Yosep Seran Mau - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Yosep Seran Mau

International Journal of Tropical Drylands

The Talau-Loes watershed is a cross-border watershed in Indonesia and Timor Leste (East Timor) wh... more The Talau-Loes watershed is a cross-border watershed in Indonesia and Timor Leste (East Timor) which has traditionally been a natural resource for living, cultivation and conservation areas for communities in several districts of Belu Regency, Indonesia, and several areas in the Timor Leste territory. Water shortages in the land system are thought to play a significant role in the low productivity of agricultural crops. This study aimed to predict water balance in the Talau watershed, and to estimate river discharge in Malibaka Sub-watershed of Talau-Loes watershed. The study results showed that the amount of annual precipitation of 1679 mm was smaller than the total amount of water lost, amounting to 1914.79 mm per year, originating from evapotranspiration (ET) of 1650.91 mm and runoff water of 263.85 mm. Thus, theoretically, there would be an annual deficit of 235.79 mm in the Talau watershed. However, at the peak of the groundwater deficit, it turned out that the Malibaka River in the Malibaka sub-watershed and the Talau watershed had a discharge of 18 mm 3 /sec. This gives a clue about the ability of the groundwater level to gradually release its water reservoir as a source of base flow. Soil and water conservation actions that combine integrated systems such as agroforestry systems with mechanical conservation actions are proposed as solutions that need to be studied and developed in the future.

International Journal of Tropical Drylands, 2021

Province, Indonesia) is a biodiversity conservation area with the main aim to protect the origina... more Province, Indonesia) is a biodiversity conservation area with the main aim to protect the original habitat and remaining population of Komodo dragon species (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912). Nonetheless, the area also has great potential as one of the objects of tourist attraction. The purpose of this study is to see the sustainable function of conservation and tourism in Komodo National Park. Komodo National Park covers land area of more than 603 square kilometers and 1214 square kilometers of marine habitat. The land habitats have 277 species of animals while the marine habitats have 253 species of corals, more than 1,000 species of fish, and 25 species of whales and dolphins. One of the main attractions of the Komodo National Park area is the ancient giant reptile of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The tourism management of Komodo National Park (KNP) is currently done through an ecotourism approach. The tourism zone is determined based on part of the Komodo National Park which has the potential for land and marine tourism with a diversity of flora and fauna. The participation of communities living around KNP in the ecotourism business can increase local economics and conservation awareness; as well as their participation in conservation. Meanwhile, the factors that hinder community participation in tourism development are limited budget, apathy and low public awareness, fluctuations in tourist visits, and difficulties in marketing ecotourism products.

Tropical Drylands, 2019

. Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa ... more . Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in three locations. Trop Drylands 3: 49-55. Several pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been selected based on their agronomic performance, blast resistance, and drought tolerance traits. This study aimed to further elucidate the selected upland rice cultivars for their yield performance and stability in a multi-location trial in three locations. The results showed the significant effect of rice genotype, location, and interactions between rice genotype and location (GxE) on most observed variables, both in each location and across the three locations. Five genotypes produced average grain yield of ≥ 4. 0 t/ha over three locations, i.e., NGR-22, PMK-01, ADN-05, Inpago 7 and Aek Sibundong. These five genotypes were found to produce high and stable grain yield under the three growing environments.

In the last several years, strong resistance to the fumigant phosphine in the Lesser Grain Borer ... more In the last several years, strong resistance to the fumigant phosphine in the Lesser Grain Borer Rhyzopertha dominica has been identified in different geographical regions of Australia. The present study reveals that phosphine resistance levels of strongly resistant R. dominica strains recently isolated from New South Wales (SRNSW) and South Australia (SRSA), are, respectively, ~225-fold and ~100-fold greater than the baseline response of a sensitive reference strain. Molecular analysis indicates that high-level resistance in these strains was derived independently from that in a previously described strain from Queensland (SRQLD). Genetically, however, the three independent outbreaks of high-level resistance are quite similar. Resistance in both SRQLD and SRNSW is conferred by two genes, rph1 and rph2. Resistance in SRSA is also conferred by two genes, one of which is an allele of rph1. The second resistance factor in SRSA seems to be a weak resistance allele of rph2. High-level resistance in all three strains is neither mitochondrially encoded nor sex-linked, whereas it is incompletely recessive. The present study demonstrates that the rph1 gene also contributes to resistance in strong resistant strain SR2QLD, isolated from central Queensland. The rph1 gene is therefore shared among all four resistance outbreaks in different geographical regions in Australia. As with SRSA, a weak resistance allele of rph2 also seems to contribute to resistance in SR2QLD. Combining the resistance genes from the four strongly resistant strains SRQLD, SR2QLD, SRNSW and SRSA, produced a less than 2 fold enhancement of the resistance phenotype. This result is consistent with the conclusion that the four strains simply harbour alternative alleles at the two major resistance loci, rph1 and rph2 and that any additional resistance genes are of minor effect. Thus, the number of genetic mechanisms by which insects become resistant to phosphine is severely constrained and may be restricted to as few as two genes. Toxicological analysis reveals that the phosphine resistance allele at the rph1 locus confers cross resistance against the cytochrome c oxidase toxin, dimethyl disulphide (DMDS). Thus, the rph1 locus is responsible for a common mechanism of resistance to both DMDS and phosphine. A second resistance gene, rph2, which synergistically enhances the effectiveness of rph1 against phosphine, does not confer any additional cross resistance against DMDS. Furthermore, phosphine and DMDS exhibited a synergistic increase in toxicity that was equivalent in both resistant and sensitive strains of R. dominica. Thus, the synergism represents a unique mode of action against which existing resistance mechanisms are ineffective. The mitochondrial uncoupler compound, chlorfenapyr, produced an equivalent effect in both sensitive and resistant strains. This eliminates the possibility that resistance results from a constitutive down regulation of oxidative phosphorylation, as this should result in hypersensitivity toward chlorfenapyr. The phosphine resistant strains consistently show greater resistance to starvation than the sensitive strains. This cross resistance is likely contributed by the rph1 resistance factor as all of the resistant strains showed similar starvation resistance. This suggests that resistance against phosphine, starvation and the mitochondrial toxin, DMDS, results from a shared mechanism.

