Use of Rhizophora apiculata and its cut-propagule seedling method for mangrove rehabilitation in Indonesia

Abstract

A high decrease in Indonesia's mangrove forests requires effective and efficient rehabilitation efforts. One of the efforts is the use of Rhizophora apiculata as the adaptive mangrove species and the cut-propagule seedling method of the species for accelerating plant propagation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the scientific literature on the use of R. apiculata for mangrove rehabilitation and to analyze the growth of R. apiculata derived from the cut-propagule seedlings. Scientific literature was collected from 2012 to 2022 in Google Scholar. An experimental study was conducted using the following treatments: cut-propagule, growth regulator, and planting media with 3 replications. About 90% of 980 articles stated the R. apiculata as the main species for mangrove rehabilitation. However, there was no study on the effect of cut-propagule seedlings on the growth of R. apiculata. Propagule cutting significantly affects the increase in height and diameter. Treatment of no propagule cutting, growth regulator (10 000 ppm), also a combination of mud+sand resulted in the highest height increment. Treatment of no propagule cutting, no growth regulator, and the combination of mud+sand resulted in the highest diameter increment. The cut-propagule method can be an alternative method to produce more seedlings than no propagule cutting.