Sago Palm Research Articles

Effect of Sucker Thinning and Potential Impact of Harvest and Trimming Practice on Reduction of Starch Supply in Rhizome of Sago Palm (Metroxylon sagu) Cluster

Effect of Sucker Thinning and Potential Impact of Harvest and Trimming Practice on Reduction of Starch Supply in Rhizome of Sago Palm (Metroxylon sagu) Cluster

Sago palm weevil larvae: larval ontogeny and nutritional value assessed from enzymatic activity and in vitro digestibility

Abstract Sago palm weevil larvae (SPWL, Rhynchophorus vulneratus) have potential for use as food and feed. This study aimed to investigate their development, digestive enzyme activity, nutrient values, and digestible protein using an in vitro digestibility technique. Bioassays for SPWL at 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days after hatching (DAH) were conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, and means were compared at using Bonferroni (Dunn) t-tests and orthogonal polynomial contrasts. Trypsin activity significantly increased at 35 DAH (, quadratic effect ), with peak chymotrypsin activity at 28 DAH (). Lipase activity showed both linear and quadratic increases (), and cellulase activity also increased significantly (, linear and quadratic terms ). Meanwhile, the A:T ratio increased significantly (, quadratic effect ) with age-related rises in these digestive enzyme activities. The highest crude protein content in SPWL was observed at 42 DAH (), with peak carbohydrate at 28 DAH (). Phenylalanine and histidine levels increased linearly (), while lysine and total essential amino acids peaked at 42 DAH (, linear and quadratic terms ). Levels of linoleic acid, total polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the n-6:n-3 ratio peaked at 49 DAH (). In vitro protein digestibility assays were performed using enzymes extracted from quails, broilers, Thai native chickens, and ducks. Significant increases in digestibility were attributed to SPWL protein content and age, particularly beyond 42 DAH (, linear and quadratic terms ), except with duck enzymes. In conclusion, these findings suggest that SPWL cultivation, particularly between 42 and 56 DAH, provides a potential alternative protein source with substantial nutritional benefits for poultry feed. The promise of SPWL to contribute to more sustainable and efficient poultry feeding practices is evident, and further in vivo studies are warranted to validate these results.

Heterologous expression, characterisation and 3D-structural insights of GH18 chitinases derived from sago palm (Metroxylon sagu)

Although plants don't have chitins, they produce chitinases to protect themselves from biotic and abiotic stressors. There are two forms of chitinases found in organisms: glycosyl hydrolase 18 (GH18) and 19 (GH19) families. Plant GH19 chitinases are well known for their role in protecting against pathogens, but the roles of GH18 chitinases have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to produce and characterise two recombinant GH18 chitinases from Metroxylon sagu. Two GH18 chitinase genes, MsChi1 and MsChi2, were identified, with nucleotide sequences of 1009 and 1308 bp, respectively. The proteins encoded by MsChi1 and MsChi2 genes were single polypeptide chains of 310 and 300 amino acids with predicted molecular masses of 31.21 and 30.15 kDa, respectively. Both cDNAs were cloned and expressed in the GS115 strain of Pichia pastoris. Recombinant MsChi1 and MsChi2 exhibited optimal activity at 60 °C with acidic pH 4.0 and 5.0, respectively. Both recombinant enzymes could hydrolyze synthetic and natural substrates (colloidal chitin). rMsChi1 preferred 4-nitrophenol N,N′-diacetyl-β-D chitobioside, while rMsChi2 preferred 4-nitrophenol N,N′,N″-triacetyl-β-D chitotriose, suggesting they might function as exochitinase and endochitinase, respectively. They also demonstrated antifungal activities against tested fungi. Homology modeling indicated ASP and GLU as essential residues for proton donation and acceptance.

Economic Evaluation of the Direct Use of Sago Palm in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

This research aimed to study the utilization and economic evaluation of Sago Palm in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The research study covered a total area of ​​9,942.502 square kilometers of wetlands. Data were collected by interviewing 272 families that utilized sago. First, the data were gathered from the utilization of sago palm by the villagers for consuming and selling. Second, the quantity of sago palm collected was evaluated for economical values. From the study, it was found that villagers can use most parts of sago palm. For example, the use of leaves, petioles, and barks for the processing of tools whereas leaves, petioles, barks and stems are utilized for foods and animal feeds. Sago leaf is found to be the most utilization part. For economic evaluation, the turnover rate in the area was 24,201,272 baht per year, the total cost was 2,968,647 baht per year, and the net value was 21,232,625 baht per year. The average cost was 78,061.15 baht per person per year. Therefore, this research study can reflect the value of the sago palm, and the villagers should be aware of this value in order to promote the sustainable utilization of sago palm.