Australian …, 2010

We analysed high-level resistance to phosphine in Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), the lesser grain bor... more We analysed high-level resistance to phosphine in Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), the lesser grain borer (LGB), using both classical and advanced molecular genetic techniques. We found that two major genes primarily control resistance. The first gene has been present in LGB populations for many years and is responsible for 'weak' resistance, i.e. resistance that can be controlled with a properly applied fumigation. Insects with a stronger level of resistance were detected in 1997. These insects have the gene responsible for 'weak' resistance plus another gene. The second gene has little effect on its own but strongly enhances the effect of the first gene. We also found that neither gene has any measurable fitness effect over 16 generations. Our analyses show that, to combat resistance, fumigations must be fully effective. If eradication is not complete, resistance will rapidly regenerate in an insect population.

Biodiversitas, Feb 13, 2017

The objective of this study was to identify species of hairtails (Trichiurus spp.) which caught f... more The objective of this study was to identify species of hairtails (Trichiurus spp.) which caught from the southern coast of East Java, based on morphology and molecular characters. Three hundred and forty-nine fish samples were collected from two fishing port i.e. Muncar and Prigi. Twenty-two morphometric and four meristic characters were measured from each sample. The result showed that the hairtail samples consisted of two species, T. lepturus and T. brevis based on morphology characters. Based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), these species can be distinguished by the head and caudal character, which the length of an upper jaw and caudal peduncle characters were the main distinguish. Analysis of fragment (~600 bp) of the mitochondrial DNA encoding 16S rRNA gene showed that T. lepturus samples were 100% genetically identical with T. lepturus while T. brevis samples were 100% identical with T. brevis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that T. lepturus and T. brevis were distinct species while T. lepturus both which caught from Prigi and Muncar were closely related species. The molecular identification can be used to verify the result of morphological identification.

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is a big lizard species from the Varanidae f... more The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is a big lizard species from the Varanidae family that belongs to the Endangered category (EN) listed on the IUCN red list and Appendix I CITES. This study aimed to reveal the distribution of potential preys Komodo dragons in Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), which was collected using rapid assessment methods. The presences of the Komodo dragon's potential prey come from direct and indirect observation or previous studies. We collected 510 points of Komodo dragon prey presence in Riung, Ngada District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia from six species, including cattle, but only used 127 points for analysis based on the correlation. Long-tailed macaque, wild boar, civet, Timor deer, feral horses, and cows were the potential prey for komodo in Riung. Most of the points come from cattle, such as cows. On the other hand, we used environmental habitat to represent prey habitats such as elevation, slope, land surface temperature, moisture index, vegetation index, and distance from specific objects such as distance from agriculture, rivers, road, savanna, and settlement. Komodo dragon's potential prey in Riung was distributed in savanna, mangrove, and lowland forest. The result showed three suitable habitats for the Komodo dragon's potential prey dominated by low and moderate-suitability areas.

International Journal of Tropical Drylands

Banana is one of the most important horticulture crops in West Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province... more Banana is one of the most important horticulture crops in West Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. But the productivity of this crop is still low due to many factors, one of which is diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens. There are many banana cultivars in West Timor but information on their cultivar identity and the diseases they suffer are absent. The present study aimed at: (i) identifying the banana cultivars in West Timor, (ii) assessing the symptoms of the diseases on the banana cultivars, and (iii) identifying the pathogens causing the diseases. The sampling of research location was done purposively while sampling of banana plantation was using a snowball method. Banana cultivar showing bacterial blood and fungal disease symptoms were further examined to isolate and to identify the pathogens based on the pathogen morphological characteristics. Twenty-one banana cultivars were found in West Timor, and were included in three genomic groups, i.e., ABB, AAB, and AA. Symptoms and signs of bacterial infection were only found on Pisang Kepok. Two bacteria isolates and soil samples were further cultured on specific and general bacterial media and also subjected to gram staining, all of which revealed that the bacterial isolates were not the causal bacterial pathogens of Blood disease or banana Xanthomonas wilt. Thus, no blood disease or banana Xanthomonas wilt is present in West Timor at the moment. Various and abundant fungal disease symptoms were exhibited by most of the cultivars. Banana diseases caused by fungal pathogens included Cordana Spot disease (Cordana musae), Anthracnose disease (Colletotrichum musae), Sigatoka disease (Mychosphaerella sp.), Leaf spot disease (Phyllachora musicola), Curvularia spot disease (Curvularia sp.) and Freckle disease (Phyllosticta musarum).

