Leaf Photosynthetic Rate in Sago Palms (Metroxylon Sagu Rottb.) Grown Under Field Conditions in Indonesia
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Jpn. J. Trop. Agr. 51(2) : 54-58, 2007 Leaf Photosynthetic Rate in Sago Palms (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) Grown under Field Conditions in Indonesia Akira MIYAZAK1*,Yoshinori YAMAM0T01,Kazuki OMORI1, Hardaning PRANAMUDA2, Ray Sadimantara GUST13,Yulius B. PASOLON3and Jermia LIMBONGAN4 1 Faculty of Agriculture , Kochi University 2 Center for the Assessment and Application of Bioindustrial Technology (BPPT) , Jakarta, Indonesia 3 Dry Land Research Center, Haluoleo University, Kendari, Sulawesi, Indonesia 4 Center for the Assessment and Application of Agricultural Technology (BPTP) , Papua, Indonesia Abstract Leaf photosynthetic rate (PR) and related characters in sago palms were determined under field conditions at three different locations in Indonesia: Kendari, Bogor and Jayapura. The results were as follows: First, diurnal changes in PR revealed that the maximum values of PR in sago palms were in the range of 25-27 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 in a palm after trunk formation that was grown in Kendari, values which were much higher than those recorded at younger stages in previous reports (8-15 mgCO2 dm-2 h-1) . The PR values in palms prior to trunk formation that were grown in Bogor were in the range of 16-18 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1. Similar values were observed for the average PR of some folk varieties grown in Jayapura (17.2 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1). Second, the PR was saturated at the light intensity of about 500 ƒÊE m-2 s-1, suggesting that low light saturation plays an important role in maintaining the levels of CO2 fixation required for a high starch yield under the low light conditions caused by the canopy cover. Third, the PR was closely related to the mesophyll conductance (Gm), an indicator of CO2 fixation ability: the decrease in the PR values of the lower leaves was due to the decrease in Gm. However, the lower PR values recorded in Bogor than those in Kendari were associated with stomatal conductance (Gs), rather than with Gm. Key Words: Diurnal change, Folk variety, Light saturation point, Mesophyll conductance, Stomatal conductance study, we selected a palm after trunk formation and Introduction palms prior to trunk formation, and measured the PR Starch yield in sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) of sago palms under field conditions at different sites is estimated to amount to about 200 kg per trunk and in Indonesia. We examined the relationship between about 10-25 ton per hectare, values much higher than PR and related characters to determine the levels of PR those recorded in other starch crops on average and the changes in the PR levels with the leaf age. (Flack, 1980). Starch accumulation in sago palm Materials and Methods depends on CO2 assimilation per plant, which can be calculated by multiplying the photosynthetic rate per Measurements were conducted at three locations leaf area by the total leaf area per hectare. Under in Indonesia: Haluoleo University in Kendari (South- sunny conditions, early growth appears to be promoted east Sulawesi), BPPT (Center for the Assessment and by the expansion of the leaf area. However, as the leaf Application of Bioindustrial Technology) sago planta- area index (LAI) in sago palm reaches a value of 9 m2 tion in Bogor (West Java) and farmer's garden near leaves per m2 of land (Flack and Schuiling, 1991), leaf Lake Sentani in Jayapura (Papua) . In Kendari, one expansion causes mutual shading with a decrease in spiny type 'Tuni', with a trunk and fourteen leaves, was light intensity. Therefore, starch accumulation after selected. Two leaves each of upper, middle and lower trunk formation is strongly limited by the leaf positions of the canopy in one direction of the trunk photosynthetic rate (PR) under the canopy. However, were used for all the measurements. In Bogor, two reports on PR are available only for young sago palms spineless type palms (no particular vernacular name), grown in pot experiments (Flack, 1977; Uchida et al., which were 4-5 year-old palms with 12 living leaves and 1990). Since the PR measured in pot experiments may without a trunk, were selected. The 5th and 8th leaves not reflect the PR under field conditions, in the present from the top were used as upper leaves, and the 9th Received Jun. 23, 2006 and 12th leaves were used as lower leaves. In Jayapura, Accepted Mar. 10, 2007 two spiny types, 'Rondo', 'Para', and two spineless * Corresponding author Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan types Yepha' and 'Follo' (Widjono et al., 2000), which [email protected] were 3-5 year-old