uromycladium rust from a secondary-growth forest in Laguna, Philippines. Three transects (1.5 km) were established wherein matured F. moluccana trees (n = 32) were assessed for gall rust incidence and disease severity index (DSI) using a five-point rating scale to categorize infection. Composite rhizosphere samples were collected from nine sampling plots for macronutrient analysis and AMF assessment. Endomycorrhizal spores were isolated from dissolved 100-g soil solution following wet-sieving and decanting method then characterized morphologically for identification, spore density, and diversity analysis. Results of the tree health survey showed 100% disease incidence with moderate infection (DSI = 30–44). Overall, 13 morphospecies of endomycorrhizal fungi were identified from three orders and five families. The eight genera associated with F. moluccana were Acaulospora, Ambispora, Diversispora, Enthrophospora, Funneliformis, Gigaspora, Glomus, and Rhizophagus. The Shannon diversity index (H’) revealed a significant (p< 0.002) difference in all sites [F (2, 31) = 7.46]. The findings suggest that species abundance and density of AMF fungi are related to soil phosphorous and the severity of gall rust. This study presents the potential of important AMF species for the integrated management of gall rust disease affecting F. moluccana.

Agroecological Characteristic and Potency of Arrowroot on Several Elevation in Garut District, West Java

ABSTRACT Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) is a multipurpose plant that can grow under the stands so that the species has the potential to develop in the pattern of agroforestry. Initial information of arrowroot plant population as a source of germplasm for plant material/superior varieties and their agroecological characteristics in the field is indispensable. The study aims to determine the distribution, agroecological characteristics and potency of arrowroot in Garut regency. The methods include: (1) the study of literature and direct communication with stakeholders and the public, (2) field survey to collect data on distribution, cultivation status, abundance and productivity of arrowroot plant using a single plot, and (3) data collection of arrowroot agroecological characteristics include: vegetation analysis and geoklimat factors. The research results indicate that the arrowroot populations distribute in groups with a fairly broad ecological range i.e. altitude 6-1351 masl, temperature 20-36 o C, relative humidity RH 40-72%, light intensity 12-56% dan pH 4.16-7,40 (acid to neutral) and in the low to high soil fertility condition. Falcataria moluccana as the major private forest species dominates in all zones of altitude, especially on the stage of the tree. Arrowroot abundance by elevation zones is 63,750 plants/ha (lowlands), 43,864 plants/ha (plains) and 73.333 plants/ha (plateau). The potential production for all elevations ranged from 15.40 to 163.2 g/plants. Cikajang and Cilawu populations have good potential to produce the high yield of tuber for arrowroot cultivation in Garut District.

Health assessment of vegetation composition in the reclamation area of PT Natarang Mining, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province

Reclamation is a recovery activity in mining areas, one of which is revegetation. The success of revegetation plants can be seen from the health of the composition and structure of the vegetation when the trees are six years old and over. This study aims to determine the health of the vegetation composition (location, type, and level of tree damage) in the reclamation area of PT Natarang Mining, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province. The location of this research is in the area around the main office of PT Natarang Mining, Way Linggo Forest, Bandar Negeri Semuong, Tanggamus Regency, covering an area of 2.97 Ha. The research was conducted through vegetation analysis using the circular plot method and assessing the health of the vegetation composition based on the damage index at the plot level. The results showed that tree vegetation obtained 12 species. The most common tree species found was Falcataria moluccana (Sengon) which amounted to 22 individuals. The most significant contribution of tree species indicated by the highest importance value index was Falcataria moluccana. The location of most damage found in most of the plots was at the bottom of the stem (code 3) and the bottom and top of the stem (code 4). Types of open wound damage (code 03) and gall rust (code 26) were the most dominant causes of damage, with an average damage rate of 35% and 22%, respectively. The health value of the vegetation composition has a value range of 1.20 – 2.00. The average health value of the vegetation composition is 1.50, which is included in the medium category.

