Author : Arida Susilowati

Summary : Selection activities for high yielder candidates of Pinus merkusii in Java were started in 2006 through a series of survey and morphological studies, but specific information on its resin production structure, marker based genetic aspects, wood anatomy and propagation strategy are still not determined yet. Those information are needed for further characterization and improvement strategy. The objectives of this research were: i) to determine resin production baseline data, growth structure and growth character related with resin production for further research, ii) to estimate genetic parameter of higher resin yielder candidate through morphogenetic characterization, iii) to analyze anatomical structure of resin duct influencing resin production through macroscopic and microscopic characterization and iv) to develop vegetative propagation strategy for higher resin yielder candidate through interfascicular shoot multiplication, cutting and grafting. Results showed that Cijambu Seedling Seed Orchad (SSO) has the highest resin production (101.4 g/tree/3 days) and right-skewness distribution with wider resin production interval was chosen for further research. Growth characters (height, branch, stem diameter and crown) and resin yield showed moderate correlation. Morphogenetic characterization showed that resin production character has high value of coefficient genetic variation (CGV: 14.5-28.435), narrow sense heretibility (h2: 0.58 +- 0.08-0.77+-0.08), different alletic pattern, heterozygosity value (He:0.551 and He:0.545) and clustered with normal producer. This research showed that genetically high resin yielder candidates are different from normal resin producer. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation founded 3 characters (diameters, bark thickness and crown length) which have positive correlation and 2 characters (branch number and severity level of pest and disease attack) which negative correlation with rein yield. Anatomical structure characterization showed that high resin yielder has darker wood colour, higher in number of axial resin duct, wider resin duct diameter and thicker epithelium cell compared to normal resin producer. It is concluded that resin production was more affected by genetic than environment factors and genetically high resin yielder candidates are different form normal resin producer. Vegetative propagation through shoot mutiplication, cutting and grafting provide prospective strategy for mass propagation of high resin yielder.