In situ and Ex situ Conservation of Commercial Tropical Trees - ITTO

263Ex situ Conservation of Pinus merkusiiin Java, IndonesiaEKO B. HARDIYANTO AND SRI DANARTOFaculty of Forestry Gadjah Mada University,Yogyakarta 55281 Indonesiaekobhak@indosat.net.idAbstract. Pinus merkusii is one of the important forest tree species planted in Indonesia due tothe considerable value of its wood and oleoresin. In its natural distribution in Sumatra (Aceh,Tapanuli and Kerinci) the species has constantly suffered from a variety of threats. Despitecurrent efforts at in situ conservation, ex situ conservation of the species is deemed necessary tobetter safeguard it from unwanted loss. The selected strategy is to integrate ex situ conservationinto the existing breeding program. During 1996-1997 an attempt was made to collect P. merkusiiseeds from the natural populations and the new genetic materials were then incorporated into theexisting breeding program. The infusion of new genetic materials from natural populations is oneof the key elements in the breeding programs of P. merkusii in Java. The subpopulation andnumber of families from Aceh included in the breeding program are as follows: Jantho (64),Takengon (72), Blangkejeren (295). The new genetic materials were established as breedingpopulations at two sites in Java in 1997 and 1998, and structured as a multiple populationbreeding system. In 1997 seed collection was made from the Tapanuli and Kerinci populations;however, due to poor germination the establishment of ex situ conservation stands of the lattertwo populations has not been successful.IntroductionPinus merkusii is an important forest tree species planted in Indonesia due tothe considerable value of its wood, which is excellent for sawn-timber, furniture,boxes and paper. The paper derived from its fiber has qualities comparable tothose of other pine species. The species has also been recognized for producinga high quantity and quality of oleoresin.P. merkusii is the only pine native to Indonesia, namely in Sumatra. Onthis island the species is found in three disjunct populations; namely Aceh,Tapanuli, and Kerinci. The species also occurs naturally in northeastern India,Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the islands of Luzon and Mindoro inthe Philippines (Cooling 1968).The species was introduced to Java in the early 1920s from an unknownsource of its natural population in Sumatra, presumably from Blangkejeren ofthe Aceh provenance. The species was also introduced to South Sulawesi atthe end of the 1930s. Since then the species has been planted quite extensively