Esterification of Bio-Oil Produced from Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) Wood Using Indonesian Natural Zeolites

The bio-oil produced from pyrolysis of woody biomass typically shows unfavourable characteristics such as high acidity, hence it becomes highly corrosive. An upgrading process, e.g., esterification, is necessary to improve the bio-oil quality prior to its use as a transportation fuel. In this work, the bio-oil was produced through a fast pyrolysis of Sengon wood in a fixed-bed pyrolyser at various temperatures. The characteristics (density, viscosity, total acid number, relative concentration of acetic acid, etc.) of the bio-oil were evaluated. The bio-oil with the highest acidity underwent an esterification catalysed by Indonesian natural zeolites at 70 oC for 0-180 min with a ratio of bio-oil to methanol of 1:3. The catalytic performance of the Indonesian natural zeolites during the esterification was investigated. A significant decrease in the total acid number in the bio-oil was observed, indicating the zeolite catalyst’s good performance. No significant coke formation (0.002-3.704 wt.%) was obtained during the esterification. An interesting phenomenon was observed; a significant decrease in the total acid number was found in the heating up of the bio-oil in the presence of the catalyst but in the absence of methanol. Possibly, other reactions catalysed by the Brønsted and Lewis acids at the zeolite catalyst surface also occurred during the esterification.

The influence of fast-growing species composition on natural regeneration of coal mine reclamation

Natural regeneration on mine reclamation can be an indicator of reclamation success. Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Samanea saman, Senna siamea, and Paraserianthes falcataria are mostly planted fast-growing species at the beginning of reclamation. Those species bind and enrich nitrogen to improve the natural regeneration of ex-mined land. This research aims to determine fast-growing species and the growth rate of natural regeneration development in the ex-mined site. The research was conducted in mine reclamation areas with different ages: 1 (125.14 ha), 4 (323.76 ha), 6 (199.44 ha), 9 (285.18 ha), and 11-year-old plantation (75.39 ha). The statistical analysis of Multivariate Analysis showed that biological species were mostly grouped with P. falcataria than E. cyclocarpum and S. siamea in the 11-year-old plantation area as well as in the 9-year-old plantation area. Most natural species were grouped with C. cyclocarpum rather than S. saman and S. siamea in a 6-year-old plantation area. In contrast, the biological species had no groups with E. cyclocarpum and S. siamea as fast-growing species in the 1-year-old plantation area. Generally, the most dominant planted fast-growing species were E. cyclocarpum (with the mean total number ± standard deviation, (35 ± 17.1)) and P. falcataria (28 ± 8.3). The number of natural regeneration species and individuals in areas dominated by P. falcataria (5 ± 1.7 and 25 ± 10.5) was greater than in areas with predominance of E. cyclocarpum (4 ± 2.6 and 11 ± 4.8). Thus, species selection is necessary to increase natural regeneration. However, further research is required to measure the tolerability of fast-growing species on other natural regeneration species.

Analysis of the role of plant canopy on hydrological systems

High rainfall intensity causing high erosion rates in Indonesia. Land cover conditions greatly determine water degradation in the hydrological cycle. The shape and type of plants canopy have significant effect on soil structure and water absorption. This study aimed to examine the role of plant canopy on the value of rainwater canopy escape as a supporter of hydrological cycle. Tree species were determined based on the level of dominance at study site using transect method. The dominant trees are Sea Sengon Tree (Paraserianthes falcataria), Teak Tree (Tectona grandis), Suren Tree (Toona sinensis) and Durian Tree (Durio zibethinus). The results showed that high rainfall intensity with a long rain period affected the amount of canopy escape. Durian Tree has highest canopy density with value of 0.301, and Sengon Laut is the lowest with value of 0.240. The value of passing the canopy of the Suren Tree is lower than the other tree species. The shape of canopy of Suren tree, which is round and oval, also affects the lower pass value of canopy compared to other tree species. The higher the value of canopy density can reduce the value of canopy escape to support the hydrological cycle.

Urban trees to attract wild birds in a tropical urban residential complex in Sentul, West Java, Indonesia

In an urban residential complex, in addition to providing environmental services, trees also attract wild birds. The objective of this research was to identify trees planted in tropical urban residential areas that can attract wild birds. The research was conducted in Sentul City Residential Complex, Bogor, West Java, by observing wild birds that visit certain trees as part of their habitat components. Trees provide nectar, fruits, seeds, and insects as food for birds and nest materials. Trees also have important functions as birds’ cover and nesting sites. There were 103 tree species, all basically supporting the life of 51 bird species found in the study area. Examples of nectar producer trees were Spathodea campanulata, Callistemon citrinus, Erythrina crista-galli; fruit producers were Muntingia calabura, Syzygium polyanthum, Ficus benjamina; seeds producers were Leucaena leucocephala, Paraserianthes falcataria. Many trees also attracted insects for bird food, including Acacia mangium, Samanea saman. Conifers and small twigs and leaf petioles/rachis of many legumes, for example, Delonix regia, Calliandra calothyrsus) can be used as nest materials. Careful selection of trees could attract many wild birds to increase the environmental quality of the residential areas.