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

Genetic diversity assessment is vitally important for germplasm management and the assembly of ne... more Genetic diversity assessment is vitally important for germplasm management and the assembly of new varieties. This study aimed to 1) assess the genetic diversity and 2) characterize the distinctness, uniformity, and stability of newly bred clones and check varieties of sweet potatoes based on morphological characters. The present study was conducted in the experimental farm of Universitas Nusa Cendana for two cycles (years) in 2021 and 2022, involving 13 newly bred (hybrid) clones and 6 control varieties. The observations were made on morphological characters of leaf, vine, and storage root, including 31 characteristics. The observed characters were given scores based on the sweet potato descriptors of IPGBR and PPVTPP. The scored morphological data were subjected to cluster analysis followed by a Principal Component Analysis to reveal the genetic diversity level. Euclidean index was used to characterize the distinctness, while the variation of the scored morphological data was used to reveal the uniformity and stability of tested genotypes. The results revealed a high genetic diversity of the studied genotypes. The cluster analysis placed the studied genotypes into four clusters; cluster I consisted of only one genotype, cluster II comprised two sub-clusters and 13 genotype members, cluster II comprised two members, and cluster IV comprised two sub-clusters and three members. The first eight principal components were responsible for about 79% of the observed variability. Euclidean distance index revealed that each of the studied genotypes is distinct from others. No off-type plant was observed; thus, each of the tested genotypes was considered uniform. Phenotypic expressions of the studied genotypes were similar over the two growing cycles; thus, each is said to be stable. The newly bred genotypes G16 and G29 genotypes that meet the distinctness, uniformity, and stability criteria based on their highest number of distinctive characters are eligible for registration as new sweet potato varieties, more specifically for their unique purplish white and purple tuber flesh characters.

Sustainability

Risk and uncertainty in grain crop production are common in marginal semi-arid environments, such... more Risk and uncertainty in grain crop production are common in marginal semi-arid environments, such as East Nusa Tenggara province. Growing root and tuber crops in a mixed-cropping system is one of the strategies developed by smallholder farmers to substitute food grains and minimize risk. Nevertheless, root and tuber crops are not prioritized for food production systems since food crops in Indonesia are based more on grain and wetland rice production systems. This paper reviews cassava crops, which are widely cultivated by smallholder farmers. This paper contributes to understanding the roles of cassava for smallholder farmers, the diversity of the cassava germ plasm, the progress made to increase cassava productivity, and the potency of cassava crops to improve farmers’ incomes. This paper highlights that, in the low and erratic rainfall of dominant semi-arid regions, the development of cassava is pivotal to secure the harvest of food crops or food availability and income generation...

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

BackgroundBrown spot disease is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of rice. Biological c... more BackgroundBrown spot disease is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of rice. Biological control of this disease is considered more environmentally safe, but the biological control agents have limited availability. The fungusTrichodermacan be used as a biocontrol agent for various plant diseases, including brown spots. IndigenousTrichodermaspecies from West Timor were evaluated in this study to reveal their effectiveness in reducing brown spot disease of upland rice. The study was conducted under a screen house condition using a factorial treatment design laid out in a completely randomized design. The two factors were the brown spot disease control method (T. viride, T. harzianum, T. hamatum, fungicide Trivia 73 WP, and a control treatment) and upland rice genotype (Inpago 7 and Breun Senaren 2).ResultsThe results showed thatTrichodermaspp. and the fungicide Trivia 73 WP caused significantly lower AUDPC and apparent infection rate than the control treatment. The total phenol...

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

Brown spot is one of the most devastating diseases of rice, which could lead to total yield loss.... more Brown spot is one of the most devastating diseases of rice, which could lead to total yield loss. The disease has a worldwide distribution, more specifically in areas where water supply is scarce, most specifically in the dry upland areas. Almost all stages of rice are affected by the disease, where leaves and grains are mostly affected. Considerable differences exist in susceptibility to brown spot among rice varieties, which may cause a large variation in yield loss caused by the disease. Therefore, the resistance level of rice varieties and their yield reduction has to be regularly evaluated and updated. There are only a few reports on the relationship between brown spot severity with yield and yield loss of upland rice, and is even lacking in pigmented upland rice. The objectives of the present study were to assess the brown spot severity and resistance level in pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, and to elucidate their relationships with yield and yield reduction. Twenty four pigmented upland rice genotypes were evaluated in the field during May to October 2019, and their disease responses and yields were recorded. Disease severity was observed weekly and used to calculate Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) for comparison among the genotypes. The relationships between disease severity and AUDPC with yield and yield loss were also examined. The results showed significant variation in brown spot severity and AUDPC, ranging from, respectively, 11.11% to 40.70% and 398.42%-days to 1081.30%-days. Yields and yield losses of test genotypes also varied substantially. Yields under diseasedfree and diseased plots ranged from, respectively, 2.34 t ha-1 to 6.13 t ha-1 and 1.68 t ha-1 to 3.74 t ha-1 while yield loss was between 10.46% and 56.15%. Six genotypes were moderately resistant, four genotypes were moderately susceptible and 14 genotypes were susceptible to brown spot. Neither disease severity nor AUDPC had a linear relationship with yield but both exhibited positive and linear relationships with yield loss.

Sustainability

This paper’s working hypothesis is that the indigenous farming practices of Timorese farmers are ... more This paper’s working hypothesis is that the indigenous farming practices of Timorese farmers are those most suitable and adaptable with regard to these farmers’ circumstances. Intensive farming and the acceleration of land conversion in Java lead to a reduction in favorable cropland and the degradation of soil biology. To meet the demand for food production, unfavorable areas outside Java, including marginal semi-arid areas on Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara province, have become an important option. Unfortunately, the national crop production policy has paid less attention to the specific biophysical characteristics of the region and how local people have adapted to the diverse marginal environment. We review the literature in the areas of soil nutrition retention and soil biology, vegetation/crop diversity, and farming practices/management, including local wisdom on soil management. This paper highlights that the values of the chemical parameters of the soils in question are vari...

