The cultivation of kilemo (Litsea cubeba) in supporting the conservation of mountainousoilproducing species

Abstract

Putri KP, Syamsuwida D, Kurniaty R. 2015. The cultivation of kilemo (Litsea cubeba) in supporting the conservation of mountainous-oilproducing species. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1487-1491. Kilemo (Litsea cubeba L. Persoon) is an indigenous-wildly growth species of a high mountain in Indonesia. The sustainable of this species, as one of essential oil producing germplasm, is urgently required and cultivation is attempted to conserve it. The study was aimed to present the important information in relation to the cultivation of kilemo. The methods used were direct observation of flowering and fruiting, fruit production measurement, physical and physiological testing of seeds, and germination and seedling viability examination. The research revealed that flowering season of kilemo was found in almost the whole year. However, the peak season of fruiting occurred in July-August. The development cycle of flowering and fruiting took place of about 3 to 4 months. The trees with stem diameter in a range of 4 to 14.7 cm produced fruits of around 0.12 to 2.4 kg and diameter of 14.8 to 25.3 cm produced fruits of 0.25 to 9.8 kg. One kg of fruit contains 9.445 seeds. Germination percentage was 73.3% at a moisture content of 9% to 10%. Soaking the seeds with gibberellic acid of 200 ppm would be able to increase the germination percentage up to 81%. Seeds should be sealed in a plastic bag and stored in a refrigerator (7-9ºC) to keep their viability during storage. Kilemo can be propagated through direct sowing of the seeds with a mixture media of soil and cocopeat (v/v 1: 1) and a 50 cm height of natural regeneration. Kilemo can be propagated through shoot cuttings. Sand and mixed of cocopeat and rice husk (2: 1, v/v) can be used as media for rooting the cuttings. The use of IBA growth regulators of 1500 ppm suppressed the growth of shoot length. The best of percentage survival of kilemo seedling in the nursery was seedlings without fertilizer and mycorrhizal treatments (82.22%). The average growth of kilemo seedlings was 8.26 cm of height; 0.73 cm of diameter, 0.72 g of dry weight; and 1.85 of shoot-root ratio. Mycorrhiza of 2.5 g was effective in increasing the uptake of P element up to102.14% compared to control.