Wettability and Treatability of Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) I.C. Nielsen) wood from NTB

The supply of wood from natural forests is decreasing as a result of the imbalance between harvesting and planting. The lack of wood supply from natural forests has resulted in relatively expensive wood prices. This can be anticipated by using fast-growing wood species. One type of fast-growing wood which is very abundantly available in NTB is sengon wood (Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) I.C. Nielsen). However, sengon wood has low durability so it is easily attacked by wood-destroying organisms. This condition can be overcome by making efforts to prevent wood damage in the form of preservation. This study aims to determine the wettability and treatability properties of sengon wood. The results of this study are expected to be basic information to improve the quality of sengon wood. The wettability test was carried out by measuring the contact angle between the liquid and the sample surface using the sessile drop method and the wood durability testing was carried out by measuring the retention and penetration of preservatives. The treatability test was carried out by measuring the absorption, retention, and penetration of preservatives. The results showed that the wettability of sengon is high with an equilibrium contact angle (θe) of 16.88 in the radial section and 12.51 in the tangential section. This shows that sengon wood has a good adhesion system for preservation. Treatability of sengon wood showed that the average retention and penetration are 10,21 kg/m3 and 7,33 mm. Based on the results of these measurements, sengon wood has met SNI 03-5010.1-1999 (wood preservation for housing and buildings).

Color Changes and Resistance Against Subterranean Termites Attack of Furfuryl Alcohol Impregnated Pine and Sengon Woods Through Graveyard Test

Pine (Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese) and sengon (Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barneby & J.W. Grimes) are common species of woods used for many purposes. Both species are known susceptible against subterranean termite attack. This study aims to analyze the effect of furfuryl alcohol impregnation on color changes and the resistance against subterranean termites of pinewood and sengon after in-ground test for one year. Furfurylated pine and sengon woods reached weight percent gain 31.2% and 79.1%, densities 0.93 g/cm3 and 0.43 g/cm3, moisture content 3.27% and 2.88%, respectively. Furfurylated pine and sengon woods have lost weight 4.07% dan 2.09%, respectively, with the average resistance level of 9.8 on both woods while untreated pine and sengon woods lost weight were 59.02% and 35.58%, with resistance level 4 and 3.8, respectively. Resistance level scoring was conducted by refering to ASTM D1758-06. Higher resistance level and lower weight loss on both furfurylated woods compared to untreated woods showed that furfurylation could increase the wood resistance against termite attack.

Characteristics of impregnated wood by nano silica from betung bamboo leaves

, Sengon (Falcataria moluccana Miq.) as a fast-growing wood species that has low quality. Therefore, wood modification is needed to improve its wood qualities. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of monoethylene glycol (MEG) and nano silica of betung bamboo leaves impregnation treatment on physical, mechanical properties and durability of sengon wood. 5-years-old Sengon wood from community forest, MEG and nano silica (average size = 436.16 nm) from betung bamboo leaves were used. The impregnation solutions were consisted of water treated (untreated), MEG, MEGSilika 0.5% and MEGSilika 1%. Impregnation process with 0.5 bar (60 minutes) vacuum and 2.5 bar (120 minutes) pressure. Physical properties (density and colour alteration), mechanical properties (Modulus of Elasticity (MOE), Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and hardness) and durability against subterranean (Coptotermes curvignathus) attack. The results showed that the weight percent gain (WPG) and density of treated Sengon wood were increased as the nano silica concentration increased. While colour alteration (Δε) of treated samples were declining. Mechanical properties (MOE, MOR and hardness) were also improved. Durability based on laboratory tested against subterranean attack resulted that the percentage of termite mortality from the treated samples increased, while the percentage of weight loss decreased.