Effect of Inundation Depth, Dosage of Sago Bagasse and Husk Charcoal on Sago Palm Seedling (Metroxylon sagu) Grown in Polybags

Effect of Inundation Depth, Dosage of Sago Bagasse and Husk Charcoal on Sago Palm Seedling (Metroxylon sagu) Grown in Polybags

The effect of parameter adjustment in sago palm classification-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model

The effect of parameter adjustment in sago palm classification-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model

Fatty Acid Profile and Thermal Behavior of Fat-Rich Edible Insect Oils Compared to Commonly Consumed Animal and Plant Oils.

This study compared the physicochemical properties of edible insect oils from silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupa (SP), sago palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) larva (PW), and bamboo caterpillar (Omphisa fuscidentalis; BC) to oils from chicken skin (CK), beef back fat (BF), pork back fat (PF), salmon belly (SB), sea bass belly (BB), coconut (C), and peanut (P). The fatty acid profiles and thermal behaviors (crystallization and melting) of the extracted oils were evaluated. PW and BC oils had more saturated fatty acids (SFAs) than CK, PF, SB, BB, and P oils. SP oil had equivalent SFA content to CK and BB oils. Insect oils exhibited similar monounsaturated fatty acid concentrations in all samples, except C oils. PW and BC oils exhibited a higher content of palmitoleic acid than the other oils. SP oils contained polyunsaturated fatty acids similar to those in SB and BB oils, which were higher than those in PW, BC, CK, BF, and PF oils. SP oil also exhibited the highest concentration of α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3). Arachidonic acid (0.01-0.02 g/100 g) in all insect oils was lower level compared to CK, BF, PF, SB, and BB oils. SP oil (0.03 g/100 g) exhibited a slightly higher level of eicosapentaenoic acid compared to PW (0.01 g/100 g) and BC (0.01 g/100 g) oils. The insect oils were liquid at ambient temperature, solid below -15°C, and required less energy (△Hm-max) for melting than other samples. This study indicated that insects, particularly SP, could serve as an alternative source of fat to meet its growing demand.

Changes in crystallinity of sago palm (Metroxylon sago spp.) waste during cellulose extraction

Changes in crystallinity of sago palm (Metroxylon sago spp.) waste during cellulose extraction

Cellulose and lignin purified from Metroxylon sagu palm fronds by a new technology with 2-methylanthraquinone cooking and peroxymonosulfuric acid bleaching

The demand for high-purity cellulose, optimization of wood utilization, and environmentally friendly processes has increased in dissolving pulp (DP) production. Sago palm fronds (SPF), an abundant agricultural waste in Indonesia, hold great potential as a raw material for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin production. This study aimed to explore the production of from SPF by employing a combination of prehydrolysis, soda cooking with 2-methylanthraquinone (MAQ) as a green additive (PHS-MAQ), and totally chlorine-free (TCF) bleaching with peroxymonosulfuric acid (Psa). Furthermore, lignin was recovered from the black liquor of PHS-MAQ. The results showed that prehydrolysis at 150 ºC for 3 h, followed by soda-MAQ cooking at 160 ºC for 1.5 h using 0.03% of MAQ, 23% active alkali (AA), and a five-stage bleaching with oxygen (O), Psa, alkaline extraction with hydrogen peroxide (Ep), Psa, and Ep successfully produced high-purity cellulose as DP, with properties of 94.3% α-cellulose content, 89.9% ISO brightness (SNI ISO 2470–1:2016), 9.1 cP viscosity, and 0.13% ash content. Moreover, the soda-MAQ cooking method exhibited superior delignification compared to prehydrolysis kraft (PHK) and prehydrolysis soda (PHS) processes in a range of kappa numbers of 9.4–22.6 at 17–25% AA. The inclusion of MAQ increased pulp yields by 4.6–4.9% and decreased kappa number by 1.6–3.1 compared to the PHS without additives at similar AA. Lignin was separated from the PHS-MAQ, with yields of 69–77%. This work demonstrated the suitability of SPF processed by PHS-MAQ cooking and Psa bleaching for the preparation of viscose rayon and cellulose derivatives. The lignin recovery could be an attractive biorefinery process in modern pulp mills.

