Production of Quality Kelampayan Planting Materials Using Plant Tissue Culture Technique for Industrial Tree Plantation - A Case Study in Sarawak

• Main Author: Ho, Wei Seng
• Other Authors: Wei-Seng, Ho
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Sarawak Timber Association 2023
• Subjects: Q Science (General); SB Plant culture; SD Forestry
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/42736/1/Production%20of%20Quality%20Kelampayan%20Planting%209pgs.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/42736/

The main aim of this publication is to bridge the research gap in tissue culture and in vitro mutagenesis of Kelampayan. Significant efforts have been made to produce high-quality planting material of Kelampayan for industrial tree plantations through the "Quality Kelampayan Research Project" (STA-UNIMAS). An efficient micropropagation and acclimatisation protocol has been developed for Kelampayan candidate plus trees by using nodal explants to achieve direct organogenesis. The genetic fidelity of the tissue culture-derived regenerants has been confirmed using DNA-based and target gene-specific markers, thereby validating the true-to-type nature of the produced Kelampayan plantlets. Additionally, polyploid Kelampayan clones have been established through in vitro mutagenesis and micropropagated for field trials, exhibiting improved photosynthetic capacity and growth performance compared to other Kelampayan trees planted in various locations. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms for this improved performance are not yet fully understood, polyploid plants may demonstrate greater tolerance towards environmental stresses. Therefore, further research is essential to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms and poly-tolerance involved in the improved performance of polyploid Kelampayan clones. This publication is the result of years of extensive research and collaboration under the STA-UNIMAS project (2019-2023), and we are delighted to share it with the scientific community. We hope this work will inspire and encourage researchers to continue exploring the frontiers of scientific knowledge in Kelampayan research.