Micropropagation of Sumatran Frankincense (Styrax benzoin) Forest Plants Producing Bioactive Raw Materials for Medicine
Isnaini Nurwahyuni (a*) and Manihar Situmorang (b)

a*) Departement of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl. Bioteknologi No.1 Padang Bulan, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia 20155, E-mail: isnaininurwahyuni[at]yahoo.co.id
b) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Medan, Jl. Willem Iskandar, Psr V, Medan, North Sumatra, INDONESIA 20221, E-mail: msitumorang[at]unimed.ac.id

Abstract

Abstract
Preservation of tropical forest plants that have high economic potential, such as Sumatran Benzoin (Styrax benzoin Dryander), by providing quality seeds is urgently needed. The purpose of this study was to propagate the Sumatran Frankincense (Styrax benzoin) plant to produce good quality seeds needed to meet the needs of seedlings for forest conservation. Styrax benzoin micropropagation technique was carried out using explants from very good quality parent plants. Micropropagation was carried out using explants from the best plants to produce seeds with the same frankincense production quality as the parent plant. Various types of explants have been used for such as seed embryos, young leaves, and shoots. Micropropagation was carried out in a completely randomized design with two factors: concentration of NAA (0-3 mg/L) and BAP (0-3 mg/L). The combination of NAA and BAP in culture media at optimal conditions proved to be effective in inducing callus and plant growth. The success of micropropagation has the potential to produce seeds of the same excellent quality as the parent plant in large quantities in a relatively short time. This technique is expected to be able to meet the conservation needs of community forests and national forests, and in the long term will increase the production of frankincense as a non-timber forest commodity as raw material for medicine.

Keywords: Micropropagation, Styrax benzoin Dryander, Good quality seeds, medicinal raw materials, non-timber products

Topic: Optimization Research Based on Local Resources