Bunga Bangkai Muncul Lagi di Taman Buah Pak Harto

Bogor - Setangkai bunga Bangkai (amorphophallus campanulatus) tumbuh dan mekar di sebuah pot besar bekas drum minyak tanah, di Taman Wisata Mekarsari, atau biasa disebut juga Taman Buah Mekarsari, Cileungsi, Kabupaten Bogor.

''Munculnya bunga Bangkai merupakan kado istimewa bagi kami, sebab kami baru saja meluncurkan wahana baru yakni Rumah Lion di Mekarsari ini,'' kata Ketrin, Humas Taman Wisata Mekarsari, Senin (14/4).

Dia mengungkapkan, bunga tersebut sebetulnya sudah yang ke-dua kalinya muncul. Yang pertama muncul di sini jenisnya titanium amorphophallus yang bunganya terlihat lebih besar dan tinggi seperti yang ada di Kebun Raya Bogor. Bunga yang sekarang jenisnya amorphophallus campanulatus atau bunga suweg, yang ukurannya lebih kecil dan pendek.

Bunga Bangkai yang sekarang mekar berukuran tinggi sekitar 50 cm, dengan diameter kelopak bunga 30 cm. Bentuknya agak tambun, namun bunga tersebut memiliki keistimewaan karena tumbuh di dalam pot bekas drum minyak tanah.

Warnanya perpaduan anatara warna kuning dengan merah marun. ''Bunga ini biasanya tidak tahan lama, saat ini sudah mulai agak layu dan bau busuknya menyengat, khususnya di sore atau malam hari,'' ujarnya.

Bunga suweg ini berasal dari Sumatera, Jawa dan Bali serta memiliki umbi dengan bobot sekitar 10 kg dan tangkai daun mencapai 1 meter dengan lebar daun 50 cm.

''Umbi amorphophallus campanulatus sendiri sebetulnya juga sangat berkhasiat untuk obat sakit perut dan obat luka, karena menurut para peneliti mengandung saponin dan flavonoida yang sangat bagus menyembuhkan luka,'' tambahnya. (www.kotabogor.go.id/dd/id)

Kalsel Kembangkan Tanaman kedelai 7.750 HA

Banjarmasin, Kominfo Newsroom -– Kalimantan Selatan dalam tahun 2008 ini akan mengembangkan tanaman kedelai seluas 7.750 hektare yang lokasinya tersebar di beberapa kapupaten sebagai upaya untuk memenuhi kebutuhan kedelai di daerahnya.

''Untuk pengembangan kedelai seluas 7.750 hektar tersebut telah mendapat bantuan benih bermutu dari Departemen Pertanian (Deptan),'' kata Kepala Dinas Pertanian Kalsel, Ir Yohanes Sriyono, dalam penjelasannya di Banjarmasin, Senin (21/4).

Dalam pengembangan tanaman kedelai tahun 2008 tersebut, yono, menurut rencana setiap hektare mendapat bantuan benih bermutu dari Pemerintah Pusat sebanyak 40 kg. tersebar pada 8 daerah antara lain Kota Banjarbaru, Kabupaten Kotabaru, Banjar, Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST), Barito Kuala (Batola), Hulu Sungai Selatan (HSS), Tabalong dan Kabupaten Tanah Laut.

Namun, tanaman kedelai yang sudah ditanam petani di Kalsel sekitar 500 hektare tersebar di Kota Banjarmasin, Kabupaten Barito Kuala dan Kabupaten Tanah Laut (Tala).

Pengembangan kedelai di Kalsel selama tahun 2007, menurut Yohanes, relatif sangat kecil dan yang dilakukan oleh petani hanya sekitar 1.800 hektare seiring dengan harga kedelai yang rendah dibandingkan harga komoditas lainnya.

Selain itu, rendahnya minat petani mengembangkan kedelai dan rendahnya harga, mengakibatkan produksi komoditi tersebut sekitar 1,1 ton/hektare. ( www.banjarmasi nprop.go.id t.nw/toeb)

Jaboticaba 7 Flavours in 1 Fruit

'Now we are heading to the jaboticaba garden,' said Simon Wong, the guide during the journey to Taiwan in April 2007. That sentence directly reminded Sardi Duryatmo, Trubus reporter, on a piece of information from Australia. From the kangaroo land, jaboticaba was only a snapshot picture. Therefore, when Simon took us to the garden, Trubus was straightly coming along.

The 4,3 acres wide garden which belongs to Pan Liang Hwa in Chou Zhou, Pin Tung, Taiwan, directly satisfied curiousity. There, 50 shady canopy trees 3 m tall are in rows neatly with 2 m x 3 m growing space. The blackish purple fruits which were in groups on the stem captured the attention in an instant. It is one of jaboticaba distinctive features.

Pan, then, invited Trubus to taste those ripe fruits. Rosy Nur Apriyanti, Trubus reporter, picked up the fruits. 'It tastes sweet,' she said as the grape like fruit flesh with soft texture was savored by the tongue.

Pan informed that the flavour of the Myrtaceae family member will change as the fruit gets older. On the last nine days before it is ripe-the fruit is ripe within 20-30 days after the flowers appear-the changes occured. On the first day, its flavour is like guava; the second day it is like mangosteen; the third day is lychee; the forth is passion fruit; the fifth is sweetsop fruit; the sixth up to the eighth is grape. 'The best flavour sensation is on the ninth day when the fruit is perfectly ripe: it tastes sweet and smells good,' said Pan. Unsurprisingly more than 10 fruits were absolutely wiped out from Trubus hand.

