Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 28 (2) June 2016, p. 177-183

ANALYSIS OF BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES RELATED TO HARD BUNCH PHENOMENA IN OIL PALM (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

ROBERDI, ROBERDI*; SOBIR, SOBIR**; YAHYA, SUDIRMAN**; TORUAN-MATHIUS, NURITA* and LIWANG, TONY*

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2016.2802.05
ABSTRACT

Hard bunch is an abnormal phenomenon occurred on fruits of oil palm. This abnormality exists in several oil palm plantations in Indonesia and typically, hard bunch occurs in areas which are frequently dry. Up to this point, the hard bunch biochemical properties are not well understood and therefore, many researchers are trying to elucidate this abnormality. The objective of this study was to characterise the biochemical properties related to the abnormal oil palm fruits. The fruits samples which were collected from the oil palm plantation in Lampung were subjected to the physical and biochemical properties analysis of the bunches. Analyses performed on the bunch were carotenoids, tocopherol, phenolic acids, lignin and oil extraction ratio. The experimental results indicated that fresh fruit bunch, spikelet weight, total carotene, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and lignin of fruit abscission zone observed from normal and hard bunches were significanly different. On the other hand, the other parameters were not significantly different. However, lignin accumulation in the abscission zone which affects the loosenes of fruits from the bunch, indicated high level in the hard bunch abnormality (76.41%) compared to that of normal oil palm (70.61%).

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* PT SMART – Biotechnology, Jalan Raya Cijayanti Kp Pasirmaung, RT 004/006 Babakan Madang, Bogor, West Java 16145, Indonesia. E-mail: roberdi_siberakuno@yahoo.co.uk

** Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.