International Journal of Tropical Drylands, 2021

Abstract. Mau YS, Wadu MN, Ndiwa ASS, Markus JER, Arsa IGBA. 2021. A screening of resistance to s... more Abstract. Mau YS, Wadu MN, Ndiwa ASS, Markus JER, Arsa IGBA. 2021. A screening of resistance to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius Fab.) in a collection of sweet potato clones under laboratory conditions. Intl J Trop Drylands 5: 41-47. Sweet potato is a potential carbohydrate source as a rice substitute in Indonesia, especially in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT). However, the productivity of this crop is still low at the farmer level due to, among others, the use of low-yielding varieties and yield loss caused by sweet potato weevil (SPW), Cylas formicarius. The use of SPW resistant varieties is considered the most effective and eco-friendly way of controlling the pest. However, the availability of resistant varieties is currently limited. This study aimed to evaluate the SPW-induced damage intensity and SPW-resistance level in a collection of sweet potato clones. The study was conducted in the laboratory of Universitas Nusa Cendana, Kupang, Indonesia. Observed variables included the p...

Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Lapangan Terpadu Lahan Kering Kepulauan, Univer... more Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Lapangan Terpadu Lahan Kering Kepulauan, Universitas Nusa Cendana, sejak bulan November 2017 sampai Maret 2018. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan kombinasi dosis pupuk kandang sapidan pupuk mineral NPK yang terbaik terhadap sifat kimia tanah Entisols serta pertumbuhan dan hasil ubi jalar ungu (Ipomoea Batatas L).Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) dengan 6 kombinasi perlakuan secara keseluruhan dan 4 ulangan sehingga terdapat 24 satuan percobaan yaitu kombinasi pupuk anorganik NPK dan pupuk kandang sapi. P0 : Tanpa pemupukan (0 kg anorganik, 0 kg pukan sapi), P1 : 100 % Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi (20 ton/h), P2: 75% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 25% dosis rekomendasi(25 kg Urea, 25 kg SP-36 dan 37,5 kg KCl), P3: 50% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 50% dosis rekomendasi(50 kg Urea, 50 kg SP-36 dan 75 kg KCl), P4: 25% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 75% dosis rekomendasi(75 kg...

Resistance level of potential sweetpotato clones from NTT to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicari... more Resistance level of potential sweetpotato clones from NTT to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius Fab.) A laboratory experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential sweetpotato clones from NTT for the following objectives: 1) to determine resistance level of the clones to sweetpotato weevil (SPW), 2) to investitage the effect of genotype by tuber production site interaction on SPW-resistance level, 3) to identify SPW-resistant clones. Sweetpotato roots employed in the experiment were obtained from two production sites in the fields. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with a factorial treatment of two factors: sweetpotato genotype (10 clones) and root production sites (two sites). Experimental unit was replicated three times. Variables observed included percentage of SPW-injured root, severity of root injury, number of larva, pupae and imago, and root morphological characters. Quantitative data were subjected to analysis of variance while qualititave...

Biodiversitas, 2021

Abstract. Markus JER, Ndiwa ASS, Oematan SS, Mau YS. 2021. Variations of grain physical propertie... more Abstract. Markus JER, Ndiwa ASS, Oematan SS, Mau YS. 2021. Variations of grain physical properties, amylose and anthocyanin of upland red rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 1345-1354. Red rice is becoming more popular nowadays due to the increasing awareness of rice consumers on its health benefits. The demands for red rice are increasing but the supply is limited, thus, local red rice cultivars can be used to fill this gap. Optimal use of local rice germplasm requires a comprehensive evaluation of their traits, and the genotypes having the most desirable traits can be selected for direct use. Several upland red rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been evaluated for various traits while their grain properties are still unrevealed. Information on grain properties is important, both for consumer preference and rice breeders. This study aimed to elucidate the grain physical properties, amylose, and anthocyanin of upland red rice germp...

Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) regarding local food plants is knowledge that is owned by local ... more Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) regarding local food plants is knowledge that is owned by local communities and is passed down from generation to generation. LED is obtained through a long process of adaptation and is used by local communities to address environmental problems. The Kabola ethnic group also has LEK regarding food plants used to solve food problems on dry land, but the LEK owned by the Kabola ethnic community is in danger of being lost. The method used is a mixed method (Mixed Methodology), which combines qualitative methods and quantitative methods, data collection begins with an exploration using a qualitative case study method by means of in-depth interviews followed by a quantitative survey method of the plant species mentioned during the interview. The results showed that the Kabola ethnic group still collects wild food plants from forests, former gardens and riverbanks, even though they have cultivated various types of food crops; The Kabola ethnic group commun...

Agrivita : Journal of Agricultural Science, 2013

A number of promising sweet potato clones from East Nusa Tenggara and a checked cultivar were eva... more A number of promising sweet potato clones from East Nusa Tenggara and a checked cultivar were evaluated in several locations for the following objectives: 1) to elucidate genotype by environment effect on growth and yield of the sweet potato clones, and 2) to determine growth and yield stability of the clones across diverse locations in East Nusa Tenggara province. The study was carried out in four locations and was laid out in a Randomized Block Design consisting of 10 sweet potato genotypes as treatments and two replicates. Obtained data were subjected to combined analysis of variance to determine GxE interaction, followed by stability analysis based on joint regression model of Eberhart and Russell. Research results revealed that genotypes, locations and genotype by location interaction posed significant effect on the observed variables. Most of the evaluated clones were unstable for vegetative growth characters but were stable for tuber yield and yield components. The local clon...