One thumb is for the flavour of the fruit, given by Gregori Garnadi Hambali, a botanist in Bogor, and Yayan Wahyu C Kusuma, a researcher staff in Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia Pusat Konservasi Tumbuhan (Plants Conservation Centre of Indonesia Science Institution) in Kebun Raya Bogor (Bogor Botanical Garden) when Trubus paid a visit.

The Brazillian grape

Just by a glance, the jaboticaba performance is similar to the black grape. The shape, colour, and the flesh texture are indeed the same. The ripe fruit is thin yet taut and its colours is blackish dark purple. The young fruit is green. The thin skin which wraps the transparant white flesh feels delicate once milipeded. Because of the nature of its skin is taut, in Brazil-its origin-the dried skin is used as a cure for diarhea, asthma, or inflamed disease. Therefore, it gets the Brazilian grape name.

In one tree there are 1-5 small seeds. In Indonesia, the fruit performance is vague with kupa Syzygium polycephalum. Gowok-kupa nickname in Java-indeed has the same colour, shape, and size as jaboticaba. However, both are from different genuses.

'Kupa tree is bigger, its height can reach up to 12-14 m, while jaboticaba is only 6-7 m,' said Greg. Besides, the flowers in kupa appear on the branches or the twigs while jaboticaba can flower and bear fruit on the tree stem. In Pan's garden, 3-7 fruits are grouping with their short fruit stalk as if they are attached to the stem. In addition, kupa skin fruit is not as smooth as jaboticaba.

Cauliflori

From the information collected, jaboticaba becomes the term for some different species which has an identical nature: complex flowers which appear on the stem, not on the edge of the branch-cauliflori. Despite so, according to the latest nomencalture of Kew Botanic Garden-one of the oldest botanical garden in the world-the Plinia cauliflora species is called jaboticaba. The name is synonym to Myrciaria jaboticaba, Eugenia jaboticaba, and Plinia jaboticaba.

Nevertheless, there is also an opinion which says that there are 2 types of plants known as jaboticaba, i.e., Myrciaria jaboticaba and Myrciaria cauliflora. Myrciaria jaboticaba has a smaller fruit size, with diameter around 1-2 cm, and dark fruit stalk. On the other hand, the fruit of Myrciaria cauliflora is bigger and the fruit stalk is short thus it makes the fruit seemed to attach to the stem.

'They are actually in one species, the only difference is in the fruit shape,' said Greg. Some Myrciaria cauliflora are big and sweet, called jaboticaba assu paulista, and some are smaller with a higher acid level and usually used as jelly ingredient called jaboticaba ponhema.

To be different with Myrciaria jaboticaba, jaboticaba cuscuda has a quite taut fruit skin that makes it is less cultivated, which is called jaboticaba cuscuda. On the other hand, jaboticaba pingo de mel has a smaller size with diameter 1-1,5 cm and it tastes like the 'not too sweet' mountain apple Syzygium malaccense.

Subtropical

Referring to Nesia Artdiyasa's traces, a Trubus reporter, jaboticaba is rare to be found in Indonesia. The plant which are mostly found in South East Brazil which has a subtropical climate, can only be found in Bogor Botanical Garden and Cibodas Botanical Garden. 'Naturally, for the tropical climate, it can grow well, but the flowers are not as many as in its original habitat,' Yayan said, a researcher staff of Myrtaceae division, Bogor Botanical Garden.

Bogor Botanical Garden has had 4 collection of Myrciaria jaboticaba since 1930. The plants are from Port Louis, Mauritius, Africa. The plants which usually bloom in August until September grow well, but the flower is not always abundant.

It is different from Taiwan which has a subtropical climate. That lancet leaves plants bear fruit rapidly in Pan's garden. It is obvious why the alumnus of Chao Zhao Academy has the guts to open a commercial garden. He brought in the mother tree from Hawaii, USA, 24 years ago. That mother tree yields seeds for his own necessity and to be sold as fruits in containers.

For the last 10 years, the 53 years old man has sold 50.000 seedling 50 cm tall with the price 100 NT or equal to Rp26.500 per plant. That amount is added to 4.000 plants, 1,5 m tall, 4 years age, with the price 4.000 NT, and 8-10 years old tree worthed 6.000 NT per plant.

Now, Pan's garden which was built 11 years ago has been productive. 'The first great harvest was in 2006,' he said. The crops were sold 500 NT or equal to Rp132.500 for 50 fruits. (Nesia Artdiyasa/ Reporter: Rosy Nur Apriyanti and Sardi Duryatmo)

Trubus 456, Pages: 128-129

The Plantation of Gasoline Producers

The building at the side of the alternative road to Sukabumi is hidden among the cassava garden. No one would have imagined that inside the 3 times of volleyball court size building, Soekaeni manufactures cassava tubers into 2.100 liters of bioethanol every month and he trades the 300 liters to the premium retailer and the 800 liters to the gatherer of the chemical industry. The selling price for those two consumers is the same: Rp10.000 per liter, therefore the retired man of PT Telkom obtains Rp21-millions turnover per month.