Using Metroxylon sagu leaves as a roof material for thermal comfort in humid tropical buildings

The utilisation of indigenous building materials for tourism, commercial, and public infrastructure in Indonesia is currently seeing significant growth. In Indonesia, the use of sago (Metroxylon sagu) and sugar palm leaves (Arenga pinnata) as roofing materials is considered a sustainable practice. Lack of locally generated and refined end products has increased demand for unsustainable plastic synthesis materials. This article studies sago and sugar palm leaf roof capacity and thermal performance. Two experimental models were built using sago leaf roofs (the studied model) and zinc roofs (the reference model) to compare their thermal performance. The study was to assess the temperatures of the attic, interior, and surfaces of the roof for each model. The thermal performance of zinc roofing for lowering air temperatures is worse than that of sago leaf roofs. One week of data showed air temperature changes throughout the roof, attic, and internal space surfaces of the two models. The comparison reveals that sago leaf roofs are cooler than zinc roofs and perform better thermally. Research shows that sago leaf roofs reduce heat better than zinc roofs. This finding indicates that there is a possibility of utilising them as a viable cooling option for architectural structures.

Potential of Underutilized Sago for Bioenergy Uses

Sago is a plant that grows naturally in some areas in Southeast and South Asia. Despite having multiple advantages, the usage of the sago palm is primarily from its starch content and is commonly used as an alternative replacement for white rice and wheat flour, the two most prominent staple foods, in several regions. Additionally, people are now more aware of how the total area of sago forests has decreased as monoculture, cash crops, or other food crop development have replaced it. This condition may endanger the ecology and the sustainability of food diversity. To support the bioeconomy principles, various utilizations of sago by turning it into higher value-added biomass need to be explored. The paper aims to review the potential utilization of sago as biomass and bioenergy as a value-added product after processing it for food. A literature review method in Scopus and PubMed databases was used to answer the research objective. Sago palm can be converted into bio-energy resources like biomass-biogas, bioelectricity, bioethanol, and biohydrogen. Together with the advancement in the processing of sago starch, sago waste from bark, pulp, fiber, or hampas is transformed into different products, e.g., plywood and particle board, sago craft from sago bark and fiber; thus, sago waste or sago hampas is a prospective bioenergy commodity. In conclusion, sago provides advantages beyond food diversity, such as lowering household food insecurity and promoting sago's use for biomass and bioenergy.

Morphological Diversity and Production of Six Sago (Metroxylon spp.) Accessions from Tana Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Tana Luwu area owns a relatively high diversity and production potential of sago, but it has not yet been managed optimally. This study aims to identify and analyze the diversity of morphological characteristics and the production of various sago accessions in Tana Luwu. Based on morphological characteristics, the sago palm in Tana Luwu is divided into two groups by the presence of thorns on the rachis and petioles. The presence of thorns has the largest coordinate axis angles, representing a higher diversity distance than other morphological characteristics. Some accessions show very high production potential, with a total production of 476.66 kg per dry tree starch. The average sago production in the six accessions is 276.40 kg per dry tree starch. Accessions with a yield potential > 200 kg per dry starch are observed in Kapa, Uso, Kasimpo, and Sabbe. Therefore, sago in these accessions is potentially developed to obtain superior varieties. Two significant morphological characteristics that contribute to sago production are stem height (r = 0.73) and the number of leaves (r = 0.78).

Warm stratification combined with organic manure application enhances seed germination and improves Cycas revoluta growth and development

Cycas revoluta (Sago palm) is one of the widespread ornamental plant, used as an indoor and outdoor plant. Seed propagation is extremely hard and time consuming, given the physical dormancy imposed by hard coat. The use of warm stratification improves seed germination by prompting embryos development. As mean to gain more insight on the beneficial effect of warm treatment on seed germination, histological analysis of warm stratified and untreated embryos was conducted. Our results revealed that warm treatment accelerated embryos development, resulting in a rapid differentiation of embryos’ tissues. α-amylase, GA3 and ABA quantification showed that warm stratified embryos accumulated higher and lower amounts of α-amylase and ABA respectively compared to untreated embryos. Regarding plant development, our results showed that organic manures significantly improved Cycas revoluta growth and development. The best response was recorded with the application of sheep manure. Indeed, sheep manure addition increased plant height, the number of leaves per plant, stip length and width by nearby 188% and 61%, 36% and 17% respectively. In roots, the presence of nodules had been recorded in the three applied treatments and more importantly in the presence of sheep manure. At the physiological level, sheep manure supplementation improved photosynthetic apparatus and nitrogen content in leaves (by 75%), thereby explaining the growth promotion. Taken together, these results underlined the beneficial effect of organic manure on Cycas revoluta growth and development and proposed a new strategy to improve plant growth and development with the use of sheep manure as organic amendment.

