PALMOILMAGAZINE, PEKANBARU – PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero) launched superior varieties of tissue-cultured oil palms, NUSAKlon 1 and NUSAKlon 2, which are claimed to be able to produce crude palm oil (CPO) productivity of up to 12 tons per hectare per year. The launch was carried out in Siak Regency, Riau Province, and is expected to be a solution to increase productivity without the need for new land expansion.
The NUSAKlon 1 and NUSAKlon 2 varieties are the result of intensive research conducted by the Palm Oil Research Center (PPKS) in collaboration with PTPN IV PalmCo. The productivity of these varieties is claimed to be 30 to 40 percent higher than that of common oil palm varieties, which only reach 7-8 tons per hectare per year. According to PTPN III President Director Mohammad Abdul Ghani, this innovation is a strategic step to support the vision of national food and energy security.
“The productivity is much higher with significant CPO yield potential. This NUSAKlon will be a long-term solution to realize Indonesia’s energy and food security,” Abdul Ghani said, quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com, Thursday (19/12/2024).
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Deputy Minister of State-owned Enterprises of Indonesia, Aminuddin Ma’ruf, who was also present at the launch, expressed optimism that NUSAKlon would strengthen Indonesia’s position as a major global CPO producer. In addition to high productivity, this variety also has other advantages such as uniform vegetative growth, high quality oil content, and better yield potential.
“With a potential productivity of up to 12 tons per hectare, NUSAKlon can accelerate the achievement of food and energy independence in a short time,” Aminuddin said.
NUSAKlon began to be developed in 2009 at the PPKS Marihat Tissue Culture Laboratory and field tested since 2016 at PTPN IV’s Adolina Oil Palm Seedling Farm. President Director of PTPN IV PalmCo, Jatmiko Santosa, expressed his appreciation to the researchers who have worked for 18 years to produce this variety.
“This variety even has shorter fronds, allowing an increase in the number of plants per hectare. With NUSAKlon, the B-100 program is no longer just a dream,” Jatmiko added.
Going forward, this variety will be part of the community oil palm replanting (PSR) program initiated by PTPN IV PalmCo, which aims to strengthen the productivity of oil palm farmers through strategic partnerships.
Director of PT Riset Perkebunan Nusantara (RPN), Iman Yani Harahap, called the successful launch of NUSAKlon an answer to the researchers’ struggle to support food and energy security. Head of the Palm Oil Research Center, Dr. Winarna, also emphasized that the somatic embryogenesis (SE) tissue culture technology used has brought a major breakthrough in national palm oil productivity.
“This variety produces 11-12 tons of CPO per hectare per year. We are optimistic that NUSAKlon will be the main solution to increase national palm oil productivity,” Winarna concluded.
The launch of NUSAKlon shows great potential for Indonesia to maintain dominance in the global CPO industry, while supporting the acceleration of national food and energy security. (P2)