The cost to manufacture a liter of bioethanol with cassava as the base material is around Rp3.400-Rp4.000. A liter of bioethanol is made from 6,5 kg of cassava. From trading bioethanol, the man who was born in September 6th, 1950, obtains net profit Rp12-millions per month. Beside cassave, now he is also utilizing molasses or sugar cane waste as base material. His bioethanol is being used as a premium mixture by para tukang ojek-people who give public transportation service using motorcycles-in Nyangkowek, Cicurug Subdistrict, Sukabumi Regency, as fuel for motorized vehicle. A liter of premium is mixed with 0,1 liter of bioethanol.

Despite the fact that bioethanol price is higher than premium, para tukang ojek still buy it due to the better machine performance and the more efficient fuel consumption. Last year, the popularity of bioethanol alias ethanol which is processed from plants and biodiesel or oil for diesel machine is indeed increasing. Both-bioethanol and biodiesel-are phyto-fuel. Along with the trend, home industry manufacturers appear. According to Eka bukit, a bioethanol manufacturer, the scale criteria of home industry is if the maximum production is 10.000 liters per day.

At present, the production volumes of home industry scale are vary, from 30 liters up to 2.000 liters per day. Beside Soekaeni in Cicurug, Sukabumi, there is also Sugimin Sumoatmojo. The people of Benoang, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, manufactures 1.500 molasses alias sugar plant waste into 500 liters of bioethanol per day. In order to produce 1 liter of bioethanol, the man who was born in Desember 31st, 1947 needs 3 liters of molasses.

He obtains profit Rp2.500 per liter, therefore, his net profit is up to Rp1.250.000 per day. In a month, the machines on the average work 30 days, thus, the total volume of production reaches 15.000 liters which give him total net profit Rp37,5-million per month. In Bekonang and its vicinity, home industry scale of bioethanol manufacturers are mushrooming. According to Sabaryono, the chief of Paguyuban Perajin Bioetanol Sukoharjo, there are 145 manufacturers in total.

Plenty material

The home industry scale manufacturers' list is even longer if we write them down one by one. They are spreading in Sukoharjo, Pati, (Central Java), Natar (Lampung), Sukabumi (West Java), Minahasa (North Sulawesi), and Cilegon (Banten). Those small manufacturers sniffes the bioethanol market opportunity due to plenty of base material, an easy manufacturing process, and a wide market.

According to Dr Arif Yudiarto, a bioethanol researcher at the Centre for Starch Technology (Balai Besar Teknologi Pati), there are 3 groups of plants which become the bioethanol source. They are plants containing starch, sugared, and cellulosa fiber. Some known plants as bioethanol producers are sugar palm with the production potention 40.000 liters per acre per year, corn (6.000 liters), cassava (2.000 liters), sorgum seeds (4.000 liters), paddy straw, and sweet potato (7.800 liters).

In principle, bioethanol manufacturing is through fermentation to break protein and distillate, in other words a quite easy distillation, so it is easy to be implemented. It is unlike the biodiesel manufacturing process which has to go through esterification and transesterification technology. In addition, bioethanol is not a new stuff for Indonesians. In Singosari Kingdom era-700 years ago-the Javanese had known ciu alias bioethanol from the sugar cane drop. That was due to the fact that the Kubilai Khan's army who taught them the manufacturing process.

Then what about the market? Eka Bukit who manufactures sugar palm sap is unable to handle endless demand supply. He can not supply at least 275.000 liters of routine demand per month. The demand comes from the pharmacy and chemical industry. 'The market is enomoursly huge,' said the alumnus of Carlton University. Therefore, Eka is building a bioethanol manufacturing plant in Lebak Regency, Banten. According to Indra Winarno, the director of PT Molindo Raya Industrial, a manufacturer in Malang, East Java, the ethanol demand is 'unlimited.'

Direct supply

As a premium fuel substitution, bioethanol demand is very high. Let's count. 'The national gas need reaches 17,5-billions per year,' said Ir Yuttie Nurianti, the manager of Pertamina New Product Development. Yuttie explained that 30% of the total needs are imported. As it is mandated in the Government Regulation No 5/2006 within the period of 2007-2010, the government is targeting to substitute 1,48-billion liters of gasoline with bioethanol due to petroleum reserves is running low.

The percentage will increase up to 10% in 2011-2015, and 15% in 2016-2025. in the first period of 2007-2010, for 3 years the govenment needs 30.833.000 liters of bioethanol per month on the average. From the total needs only 137.000 liters of bioethanol per month or 0,4% is fulfilled. It means in every month the government is lack of 30.969.000 liters of bioethanol for fuel.

The enormous market segment has not been fulfilled due to the fact that the only supplier which supply Pertamina is PT Molindo Raya Industrial. From 150.000 liters of production, Molindo supplies 15.000 liters per day. Molindo sells biopremium through Pertamina Rp5.000 per liter.

Is it possible that a home industry scale manufacturer supplies to Pertamina? Yuttie said to Trubus reporter, Imam Wiguna, 'Pertamina accepts no matter how much bioethanol supply from the private party as long as the supply is qualified.' The qualification is having the minimum 99,5% ethanol content. The bioethanol of home industry scale manufacturers' distillation output on the average has 90-95% ethanol content. In order to cope with the condition, the manufacturers can immerse an absorber for example limestone and zeolit until the ethanol content soar significantly.

