Sumber Benih sebagai Penghasil Benih Berkualitas

FORESTRY TREE SEED SOURCE

INTRODUCTION

Overview

The knowledge of how to get a quality seed source is absolutely necessary. It is need to avoid the failure in forest development especially in plantation program. Moreover, this knowledge also useful to determine what strategy and what action that must be done before we get the desirable seed source.

Forestry tree seed source is a location where quality seeds are collected. The differences of genetic potency between each seed sources sometimes very big, so, it is very influential to the successful story of forest development program. The failure in plantation forest development which is caused by the error in choosing the appropriate species for the right site plantation, however, might be caused by the inaccuracy in order to choose the best seed source that can be used. Because, each type of plant requires a suitable plantation environment in order to grow well, especially type of soil, climate and elevation (Ministry of Forestry, 2010).

The quality of seed source also can increase the economic value of the seeds. Sometimes, seeds that were produced by quality seed source seem very expensive. However, that prize not more than 5 % from total cost of forest development, but can reach very high results. In fact, a species that comes from good seed source which apply tree improvement techniques increases the result until 300%. So, it is still profitable when compared with using low quality seed (Leksono, 2010).

In recent years, stake holders’ awareness to use quality seeds that come from quality seed source is increase especially in Industrial Plantation Forest sector. Even in forest rehabilitation and agro forestry program start to use superior seed to produce forest with good quality. Unfortunately, the increasing of stake holders’ awareness do not supported by the availability of quality seed sources and restrictiveness of information about where they can find the best seed source for their plantation program.

The limitation of availability of quality seed sources some time occur because of much factors. High cost is the common factor that faced in seed source supplying. To construct quality seed source requires very high cost which used to get quality seed, seed source development and seed source maintenance. Length of time is also a problem in order to develop forest tree seed source. As we know, forest crops need time around 6-12 years to produce seeds.

Restrictions:

1. Seed is all parts of plant that be used to make a new plant including seed, branch, leave, root etc.

2. Forest tree seed source is a collection of trees (trees stand) either inside or outside forest area which is managed to produce the quality seed

3. Stakeholders are all sector that involved in forestry, especially in forest and land rehabilitation and tree improvement, including government sector, nonprofit organization, nongovernment organization, private sector and community sector

4. Appointment is a method to get forest seed source from either natural forest or plantation forest without development process

5. Construction is a method to make a forest tree seed source through planting process, applying treatments and maintaining process.

SEED SOURCE

Definition

Leksono (2010), said that seed source is a collection of trees either inside or outside forest area which is managed to produce the quality seed. Seed source can be got by both appoint and construct that considered to the principals of seed source development.

Seed source got from appoint process can be obtained from natural forest or plantation forest that not be managed to produce seeds before. This seed source is needed to fill the seed requirement in short term period. While the seed source got from construct process can be obtained only from plantation forest which has main goal to produce seeds for specific objectives such as to increase wood quality, wood volume, oil production and quality seed.

Classification

According to the regulation of Minister of Forestry No. P.1/Menhut-II/2009 (revised) about the implementation forest tree seed activities, forestry tree seed source can be divided into seven levels. They are:

1. Identified stands ( Tegakan Benih Teridentifikasi)

2. Selected Stands (Tegakan Benih Terseleksi)

3. Seed Production Area (Areal Produksi Benih )

4. Provenance seed stands (Tegakan Benih Propenan)

5. Seedling seed orchards (Kebun Benih Semai)

6. Clone seed orchards (Kebun Benih Klon)

7. Hedge orchards (Kebun Pangkas)

The quality of seed source is classified based on the treatment and selection that have done in each seed source level. However, according to the composition above, the quality of seed source also can be identified from the lowest genetic quality, Identified Seed Source, to the highest genetic quality, Hedge Seed Source. What treatments and selection that must be done to each seed source will be explained in the next chapter.

Types of seed: based on long storage

There are tree types of seed based on how long they can be saved. The first type called recalcitrant, the second type is orthodox and third type is semi orthodox.

Recalcitrant seed is the seed which can not be saved for long time. Usually seed that classified in this type will be planted directly as soon as possible. Because when we delay to plant, the viability of this seed will decrease soon. How long we can keep the viability of recalcitrant is depend on how we saved the seed. Usually we can put the seed in average room temperature, about 22-27 c.d., with open container, but should be kept from sun light and rain water directly. Put the seed under balcony of the building is suggested. This saving treatment can keep the viability of seed from 1-2 week. But plant the seed directly after harvested is the better way to get high level viability.

Orthodox seed is the seed which can be saved for long time. During saving period, seed still had high level viability. The saving treatment that can be done for orthodox type is by reduce the water content of seed. Commonly, orthodox seed have water content around 12-15 %. And for the saving period, the water content is reduced to 4-6 %. One of ways to reduce the water content is by drying the seed by sun light directly. Another way is by using the mechanical engine, called seed dryer. After the water content of seed reach 4-6 %, the seed can be saved for 1-10 years. The seed should be saved with impermeable package and low temperature, around 0-5 c.d.

The last type is semi-orthodox. This type is quiet same as recalcitrant type, but the viability of seed can be saved for 1-3 months. The treatment for this type is also same as the treatment for recalcitrant seed.

Commonly, recalcitrant seed be marked by high level of water content of seed when harvested, around 70-80 %, and ripe in winter season. Orthodox type has low water of content, around 15-20%, and ripe in summer season. While semi-orthodox has 20-40% water of content when harvested.

As the conclusion , each type has special treatment. Good treatment in saving process will affect to how long the viability of seed can be kept.