International Journal of Tropical Drylands

The Talau-Loes watershed is a cross-border watershed in Indonesia and Timor Leste (East Timor) wh... more The Talau-Loes watershed is a cross-border watershed in Indonesia and Timor Leste (East Timor) which has traditionally been a natural resource for living, cultivation and conservation areas for communities in several districts of Belu Regency, Indonesia, and several areas in the Timor Leste territory. Water shortages in the land system are thought to play a significant role in the low productivity of agricultural crops. This study aimed to predict water balance in the Talau watershed, and to estimate river discharge in Malibaka Sub-watershed of Talau-Loes watershed. The study results showed that the amount of annual precipitation of 1679 mm was smaller than the total amount of water lost, amounting to 1914.79 mm per year, originating from evapotranspiration (ET) of 1650.91 mm and runoff water of 263.85 mm. Thus, theoretically, there would be an annual deficit of 235.79 mm in the Talau watershed. However, at the peak of the groundwater deficit, it turned out that the Malibaka River in the Malibaka sub-watershed and the Talau watershed had a discharge of 18 mm 3 /sec. This gives a clue about the ability of the groundwater level to gradually release its water reservoir as a source of base flow. Soil and water conservation actions that combine integrated systems such as agroforestry systems with mechanical conservation actions are proposed as solutions that need to be studied and developed in the future.

International Journal of Tropical Drylands, 2021

Province, Indonesia) is a biodiversity conservation area with the main aim to protect the origina... more Province, Indonesia) is a biodiversity conservation area with the main aim to protect the original habitat and remaining population of Komodo dragon species (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912). Nonetheless, the area also has great potential as one of the objects of tourist attraction. The purpose of this study is to see the sustainable function of conservation and tourism in Komodo National Park. Komodo National Park covers land area of more than 603 square kilometers and 1214 square kilometers of marine habitat. The land habitats have 277 species of animals while the marine habitats have 253 species of corals, more than 1,000 species of fish, and 25 species of whales and dolphins. One of the main attractions of the Komodo National Park area is the ancient giant reptile of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The tourism management of Komodo National Park (KNP) is currently done through an ecotourism approach. The tourism zone is determined based on part of the Komodo National Park which has the potential for land and marine tourism with a diversity of flora and fauna. The participation of communities living around KNP in the ecotourism business can increase local economics and conservation awareness; as well as their participation in conservation. Meanwhile, the factors that hinder community participation in tourism development are limited budget, apathy and low public awareness, fluctuations in tourist visits, and difficulties in marketing ecotourism products.

Tropical Drylands, 2019

. Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa ... more . Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in three locations. Trop Drylands 3: 49-55. Several pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been selected based on their agronomic performance, blast resistance, and drought tolerance traits. This study aimed to further elucidate the selected upland rice cultivars for their yield performance and stability in a multi-location trial in three locations. The results showed the significant effect of rice genotype, location, and interactions between rice genotype and location (GxE) on most observed variables, both in each location and across the three locations. Five genotypes produced average grain yield of ≥ 4. 0 t/ha over three locations, i.e., NGR-22, PMK-01, ADN-05, Inpago 7 and Aek Sibundong. These five genotypes were found to produce high and stable grain yield under the three growing environments.

In the last several years, strong resistance to the fumigant phosphine in the Lesser Grain Borer ... more In the last several years, strong resistance to the fumigant phosphine in the Lesser Grain Borer Rhyzopertha dominica has been identified in different geographical regions of Australia. The present study reveals that phosphine resistance levels of strongly resistant R. dominica strains recently isolated from New South Wales (SRNSW) and South Australia (SRSA), are, respectively, ~225-fold and ~100-fold greater than the baseline response of a sensitive reference strain. Molecular analysis indicates that high-level resistance in these strains was derived independently from that in a previously described strain from Queensland (SRQLD). Genetically, however, the three independent outbreaks of high-level resistance are quite similar. Resistance in both SRQLD and SRNSW is conferred by two genes, rph1 and rph2. Resistance in SRSA is also conferred by two genes, one of which is an allele of rph1. The second resistance factor in SRSA seems to be a weak resistance allele of rph2. High-level resistance in all three strains is neither mitochondrially encoded nor sex-linked, whereas it is incompletely recessive. The present study demonstrates that the rph1 gene also contributes to resistance in strong resistant strain SR2QLD, isolated from central Queensland. The rph1 gene is therefore shared among all four resistance outbreaks in different geographical regions in Australia. As with SRSA, a weak resistance allele of rph2 also seems to contribute to resistance in SR2QLD. Combining the resistance genes from the four strongly resistant strains SRQLD, SR2QLD, SRNSW and SRSA, produced a less than 2 fold enhancement of the resistance phenotype. This result is consistent with the conclusion that the four strains simply harbour alternative alleles at the two major resistance loci, rph1 and rph2 and that any additional resistance genes are of minor effect. Thus, the number of genetic mechanisms by which insects become resistant to phosphine is severely constrained and may be restricted to as few as two genes. Toxicological analysis reveals that the phosphine resistance allele at the rph1 locus confers cross resistance against the cytochrome c oxidase toxin, dimethyl disulphide (DMDS). Thus, the rph1 locus is responsible for a common mechanism of resistance to both DMDS and phosphine. A second resistance gene, rph2, which synergistically enhances the effectiveness of rph1 against phosphine, does not confer any additional cross resistance against DMDS. Furthermore, phosphine and DMDS exhibited a synergistic increase in toxicity that was equivalent in both resistant and sensitive strains of R. dominica. Thus, the synergism represents a unique mode of action against which existing resistance mechanisms are ineffective. The mitochondrial uncoupler compound, chlorfenapyr, produced an equivalent effect in both sensitive and resistant strains. This eliminates the possibility that resistance results from a constitutive down regulation of oxidative phosphorylation, as this should result in hypersensitivity toward chlorfenapyr. The phosphine resistant strains consistently show greater resistance to starvation than the sensitive strains. This cross resistance is likely contributed by the rph1 resistance factor as all of the resistant strains showed similar starvation resistance. This suggests that resistance against phosphine, starvation and the mitochondrial toxin, DMDS, results from a shared mechanism.