In addition, the supplier should have phyto-fuel trading exertion permission from the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources. The chief of Phyto-fuel National Team, Ir Alhilal Hamdi is attempting to establish the relation between Pertamina and the home industry scale manufacturers easily. 'We will facilitate in order to create the easiest mechanism for small industry to supply to Pertamina without agents because using agents requires a budget. Another way is the supply can be directly delivered to the gas station (SPBU) because Pertamina link is very vast,' said the former Minister of Manpower and Tansmigration. Regarding the buying price, Yuttie stated, 'The manufacturers must offer a competitive selling price.' At present Pertamina buys 1 liter bioethanol for Rp5.000.

After all, the home industry scale is also given a chance to mengoplos or in other words mix bioethanol and premium by themselves to be marketed. The manufacturers who mix bioethanol and premium do not have to be afraid of being seized by the apparatus for it is actually protected by laws. The rejoicing thing is that bioethanol for fuel is duty free. It proves the government seriousness to enhance bioethanol as renewable energy source.

Blue sky

The usage of bioethanol as fuel also gives positive impact. Many valid researches have proven it. Dr Prawoto, the chief of Centre for Thermodynamic, Engine, and Propulsion (Balai Termodinamika, Motor, dan Propulsi), the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi), for example, proves that machine performance is better after being given bioethanol mixture. A similar research was also done by Prof Dr Ir Djoko Sungkono from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya majoring Mechanical Engineering.

Prawoto's research result shows, by using bioethanol mixture, the fuel consumption is more eficient. The E2 car or the one which is given 20% bioethanol mixture, at 30 km per hour speed, the fuel consumption is 20% more eficient than the car using gasoline as fuel. If the speed is 80 km per hour, the fuel consumption will be more efficient 50%. How is so? The burning is more eficient because ethanol is burnt faster than pure gasoline. Obviously, the more bioethanol mixture used, the burning process becomes shorter.

The perfect burning is due to octane number bioethanol is higher than gasoline. The gasoline octane value is only 87-8; while bioethanol is 117. When the two substances are mixed each other, they will increase octane value. For example is the addition of 3% bioethanol jacks up octane value 0,87%. '5% ethanol content increases 92 octane up to 94 octane,' said Sungkono, the alumnus of University of New South Wales, Sydney.

The higher the octane number is, the more endurable the fuel not to be burnt by itself so that it yields the stability of the burning process to obtain more stable power. Only 3% bioethanol mixture can decrease the carbonmonoxyde emission becoming 1,35%. Compare if the vehicle uses premium, the carsinogenic emission alias cancer agent is 4,51%. So, if the bioethanol content is increased, the emission will be more decreased. The blue sky programme which is proclaimed by the government will be easier to be realized. The effect is the society becomes healthier.

At present, bioethanol mixture inside premium for conventional cars is 10% maximum or E10. Even in Brazil, conventional cars use E20 alias 20% bioethanol mixture without modifying the engine. The use of E100 or E80 in conventional cars without engine modification is not suggested because fear of damage to the engine. However, now that flexi cars or flexible cars appear, either 100% bioethanol or 100% premium can be used. In the United States there are 5-million flexi cars with the increament of 1-million vehicles per year.

Fight for the base material

Eventhough there are a lot of peculiarities, bioethanol business is not without obstacle. One of the business obstacle is the limitation of base material supply. At present, the majority of manufacturers are depending on molasses as base material. Whereas, the sugar plant waste is also needed by other industries such as ketchup and flavouring spice factory. In fact, some others are exported. Indra Winarno said that molasses has become the black gold lately.

The impact is economic law arises. So much demand make base material buying price soar so as the bioethanol manufacturers' margin shrinked. Some manufacturers preferred cassava as alternative. Many of them surpressed their investment in Lampung because the province is the biggest cassava producers in Indonesia. Their presence turns out to jack up the cassava price there.

'The price used to be Rp300 per kg. Now it is more than Rp400,' said Donny Winarno, the vice president of PT Molindo Raya Industrial. The increasing price is a blessing for the farmer. On the other side, it gives the manufacturers hard times. 'I hope the government issues a policy that also protect the manufacturers,' said the alumnus of University of California.

When the obstacles are overcome, the manufacturers can obtain income from bioethanol drop. The thing is, the bioethanol market-as fuel-is indeed huge due to the motorized vehicle population is increasing. According to the Indonesian Motorized Vehicle Industry Union (Gabungan Industri Kendaraan Bermotor Indonesia), the car selling is increasing on the average 53.400 unit per year. The car owners do not need to modify the engine in order to be able to use the bioethanol mixture.

The market is wider and better when the fuel subsidy which was worth Rp1.681,25 per liter was withdrawn. With the need of 17-billion liters, the goverment spends Rp28,6-quintillion fund per year. Apart from the fuel issue, the bioethanol market segment remains big. It is because many industries need it. Just for example, the industry of cooking spices, talcum powder, paint, pharmacy, carbonated drink, cough medicine, toothpaste and mouthwash, perfume, and cigarette also need it.

Even, ink industri also needs bioethanol. The product is functioned as solvent, vinegar substance, and asetaldehyde. According to Ir Agus Purnomo, the chief of the Indonesian Association of Methylated Spirit and Ethanol (Asosiasi Spiritus dan ethanol Indonesia (Asendo) ), the ethanol needs for industry on the average is 140-milion liters per year.

