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According to data from the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki), Indonesia’s palm oil industry has encountered productivity challenges and experienced production stagnation over the past five years. The high demand from both domestic and foreign markets is a concern as it may jeopardize the availability of palm oil supply.
Puji Lestari, the Head of the Agriculture and Food Research Organisation of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), explained that using superior varieties is one of the efforts to optimize oil palm productivity in Indonesia. BRIN, in collaboration with Astra Agro, is developing tissue culture techniques as a clonal method for producing high-quality oil palm seedlings.
“Exploration and development of superior oil palm varieties are necessary to create high-productivity seedlings of good quality. Research and development are essential to promote quality that considers sustainability and environmental impacts,” Puji stated in a written statement on Tuesday (22/10).
Since 2018, BRIN and Astra Agro have been developing innovations using tissue culture techniques to create superior oil palm clones. By 2024, more than 10,000 plants of these superior clones, produced through tissue culture, have been planted in one of Astra Agro’s oil palm plantations in Central Kalimantan.
Astra Agro’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development, Cahyo Wibowo, has revealed that the technology used to produce clones through tissue culture is currently in the process of obtaining a patent with BRIN. The patent application was filed at the end of 2023. Through cooperation with BRIN, Astra Agro is continuing to enhance plant cloning (propagation) using superior plant genetic material sources.
“In principle, the selected plant candidates must offer specific advantages, such as high productivity based on comprehensive field observations. We encourage the optimization of the tissue culture method through this collaboration to efficiently produce a large number of plants in a shorter period of time,” Cahyo explained.
According to research by the Palm Oil Research Centre (PPKS), oil palm productivity can increase by 20-25% compared to conventional plants when developed through tissue culture. Cahyo added that oil palm plants from tissue culture have the same genetic characteristics as the tree that will be cloned.
“It’s not just about using superior plant varieties; plant productivity also depends on proper fertilization, pest and disease control, and the use of artificial intelligence technology to support the cultivation of oil palm plants. That’s why we need to explore innovations in plant care.”
Astra Agro has developed Astemic biofertilizer using advanced microbial biotechnology sourced from its own plantations. This biofertilizer has been employed internally and has effectively reduced the use of chemical fertilizers by 25%, while also lowering carbon emissions.Astra Agro has developed Astemic biofertilizer using advanced microbial biotechnology sourced from its own plantations.
‘With BRIN’s collaboration, Astra Agro is discussing participation in innovating the development of biofertilisers that align with sustainable principles,’ Cahyo concluded.
Source: Media Indonesia
