Inventory and Morphological Diversity Characterization of Local Durian [Durio zibethinus Murr.] in South Sulawesi Province

Abstract

South Sulawesi is one of the provinces in Indonesia which is famous for its durian fruit, especially the local one. These local durians are having several advantages such as resistance to major pests/diseases and high productivity. However, because of the lack of information, many local durians that actually have economic potential are not known by the community. The purpose of this research was to inventory and characterize local Durian in South Sulawesi as the initial step for the registration of varieties. In accordance with the applicable regulations, registration of varieties is a requirement for a variety to be developed economically in local and global markets. This research was conducted in Luwu, Sinjai, and Bulukumba Regencies, South Sulawesi Province, from January to December 2015. The research was using descriptive method and sampling was conducted by purposive sampling method. Direct observation was carried out on trees, leaves, and fruit as primary data, while secondary data was obtained through interviews with the owners of the plant. Eighteenth accessions of durian that have been tested showed that the morphological characters were quite diverse with a genetic similarity coefficient between 0.08–0.50. The dendrogram was divided into four groups. Lagalenrong and Laissong accessions had the greatest genetic similarity (0.50), while the smallest genetic similarity (0.08) were accessions of Simas with Laissong, Simas with Lanangka, Mentega with Lauro 1, Pagolla with Lauro 2, and Simas with Taramatekkeng 2. The superior characters such as medium fruit weight, medium-thinner skin thickness, and sweet taste, were observed on Pagolla, Mentega, and Taramatekkeng 2 accessions, while for attractive fruit flesh color were observed from Simas accession.