Glowing investment

With all the advantages stated above, the use of bioethanol seems more pressing. It is not only because the industry becomes the locomotif of the economic development and creates work field, but it is also because the petroleum price which is estimated to soar up to US$100 per barel (1 barel = 117,35 liter) in the following years. It is the reason why Johan Bukit, a bioethanol manufacturer, estimates, 'Whoever the chosen president is, in 2009 it is not easy to maintain the fuel subsidy.'

Such condition encourages a lot of investors to invest their capital to build green refinery or in other words renewable energy. Johan Arnold Manonutu, for example, works out a partnership with the people of South Minahasa, South Sulawesi. The only son of the former Minister of Information in Bung Karno era spent millions of Rupiah fund to buy 5 units of bioethanol manufacturing machine each with a capacity of 200 l/ day.

The machines are 'lent' to the people of Menara village, Amurang Timur Subdistrict, South Minahasa Regency. 1 unit of the machine is managed by 3 people. Johan intercepts their manufacturing output which reach 1.000 liter in a day, with the price Rp6.000 per liter. 'The price is higher than the rat brand which is only Rp300 per liter,' he said. The rat brand means the distillate of sugar palm sap with 35% ethanol content which is normally used for an alcohol drink substance.

Johan markets the ethanol to some hospitals for sterilization. With the selling price Rp16.000-Rp17.000 per liter, his turnover is Rp16-millions-Rp17-millions per day. Edy Darmawan from PT Indo Acidatama is planning to build a manufacturing plant which has the capacity of 50-millions liter per year in Lampung. So is Sugar Group Company (SGC), the owner of 3 giant sugar plants which built the same plant with the same capacity in Central Lampung. They whiff big opportunity by building the environment friendly green refinery.

Its market segment is spreading out widely, the price is sufficient, it even can be used for self-needs. It is bioethanol, the 'gasoline' of plants. Do you want to build refinery on your frontyard in order to taste the sweetness of bioethanol business? (Sardi Duryatmo/ Reporter: Andretha Helmina, Imam Wiguna, Lani Marliani & Nesia Artdiyasa)

Trubus 456, pages: 13-15

Click gambar untuk info lebih detail

Meilfin Roza's eye balls were unwince when he saw a 2 m high nepenthes carrying 22 large pitchers. 'It is for me,' Melfin said. However, it was not easy for the man who is addicted to monkey jar since he was in college to get the idol. There was also a Malaysian competitor who was also enchanted by Nepenthes bicalcarata. After bargaining, the shipping service businessman got the heart devotee by spending Rp12-million.

It was for a reason why Meilfin was enamored by Nepenthes bicalcarata. The one which was found in Sanggau, West Kalimantan, has 22 leaves sized 65 cm x 12 cm. Each leaf carrying giant pitchers 25 cm tall. The pitcher diameter is up to 16 cm, equal to a glass circle. The nepenthes pitchers from lowland which are embelished by yellow, violet, and red colours is more interesting.

The nepenthes which has 2 canines behind the pitcher lid is actually not the biggest. There is nepenthes rajah which pitcher can reach 35 cm high and 14 cm diameter. The borneo endemic ketakung is sensible to be crowned as the biggest pitcher nepenthes. In addition, it has a pretty performance. The pitcher lip is big and curved as if a red shell. Its pitcher lid is big as if a dome. The inner part of the pitcher is yellow up to purple, the outer part is dark red or purple. It is obvious that highland entuyut which is also adaptive to 0-2.000 m above sea level elevation becomes the collectors' target.

Many varieties

When visiting MA Suska's nursery in Ciawi, Bogor, Trubus saw giant Nepenthes rafflesiana. When the length was measured it reached 30 cm long. The pitcher looks more dominant than the leaves which were only 16 cm.

In dr Purbo Djojokusumo's nursery, Ciawi, there is N. reinwardtiana with giant pitchers. The pitchers length is over a hand span. The shape is slender because the pitcher width is less than 3 cm. With 2 dots resembling eye ball on the inner part of the pitcher, the lowland kantong beruk is easily recognized. Nepenthes northiana on the garden is even much bigger. The 40 cm long and the 12 cm diameter pitchers mesmerize every ones' eyes.

Seeming to be unwanted to be inferior, N. truncata, N. adrianii, and N. jacqueline also perform jumbo pitchers. From Trubus track output, there are at least 8 giant pitcher nephenteses. They charm the kantong beruk devotees. (Lastioro Anmi Tambunan)