Australian …, 2010

We analysed high-level resistance to phosphine in Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), the lesser grain bor... more We analysed high-level resistance to phosphine in Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), the lesser grain borer (LGB), using both classical and advanced molecular genetic techniques. We found that two major genes primarily control resistance. The first gene has been present in LGB populations for many years and is responsible for 'weak' resistance, i.e. resistance that can be controlled with a properly applied fumigation. Insects with a stronger level of resistance were detected in 1997. These insects have the gene responsible for 'weak' resistance plus another gene. The second gene has little effect on its own but strongly enhances the effect of the first gene. We also found that neither gene has any measurable fitness effect over 16 generations. Our analyses show that, to combat resistance, fumigations must be fully effective. If eradication is not complete, resistance will rapidly regenerate in an insect population.

Biodiversitas, Feb 13, 2017

The objective of this study was to identify species of hairtails (Trichiurus spp.) which caught f... more The objective of this study was to identify species of hairtails (Trichiurus spp.) which caught from the southern coast of East Java, based on morphology and molecular characters. Three hundred and forty-nine fish samples were collected from two fishing port i.e. Muncar and Prigi. Twenty-two morphometric and four meristic characters were measured from each sample. The result showed that the hairtail samples consisted of two species, T. lepturus and T. brevis based on morphology characters. Based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), these species can be distinguished by the head and caudal character, which the length of an upper jaw and caudal peduncle characters were the main distinguish. Analysis of fragment (~600 bp) of the mitochondrial DNA encoding 16S rRNA gene showed that T. lepturus samples were 100% genetically identical with T. lepturus while T. brevis samples were 100% identical with T. brevis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that T. lepturus and T. brevis were distinct species while T. lepturus both which caught from Prigi and Muncar were closely related species. The molecular identification can be used to verify the result of morphological identification.

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is a big lizard species from the Varanidae f... more The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is a big lizard species from the Varanidae family that belongs to the Endangered category (EN) listed on the IUCN red list and Appendix I CITES. This study aimed to reveal the distribution of potential preys Komodo dragons in Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), which was collected using rapid assessment methods. The presences of the Komodo dragon's potential prey come from direct and indirect observation or previous studies. We collected 510 points of Komodo dragon prey presence in Riung, Ngada District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia from six species, including cattle, but only used 127 points for analysis based on the correlation. Long-tailed macaque, wild boar, civet, Timor deer, feral horses, and cows were the potential prey for komodo in Riung. Most of the points come from cattle, such as cows. On the other hand, we used environmental habitat to represent prey habitats such as elevation, slope, land surface temperature, moisture index, vegetation index, and distance from specific objects such as distance from agriculture, rivers, road, savanna, and settlement. Komodo dragon's potential prey in Riung was distributed in savanna, mangrove, and lowland forest. The result showed three suitable habitats for the Komodo dragon's potential prey dominated by low and moderate-suitability areas.

International Journal of Tropical Drylands

Banana is one of the most important horticulture crops in West Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province... more Banana is one of the most important horticulture crops in West Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. But the productivity of this crop is still low due to many factors, one of which is diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens. There are many banana cultivars in West Timor but information on their cultivar identity and the diseases they suffer are absent. The present study aimed at: (i) identifying the banana cultivars in West Timor, (ii) assessing the symptoms of the diseases on the banana cultivars, and (iii) identifying the pathogens causing the diseases. The sampling of research location was done purposively while sampling of banana plantation was using a snowball method. Banana cultivar showing bacterial blood and fungal disease symptoms were further examined to isolate and to identify the pathogens based on the pathogen morphological characteristics. Twenty-one banana cultivars were found in West Timor, and were included in three genomic groups, i.e., ABB, AAB, and AA. Symptoms and signs of bacterial infection were only found on Pisang Kepok. Two bacteria isolates and soil samples were further cultured on specific and general bacterial media and also subjected to gram staining, all of which revealed that the bacterial isolates were not the causal bacterial pathogens of Blood disease or banana Xanthomonas wilt. Thus, no blood disease or banana Xanthomonas wilt is present in West Timor at the moment. Various and abundant fungal disease symptoms were exhibited by most of the cultivars. Banana diseases caused by fungal pathogens included Cordana Spot disease (Cordana musae), Anthracnose disease (Colletotrichum musae), Sigatoka disease (Mychosphaerella sp.), Leaf spot disease (Phyllachora musicola), Curvularia spot disease (Curvularia sp.) and Freckle disease (Phyllosticta musarum).