Advances in Sago Palm Research: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Findings

The sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) is an indigenous plant in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It provides substantial needs to the locals, especially through the starch it produces in its trunk. Exhibiting remarkable adaptability, this palm can thrive in challenging environments like swamps and peat soils. This paper provides an overview of the molecular methods previously utilised to decipher the genes responsible conferring the characteristics of sago palm molecular techniques employed to investigate M. sagu molecular properties include molecular markers, genome walking, rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Additionally, this article presents other molecular techniques that can be applied to M. sagu for future crop breeding.

Application of Cow Compost and Sago from Charcoal on The Growth of Sawy (Brassica juncea L.)

This study aims to examine the effect of the combined treatment of sago midrib charcoal planting media with different dose levels of cowshed compost on the growth of mustard plants. The study was conducted in Mandala Village, Merauke Regency from February 2022 to March 2022 using a factorial Randomized Block Design with 12 treatment combinations and 4 replicates, namely: A1B1 (soil without cow manure compost), A1B2 (soil + 5 tons of cow manure compost/ ha) A1B3 (soil + cowshed compost 10 tons/ha), A1B4 (soil + cowshed compost 15 tons/ha), A2B1 (soil + sago midrib charcoal without cowshed compost), A2B2 (soil + sago charcoal + compost cowshed 5 tons/ha), A2B3 (soil + charcoal from sago fronds + compost from cowshed 10 tons/ha), A2B4 (soil + charcoal from sago leaves + compost from cowshed 15 tons; ha), A3B1 (sago midrib charcoal without compost cattle), A3B2 (charcoal + 5 ton/ha cowshed compost), A3B3 (sago frond charcoal + 10 ton/ha cowshed compost), A3B4 (sago frond charcoal + 15 ton/ha cowshed compost). The results showed that the combination of the treatment of planting media and cowshed compost had a significant and very significant effect on the A1B4 treatment (soil medium + 15 ton/ha cowshed compost dose) on parameters of plant height (39.75 cm), leaf length at 40 Hst (226.25 mm) and total harvested weight (72 grams). Furthermore, the A2B3 treatment combination (soil medium + sago frond charcoal + 10 tons/ha cowshed compost) showed significantly different yields on the number of leaves parameter (9.75) and the A2B4 treatment (soil medium + sago palm charcoal + 15 cowshed compost) ton/ha) on leaf width parameter (122.75 mm).

CHEMICAL CONTENT AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGO (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) FROND FROM SOUTH KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA

This research aims to evaluate the suitability of sago palm waste as a fiber raw material in terms of its chemical content and anatomical characteristics. The chemical content analysis of its extractive components, lignin, holocellulose, α-cellulose, and hemicellulose, was carried out using sago frond powder with a size of 40–60 mesh. Subsequently, functional group analysis was performed using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), while anatomical characterization was carried out by calculating the fiber length and diameter, lumen diameter, fiber derivative values, and wall thickness using a microscope connected to a digital camera. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) pictures were taken in different magnifications. The results showed that sago frond contains 31.6% α-cellulose and 38% lignin. The α-cellulose content was within the standard range for non-timber forest products, but the lignin content had a relatively high value. Based on the derived value, namely class II, sago frond can be used as pulp and paper raw materials.

INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOOD PRACTICES OF THE PUROIK COMMUNITY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH: A PERSPECTIVE ON POLICY CONSTRUCTION

Knowledge of natural resource management is key to sustainable livelihood. The indigenous worldview of the Puroik community is known for by its cultural uniqueness in terms of forest survival skills, food habits and other forms of livelihood practices. They practice non-agricultural activities like hunting, trapping, fishing, foraging and honey collections and different other. They grow and preserve the Sago palm trees as the flour produced from the palm trunks is used as their stable food. Although these forms of practices are not quite practicable now among the youths and urban dwellers, yet it is still prevalent among the interior community living in the deep forests and hilly terrains. The indigenous method of livelihood practices including food habits of the community lacks any technical analysis and in-depth research towards its sustainability, affordability and stability. In this regard, the present paper is an attempt to understand the indigenous methods of livelihood practices and draw perspectives towards policy construction on food security. The study was conducted in 9 (nine) Puroik Settlements under Nyapin Block in Kurung Kumey District of Arunachal Pradesh with a mixed research design approach to meet the objective of understanding the indigenous lifestyle. To achieve the objective of the study, an un-structured and open ended interview schedule was administered for data collection. The study reveals that the majority of people still practice their age-old indigenous way of life. The study also found that their forest-centric food habits can easily secure their life in any point of time, be it drought or any other challenging circumstances.

Balancing the Growth Performance and Nutritional Value of Edible Farm-Raised Sago Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferregineus) Larvae by Feeding Various Plant Supplemented-Sago Palm Trunk Diets.

Herein, the effect of supplementing ground sago palm trunk (GSPT) with varying concentrations of plant-based ingredients (PIs), including rice bran (RB), soybean meal (SM), and perilla seed (PS), on the nutritional profile of sago palm weevil larvae (SPWL) was investigated. Increased PS intake induced an increase in α-linolenic acid level and a reduction in the n-6/n-3 ratio in SPWL (p < 0.05). The presence of fatty acids in SPWL was determined predominantly by the fatty acid profile in the feed. The activities of Δ5 + Δ6 desaturases and thioesterase were not different among SPWL fed different diets (p < 0.05); however, PI intake resulted in low suppression of fads2 gene expression. RB, SM, and PS at the appropriate concentrations of 17.5%, 8.8%, and 7.0% in GSPT (F3 diet), respectively, boosted both protein quantity and quality of SPWL, as indicated by higher levels of essential amino acids, particularly lysine, than the FAO protein reference. Therefore, incorporating PIs into a regular diet is a viable method for enhancing the nutritional value and sustainability of farm-raised SPWL as a potential alternative source of high-quality lipid and protein.

The growth character of sago palm based on differences in time of trunk formation

This study aimed to (1) characterized sago palms with different trunk formation times; (2) studied the growth characteristics related to the diameter of the sago trunk. This research was conducted at the Sago Cultivation Experimental Site located in Pengkajoang Village, West Malangke District, North LuwuRegency.Thegrowth characters studied were number of leaves, trunk diameter, leaf length,petiole length, tree height,rachis length, number of suckers, length of the most extended leaflets, number of leaflets and the width of broadest leaflets. A paired T-Test was used to analyze the average of three variables between sago-forming trunks at 3 years, 3.5 years, and 4 years after transplanting. In addition to correlation analysis, variables were compared based on their relationships.The sago palm that formed the trunk at 3 years after transplanting had the highest number of leaves (20 strands), 3.5 years (17 strands), and 4 years (16 strands). Conversely, sago palms that form trunks 4 years after transplanting have the widest leaflets(7.44 cm), 3.5 years (6.04 cm) and 3 years (6.52 cm). Based on correlation analysis and path analysis, it is known that the number of leaves, tree height and rachis length are characteristics of sago palm growth which have a significant effect on the formation of trunk diameter.

Identification of the distribution and characteristics of local sago from Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi

In eastern Indonesia, particularly Southeast Sulawesi, sago is an important commodity as a carbohydrate-producing plant. Carbohydrate output can reach 15-24 tons ha-1 annually, surpassing rice, corn, and wheat. Southeast Sulawesi, notably the Kendari mainland, relied on sago starch until rice became the predominant carbohydrate source. Sago starch, like other basic starches, has no taste. Sago does not contain fat or protein, so it must be eaten alongside other local foods that do. Sago palms grown naturally produce 2–5 tons of dry starch per hectare. With 500 sago clumps per acre of varied ages, 100 trees might be harvested annually. Well-maintained farms can generate 150 kg of starch palm and 15 tons ha−1. Currently, only 5,912 ha are planted with sago, from the total area in 1985 was 13,000 ha. Sago development requires characterizing and identifying Kendari Southeast Sulawesi’s local sago. The results showed that there were three dominant types of local sago in Kendari, namely sago molat, sago tuni and sago borowila, originating from the main sago production centres in Kendari such as in Tobimeita, Abeli and Pohara.