N. bicalcarata
Origin/ habitat	Kalimantan, mossy swamp forest in Brunei, and Serawak
Height	Creeping up to 20 m
pitcher length	? 25 cm
pitcher width	? 16 cm, the lower pitchers become small and narrow
pitcher lid	heart shape 2,5-3,5 cm long and 4-5 cm wide
Leaves size	20-65 cm long and 6-12 cm wide
Distinctive feature	Has 2 long thorns which sticks out of the lid base and has giant nectar gland
N. rajah
Origin/ habitat	Kinabalu mountain, Kalimantan. Grow on the highland 1.650-2.700 m above sea level elevation
pitcher length	20-35 cm
pitcher width	11-14 cm
pitcher lid	round egg shape 15-22 cm long and 11-16 cm wide
Leaves size	25-50 cm long and 10-15 cm wide
Distinctive feature	The pitcher lid is wider than the red and purple pitcher lip
N. adrianii
Origin/ Habitat	Java endemic and grow on the highland over 1.100 m above sea level elevation
pitcher length	20 cm
pitcher width	7 cm
pitcher lid	8 cm long and 3 cm wide
Distinctive feature	One of the living epifit. Wide lip
N. truncata
Origin/ Habitat	Mindanao island endemic, Philippine on 0-2.000 above the sea level height
pitcher length	30 cm
pitcher width	6 cm
pitcher lid	Triangle shape 5 cm long and 2,5 cm wide
Distinctive feature	Yield pitchers as if a short and thick monster. The lower pitchers cylindric shape with a small lid. A heart shape leaves.
N. reinwardtiana
Origin/ habitat	Spreading in Sumatera, Bangka Belitung, Kalimantan, Malaysian peninsula (Pahang), Serawak, and Singapore. Grow on the lowland, 0-2.100 m above sea level elevation
Height	? 20 cm
pitcher length	5-15 cm
pitcher width	1/2 - 1/3 of pitcher long, wide and narrowing 1-2 cm upward
Leaves size	6-20 cm long and 2-4 cm wide
Distinctive feature	Having eyes (spots) on the inner side of the pitcher, bright green pitcher
N. rafflesiana
Origin/ Habitat	Found in Sumatera, Kalimantan, Peninsula Malaysia, and Singapore. Grow on 0-1.000 m above sea level elevation area.
Height	Climbing up to 4 m
pitcher length	10-25 cm
pitcher width	3-7 cm
pitcher lip width	2,5 cm
pitcher lid	Round egg shape with 6-11 cm long and 4-8 cm wide
Leaves size	16 cm long and 3-6 cm wide
Distinctive feature	Varied colours from bright green and cream embellished by red or clear purple spots
N. northiana
Origin/ Habitat	Borneo and Malaysia on the lowland, 0-500 m above sea level
pitcher size	Funnel shaped with 40 cm long and 12 cm diameter
Leaves size	15-25 cm long and 3-10 cm wide
pitcher lid	tapering shaped sized 2-10 cm. Sharp end and round bottom
Distinctive feature	The pitcher colour is the combination of green and white with bright red spots
N. jacqueline
Origin/ Habitat	Sumatera and grow on the highland, 1.700-2.200 m above sea level
pitcher length	15 cm
Width	10 cm
Distinctive feature	Round shaped, and compact resembling a short water jar

Trubus 441, 22-23

Bakteri Jadi Pestisida Aman

Ini politik devide et impera yang dilakukan Ir Euis Suryaningsih MS. Periset Balai Penelitian Tanaman Sayuran itu mengadu domba makhluk mini seperti Bacillus subtilis dengan bakteri Colletotrichum gloeosporoides penyebab penyakit antraknosa pada cabai. Mereka bertarung dan Bacillus subtilis selalu menang.

Apa rahasia kemenangan itu? Anggota famili Bacillaceae itu mempunyai senyawa toksin bernama bacillin. Toksin itu tokcer menghambat perkembangan bakteri patogen. Menurut Charles L. Baugh, periset Merck Institute for Theurapeutic Research, Pennsylvania, Amerika Serikat, bacillin juga mampu mendongkrak resistensi tanaman. Dampaknya sistem kekebalan tanaman pun meningkat.

Euis, alumnus Biologi Universitas Padjadjaran Bandung, meriset bakteri sebagai pestisida selama hampir 2 tahun sejak awal 2006. Mula-mula Euis mengambil isolat bakteri Bacillus subtilis dari daun cabai muda. 'Sebaiknya bakteri diambil dari tanaman yang akan diberi perlakuan,' katanya. Tujuannya agar tidak terjadi resistensi. Sistem metabolisme daun muda masih sangat aktif, jadi lebih banyak bakteri yang ditemukan. 'Kemungkinan dia juga memperbanyak diri di sana,' katanya.

Ambil spora

Setelah memperoleh isolat bakteri, Euis mengupayakan bakteri berkembang biak. Caranya dengan menciptakan suasana lingkungan kering. Kelembapan ruangan diatur sampai titik terendah sehingga bakteri menghasilkan spora. Bila lingkungan tidak menguntungkan, beberapa jenis bakteri termasuk bacillus akan mempertahan diri dengan membentuk spora. 'Spora itulah yang saya panen,' kata Euis.

Spora itu awet selama 2 tahun. Namun, bila disimpan di lemari pendingin, daya tahan spora lebih lama, mencapai puluhan tahun. Dalam bentuk spora, bakteri akan dorman. Spora itu selanjutnya digunakan oleh Euis untuk memperbanyak jumlah bakteri.

Untuk merangsang bakteri memperbanyak diri lagi, cukup meningkatkan kelembapan udara ruangan tempat isolasi bakteri, sampai lebih dari 90%. Saat itu, kondisi lingkungan sesuai dengan kebutuhan bakteri. Masa dormansi pun usai. Spora tidak terbentuk lagi dan bakteri pun bisa kembali memperbanyak diri. Nah, saat memperbanyak diri itulah bakteri mengeluarkan senyawa toksin. Senyawa itu dikeluarkan oleh hampir seluruh bagian tubuhnya dan akan digunakan untuk melawan bakteri patogen pada tanaman.