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

Genetic diversity assessment is vitally important for germplasm management and the assembly of ne... more Genetic diversity assessment is vitally important for germplasm management and the assembly of new varieties. This study aimed to 1) assess the genetic diversity and 2) characterize the distinctness, uniformity, and stability of newly bred clones and check varieties of sweet potatoes based on morphological characters. The present study was conducted in the experimental farm of Universitas Nusa Cendana for two cycles (years) in 2021 and 2022, involving 13 newly bred (hybrid) clones and 6 control varieties. The observations were made on morphological characters of leaf, vine, and storage root, including 31 characteristics. The observed characters were given scores based on the sweet potato descriptors of IPGBR and PPVTPP. The scored morphological data were subjected to cluster analysis followed by a Principal Component Analysis to reveal the genetic diversity level. Euclidean index was used to characterize the distinctness, while the variation of the scored morphological data was used to reveal the uniformity and stability of tested genotypes. The results revealed a high genetic diversity of the studied genotypes. The cluster analysis placed the studied genotypes into four clusters; cluster I consisted of only one genotype, cluster II comprised two sub-clusters and 13 genotype members, cluster II comprised two members, and cluster IV comprised two sub-clusters and three members. The first eight principal components were responsible for about 79% of the observed variability. Euclidean distance index revealed that each of the studied genotypes is distinct from others. No off-type plant was observed; thus, each of the tested genotypes was considered uniform. Phenotypic expressions of the studied genotypes were similar over the two growing cycles; thus, each is said to be stable. The newly bred genotypes G16 and G29 genotypes that meet the distinctness, uniformity, and stability criteria based on their highest number of distinctive characters are eligible for registration as new sweet potato varieties, more specifically for their unique purplish white and purple tuber flesh characters.

Sustainability

Risk and uncertainty in grain crop production are common in marginal semi-arid environments, such... more Risk and uncertainty in grain crop production are common in marginal semi-arid environments, such as East Nusa Tenggara province. Growing root and tuber crops in a mixed-cropping system is one of the strategies developed by smallholder farmers to substitute food grains and minimize risk. Nevertheless, root and tuber crops are not prioritized for food production systems since food crops in Indonesia are based more on grain and wetland rice production systems. This paper reviews cassava crops, which are widely cultivated by smallholder farmers. This paper contributes to understanding the roles of cassava for smallholder farmers, the diversity of the cassava germ plasm, the progress made to increase cassava productivity, and the potency of cassava crops to improve farmers’ incomes. This paper highlights that, in the low and erratic rainfall of dominant semi-arid regions, the development of cassava is pivotal to secure the harvest of food crops or food availability and income generation...

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

BackgroundBrown spot disease is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of rice. Biological c... more BackgroundBrown spot disease is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of rice. Biological control of this disease is considered more environmentally safe, but the biological control agents have limited availability. The fungusTrichodermacan be used as a biocontrol agent for various plant diseases, including brown spots. IndigenousTrichodermaspecies from West Timor were evaluated in this study to reveal their effectiveness in reducing brown spot disease of upland rice. The study was conducted under a screen house condition using a factorial treatment design laid out in a completely randomized design. The two factors were the brown spot disease control method (T. viride, T. harzianum, T. hamatum, fungicide Trivia 73 WP, and a control treatment) and upland rice genotype (Inpago 7 and Breun Senaren 2).ResultsThe results showed thatTrichodermaspp. and the fungicide Trivia 73 WP caused significantly lower AUDPC and apparent infection rate than the control treatment. The total phenol...

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity

Brown spot is one of the most devastating diseases of rice, which could lead to total yield loss.... more Brown spot is one of the most devastating diseases of rice, which could lead to total yield loss. The disease has a worldwide distribution, more specifically in areas where water supply is scarce, most specifically in the dry upland areas. Almost all stages of rice are affected by the disease, where leaves and grains are mostly affected. Considerable differences exist in susceptibility to brown spot among rice varieties, which may cause a large variation in yield loss caused by the disease. Therefore, the resistance level of rice varieties and their yield reduction has to be regularly evaluated and updated. There are only a few reports on the relationship between brown spot severity with yield and yield loss of upland rice, and is even lacking in pigmented upland rice. The objectives of the present study were to assess the brown spot severity and resistance level in pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, and to elucidate their relationships with yield and yield reduction. Twenty four pigmented upland rice genotypes were evaluated in the field during May to October 2019, and their disease responses and yields were recorded. Disease severity was observed weekly and used to calculate Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) for comparison among the genotypes. The relationships between disease severity and AUDPC with yield and yield loss were also examined. The results showed significant variation in brown spot severity and AUDPC, ranging from, respectively, 11.11% to 40.70% and 398.42%-days to 1081.30%-days. Yields and yield losses of test genotypes also varied substantially. Yields under diseasedfree and diseased plots ranged from, respectively, 2.34 t ha-1 to 6.13 t ha-1 and 1.68 t ha-1 to 3.74 t ha-1 while yield loss was between 10.46% and 56.15%. Six genotypes were moderately resistant, four genotypes were moderately susceptible and 14 genotypes were susceptible to brown spot. Neither disease severity nor AUDPC had a linear relationship with yield but both exhibited positive and linear relationships with yield loss.

Sustainability

This paper’s working hypothesis is that the indigenous farming practices of Timorese farmers are ... more This paper’s working hypothesis is that the indigenous farming practices of Timorese farmers are those most suitable and adaptable with regard to these farmers’ circumstances. Intensive farming and the acceleration of land conversion in Java lead to a reduction in favorable cropland and the degradation of soil biology. To meet the demand for food production, unfavorable areas outside Java, including marginal semi-arid areas on Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara province, have become an important option. Unfortunately, the national crop production policy has paid less attention to the specific biophysical characteristics of the region and how local people have adapted to the diverse marginal environment. We review the literature in the areas of soil nutrition retention and soil biology, vegetation/crop diversity, and farming practices/management, including local wisdom on soil management. This paper highlights that the values of the chemical parameters of the soils in question are vari...