palms with 8-13 living leaves and Miyazaki et al.: Leaf photosynthetic rate in sago palms 55 without a trunk, were selected in a close range in the sago palms prior to trunk formation that were grown in field, with one palm for each type. The 4-8th leaves Bogor and in a sago palm after trunk formation that from the top were used for the measurements. was grown in Kendari. In Kendari, the value of PR The photosynthetic and transpiration rates of the which was the highest between 8 to 10 a.m., decreased sago palms were determined in the centre (both sides gradually after 10 a.m. and rapidly after 4 p.m., with of a leaflet except for the midrib) of the middle leaflet for large deviations. The maximum PR values were in the each leaf using a portable photosynthesis and transpira- range of about 25-27 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 in Kendari and 16- tion apparatus (KIP 8, Koito). Each leaflet was inserted 18 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 in Bogor. These values were higher into a leaf chamber (5 cm2) and was perpendicular to than those recorded by Flach (1977) and Uchida et al. the incident solar radiation. Data were collected with (1990), 8-15 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1 at the rosette stage in three to five replications at the same position in a leaflet sago palms grown in pots in a greenhouse. In addition, to obtain the maximum value. Stomatal conductance the PR values in the present study were equal to or (Gs) and internal CO2 concentration were calculated higher than those in the oil palm after trunk formation from the transpiration rate and PR (Long and Hallgren, (about 20-30 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1, Yabuki, 1985) and arbor 1985). The PR value was divided by the intercellular crops, such as coffee (5-17 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1, Murata, CO2 concentration for the calculation of the mesophyll 1980). It appears that the average PR values in Kendari conductance (Gm). did not change with the day of measurement. However, Diurnal changes were measured on August 7, 8 the data on August 8 showed larger deviations than and 10, 1999 in Kendari and on September 2, 2004 in those on August 10, probably because more data were Bogor. In Jayapura, the PR for eight to fifteen leaflets collected from different leaf positions on August 8 than was measured under sunny conditions on the morning on August 10. of September 8, 9 and 13, 2004. The same 4-8th leaves The relationship between the PR and photosyn- from the top were used for the determination of the thetically active radiation (PAR) is shown in Fig. 2. As SPAD value and leaf thickness in Jayapura. The SPAD this relation was not affected by the day of measurement, value for three to nine leaflets was determined in the data on August 8 were plotted in Kendari to analyze the centre of a leaflet with ten replications (five replications effect of leaf positions. The PR was saturated at about from both sides in a leaflet except for the midrib) using 500 ƒÊE m-2 s-1, a value which was similar to the light a SPAD meter (SPAD-502, Minolta). The same leaflet saturation point recorded by Uchida et al. (1990), 613- positions were used for the determination of the leaf 741,ƒÊ E m-2 s-1 in young sago palms. These results thickness with an electric vernier caliper (CD-15C, suggested that the sago palm leaf exhibits a lower light Mitsutoyo). saturation point than that in annual field crops (Murata, 1980). At PAR values above 500 ƒÊE m-2 s-1, the Results and Discussion average values of PR in Bogor and Kendari were 14.0 Fig. 1 shows the diurnal changes in PR in young and 16.3 mg CO2 dm-2 h-1, respectively. Also, the Fig. 1 Diurnal changes in leaf photosynthetic rate (PR) of sago palms grown in Bogor and Kendari. Data measured in the centre of the middle leaflet on different leaves are shown. Measurements were conducted on September 2, 2004 in Bogor and on August 7, 8 and 10, 1999 in Kendari. 56 Jpn. J. Trop. Agr. 51(2) 2007 Fig. 2 Relationship between PAR and photosynthetic rate (PR) in sago palms grown in Bogor and Kendari. Data measured on September 2 in Bogor and on August 8 in Kendari are shown. average transpiration rates of sago palms in Bogor and Large genetic diversity of sago palm was found in Kendari were 1.4 and 2.3 g H2O dm-2 h-1, respectively Jayapura, Papua Island. These types of sago palm are (data not shown), values which were higher than those referred to as 'folk variety' according to the Symposium recorded in the young sago palms grown in pots (0.67 conclusion from the Eighth International Sago Sympo- g H2O dm-2 h-1, Uchida et al., 1990). Difference in the sium (EISS 2005 held in Jayapura, Indonesia during the PR between the leaf positions was not conspicuous at period of August 4-6, 2005).