Caranya dengan mengambil isolasi bakteri yang sudah dibuat serbuk. Selanjutnya dilarutkan dalam air, dengan dosis 0,1%. Larutan itu disemprotkan pada tanaman seminggu sekali. Pestisida Bacillus subtilis bekerja secara sistemik. Ia menghambat pertumbuhan patogen dengan masuk melalui sistem metabolisme tanaman lalu pelan-pelan mencegah patogen berkembang biak. 'Cara kerjanya mirip antibiotik, dosisnya kecil, tapi dilakukan terus-menerus,' kata perempuan 59 tahun itu.

Dalam metabolisme tanaman, biopestisida itu menghambat perkembangbiakan bakteri atau cendawan patogen. Akibatnya, patogen tidak bisa memperbanyak diri sehingga penyakit yang ditimbulkan pun bisa dihambat. Temuan biopestisida itu jelas kabar menggembirakan bagi para pekebun sayuran. Maklum, selama ini pekebun mengandalkan pestisida kimiawi yang mengancam kesehatan konsumen dan memicu resurjensi hama.

Pekebun bawang merah, umpamanya, kerap waswas akibat serangan layu fusarium. Penyakit yang disebabkan oleh Fusarium oxysporum itu terbukti dapat diatasi dengan merendam benih bawang merah dalam 0,1% larutan Bacillus subtilis selama 30 menit. Hasilnya bawang merah bebas serangan fusarium. Untuk perawatan berikutnya, cukup semprotkan pestisida alami itu dengan dosis sama, seminggu sekali.

Produksi tinggi

Hasil penelitian Euis Suryaningsih membuktikan, 'Beberapa penyakit akibat cendawan patogen bisa diatasi,' katanya. Itu juga dibuktikan pada tanaman sayuran lain seperti bawang merah, cabai, pecai, dan seledri. Hasil penggunaan pestisida Bacillus subtilis sangat terlihat mencolok. Yang menggembirakan, penggunaan Bacillus subtilis ternyata meningkatkan produksi. Dalam uji coba penanaman bawang merah di Rancaekek, Bandung, Euis menuai 300 kg umbi lapis dari lahan 1.000 m².

Itu berarti 3 kali lipat lebih banyak dibandingkan tanaman yang tidak disemprot bakteri. Menurut Clarence L Baugh, makhluk berukuran 4 mikron itu mengandung fitohormon seperti auksin, sitokinin, etilen, giberelin, dan asam absisat yang mampu merangsang pertumbuhan tanaman. Selain itu, ia juga memasok nutrisi esensial seperti nitrogen, fosfor, kalsium, dan magnesium yang dibutuhkan oleh tumbuhan. Bahkan bakteri mampu melarutkan mangan pada MnO₂ menjadi Mn⁺². Mangan dalam bentuk kation itu sudah siap diserap oleh tanaman dan merangsang pertumbuhan tanaman.

Peran ganda pestisida sekaligus pupuk itu bukan hanya monopoli bakteri Bacillus subtilis. Cendawan Trichoderma lactae mampu menghambat pertumbuhan patogen dalam tanah seperti Pseudomonas solanacearum penyebab penyakit layu pada kentang dan Rhizoctonia solani penyebab busuk akar pada kentang. Jika Bacillus subtilis tersebar di mana-mana, trichoderma hanya ditemukan dalam tanah. Ia juga mampu meningkatkan pertumbuhan tanaman dengan memaksimalkan kerja mikroba dalam rhizosfer tanah-bagian di sekitar akar tanaman.

Menurut Dr Tualar Simarmata, ahli mikrobiologi tanah Universitas Padjadjaran, penggunaan bakteri dan cendawan sebagai biopestisida harus dilakukan secara hati-hati. 'Salah-salah bisa jadi senjata makan tuan,' kata Tualar. Maksudnya, niat hati ingin menjadikan bakteri dan cendawan menjadi senjata alami, tapi karena tidak terkontrol malah menyebabkan penyakit. Menurut Tualar pada prinsipnya setiap mikroba dapat menjadi patogen. 'Tidak ada yang menjamin bakteri atau cendawan itu selamanya baik,' kata doktor alumnus Universitas Liebig, Jerman, itu.

Penggunaan agen hayati juga tidak bisa disamakan dengan pestisida kimia. Pada pestisida kimia konsentrasi sudah teruji. Sedangkan penggunaan agen hayati masih mengandalkan hukum keseimbangan alam. Hasilnya pun bervariasi. 'Kondisi lingkungan tidak ada yang sama, maka efektivitasnya pun tidak akan pernah sama,' ujar Tualar. Itulah ciri khas penggunaan agen hayati sebagai musuh alami patogen.

Selain itu, dalam penggunaannya, agen hayati harus dipastikan hidup saat inokulasi dan mampu memperbanyak diri ketika diaplikasikan pada tanaman. 'Kalau tidak bisa hidup kan artinya sia-sia saja. Jangankan untuk mengendalikan penyakit, hidup saja susah,' katanya. (source : Lani Marliani/Peliput: Argohartono Arie Raharjo untuk Trubus-Online.com)

Pesona Supernova Jogjakarta: Tongkol Dihargai Rp. 2M

Tanaman itu menjulang setinggi 2 meter. Panjang daunnya 120-130cm dan lebar 90 cm. Susunan daunnya bagus, kompak, dan melambai, kian memperindah penampilannya. Dia adalah anthurium supernova kebanggaan wong Jogjakarta yang tongkolnya saja dihargai Rp 2 M.

Demam anthurium merajalela di Tanah Air. Harganya pun menjulang tinggi menyamai harga rumah penyanyi dangdut ternama, Inul Daratista, di perumahan Pondok Indah Jakarta Selatan, yang mencapai Rp 2 M.

Fenomena ini tentu cukup menarik bagi industri tanaman hias, mulai dari penghobi, kolektor, dan tentunya penjual. Padahal dulunya anthurium merupakan tanaman yang tumbuh di hutan-hutan tropis yang teduh. Namun karena kemolekan daunnya, si raja daun inipun beralih jadi hiasan yang indah di rumah. Bahkan dari beberapa jenis anthurium, seperti jenmanii atau supernova dipastikan sebagai jenis anthurium yang jarang dan langka, sehingga dengan memilikinya, jadi kebanggaan tersendiri.

Wajar kalau harga anthurium menjulang tinggi, sehingga pasar banyak yang membidik tanaman daun ini. Dengan syarat sudah memiliki indukan yang akan dijual dalam bentuk biji maupun bibit, pebisnis tanaman hias dipastikan bisa menjual koleksi langkanya dengan harga tinggi.

Makin hebat indukan yang Anda miliki, maka dipastikan harga jual anakan akan jauh lebih mahal, seperti Yoe Kok Siong dari Kaliurang Garden Centre Jogjakarta, yang memiliki indukan supernova berusia 15 tahun ini. Indukan yang khusus didatangkan dari Amerika Latin ini memang diharapkan bisa memberikan turunan berkualitas untuk penghobi anthurium.


Yo, sapaan akrab Yoe Kok Siong, mengatakan saat ini memang supernova merupakan jenis anthurium termahal yang pernah ia miliki, karena jenis ini termasuk jarang dan langka ditemukan di Tanah Air. Untuk memilikinya saja, ia harus mendatangkannya dari dataran Eropa.

Supernova miliknya itu baru dalam tahap pembuahan dan belum memiliki turunan sejak datang pada satu tahun yang lalu. Memang dirinnya fokus untuk program penyesuaian iklim dulu sebelum dilakukan penyerbukan untuk bibit, sebab bila dipaksakan bisa saia keluar biji, namun kualitasnya bisa saja - tidak bagus.

Beda bila sudah tumbuh dengan baik. otomatis biji yang dihasilkan juga berkualitas, imbuh Yo.

Supernova milik Yo memang tumbuh sehat. Itu dilihat dari kondisi daun yang tumbuh segar, serta warna hijau yang cerah. Tinggi tanaman sendiri cukup mengagumkan. ia bisa tumbuh lebih dari 2 meter. Selain itu. lebar daun bisa mencapai 90 cm, dengan tulang daun yang sangat tegas menonjol.
Batang daunnya sendiri mempunyai ukuran yang besar, sehingga secara keseluruhan terlihat gagah.

Wajar bila tanaman ini konon menjadi kegemaran para raja, karena menunjukkan kesan jantan dan gagah. Supernova sendiri saat ini menjadi satu jenis jenmanii yang sedang di-'uber-uber' kolektor dan juga pebisnis, dengan harapan bisa menjualnya kembali. Apalagi jenis ini masih sangat langka di pasaran dan tentunya akan jadi koleks ekslusif apabila bisa memilikinya.

Menurut Yo, demam supernova seperti saat ini sempat dialami juga oleh jenmani cobra yang sekarang pun masih mempunyai nilai cukup tinggi. Namun sebagai ilustrasi, ternyata harga jual supernova bisa mencapai empat kali lipat dari harga cobra.

Meski biji supernova miliknya baru bisa dipasarkan tiga bulan ke depan, namun dari sekarang diakui sudah ada peminat yang memesannya. Harga jual yang diberikan untuk setiap biji pada tongkol supernova tak tanggung-tanggung, yaitu Rp 1 juta. Harga yang diberikan tentu cukup mengejutkan, namun di tangan kolektor, harga seperti itu bukan lagi jadi masalah. Harga per-biji Rp 1 juta itu, wajar bila ada salah seorang kolektor yang menawar satu tongkol supernova Rp 100 juta, Yo tidak memberikannya. Pasalnya, dari satu tongkol bisa menghasilkan 2000-3000 biji. Jadi, rupiah yang dihasilkan jelas lebih banyak bila menjual secara eceran. Bahkan kalau dikalkulasi bisa mencapai Rp 2 M per-tongkolnya.

Untuk Jenis jenmanii, terutama supernova bisa mengeluarkan tongkol untuk ber-reproduksi rata-rata usia yang dimiliki antara 7-8 tahun. Jadi untuk melakukan investasi, supernova cukup lama, sehingga akan lebih mudah untuk mendatangkan indukan dari luar negeri. Namun biaya yang dikeluarkan dipastikan cukup besar dan membutuhkan kejelian untuk melihat kualitas tanaman.

Masuk dalam dunia tanaman hias sejak 10 tahun lalu, membuat Yo cukup paham pergeseran tren tanaman hias, seperti mendatangkan supernova satu tahun yang lalu ini. Namun bagi penghobi yang ingin mendapatkan bibit dari supernova, Yoe Kok Siong harus menunggu tiga bulan lagi, sebab saat ini tongkol sedang dalam pertumbuhan biji (wo2k)

Sumber: www.kebonkembang.com