International Journal of Tropical Drylands, 2021

Abstract. Mau YS, Wadu MN, Ndiwa ASS, Markus JER, Arsa IGBA. 2021. A screening of resistance to s... more Abstract. Mau YS, Wadu MN, Ndiwa ASS, Markus JER, Arsa IGBA. 2021. A screening of resistance to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius Fab.) in a collection of sweet potato clones under laboratory conditions. Intl J Trop Drylands 5: 41-47. Sweet potato is a potential carbohydrate source as a rice substitute in Indonesia, especially in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT). However, the productivity of this crop is still low at the farmer level due to, among others, the use of low-yielding varieties and yield loss caused by sweet potato weevil (SPW), Cylas formicarius. The use of SPW resistant varieties is considered the most effective and eco-friendly way of controlling the pest. However, the availability of resistant varieties is currently limited. This study aimed to evaluate the SPW-induced damage intensity and SPW-resistance level in a collection of sweet potato clones. The study was conducted in the laboratory of Universitas Nusa Cendana, Kupang, Indonesia. Observed variables included the p...

Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Lapangan Terpadu Lahan Kering Kepulauan, Univer... more Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Lapangan Terpadu Lahan Kering Kepulauan, Universitas Nusa Cendana, sejak bulan November 2017 sampai Maret 2018. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan kombinasi dosis pupuk kandang sapidan pupuk mineral NPK yang terbaik terhadap sifat kimia tanah Entisols serta pertumbuhan dan hasil ubi jalar ungu (Ipomoea Batatas L).Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) dengan 6 kombinasi perlakuan secara keseluruhan dan 4 ulangan sehingga terdapat 24 satuan percobaan yaitu kombinasi pupuk anorganik NPK dan pupuk kandang sapi. P0 : Tanpa pemupukan (0 kg anorganik, 0 kg pukan sapi), P1 : 100 % Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi (20 ton/h), P2: 75% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 25% dosis rekomendasi(25 kg Urea, 25 kg SP-36 dan 37,5 kg KCl), P3: 50% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 50% dosis rekomendasi(50 kg Urea, 50 kg SP-36 dan 75 kg KCl), P4: 25% Pukan sapi dosis rekomendasi + Anorganik 75% dosis rekomendasi(75 kg...

Resistance level of potential sweetpotato clones from NTT to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicari... more Resistance level of potential sweetpotato clones from NTT to sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius Fab.) A laboratory experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential sweetpotato clones from NTT for the following objectives: 1) to determine resistance level of the clones to sweetpotato weevil (SPW), 2) to investitage the effect of genotype by tuber production site interaction on SPW-resistance level, 3) to identify SPW-resistant clones. Sweetpotato roots employed in the experiment were obtained from two production sites in the fields. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with a factorial treatment of two factors: sweetpotato genotype (10 clones) and root production sites (two sites). Experimental unit was replicated three times. Variables observed included percentage of SPW-injured root, severity of root injury, number of larva, pupae and imago, and root morphological characters. Quantitative data were subjected to analysis of variance while qualititave...

Biodiversitas, 2021

Abstract. Markus JER, Ndiwa ASS, Oematan SS, Mau YS. 2021. Variations of grain physical propertie... more Abstract. Markus JER, Ndiwa ASS, Oematan SS, Mau YS. 2021. Variations of grain physical properties, amylose and anthocyanin of upland red rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 1345-1354. Red rice is becoming more popular nowadays due to the increasing awareness of rice consumers on its health benefits. The demands for red rice are increasing but the supply is limited, thus, local red rice cultivars can be used to fill this gap. Optimal use of local rice germplasm requires a comprehensive evaluation of their traits, and the genotypes having the most desirable traits can be selected for direct use. Several upland red rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been evaluated for various traits while their grain properties are still unrevealed. Information on grain properties is important, both for consumer preference and rice breeders. This study aimed to elucidate the grain physical properties, amylose, and anthocyanin of upland red rice germp...

Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) regarding local food plants is knowledge that is owned by local ... more Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) regarding local food plants is knowledge that is owned by local communities and is passed down from generation to generation. LED is obtained through a long process of adaptation and is used by local communities to address environmental problems. The Kabola ethnic group also has LEK regarding food plants used to solve food problems on dry land, but the LEK owned by the Kabola ethnic community is in danger of being lost. The method used is a mixed method (Mixed Methodology), which combines qualitative methods and quantitative methods, data collection begins with an exploration using a qualitative case study method by means of in-depth interviews followed by a quantitative survey method of the plant species mentioned during the interview. The results showed that the Kabola ethnic group still collects wild food plants from forests, former gardens and riverbanks, even though they have cultivated various types of food crops; The Kabola ethnic group commun...

Agrivita : Journal of Agricultural Science, 2013

A number of promising sweet potato clones from East Nusa Tenggara and a checked cultivar were eva... more A number of promising sweet potato clones from East Nusa Tenggara and a checked cultivar were evaluated in several locations for the following objectives: 1) to elucidate genotype by environment effect on growth and yield of the sweet potato clones, and 2) to determine growth and yield stability of the clones across diverse locations in East Nusa Tenggara province. The study was carried out in four locations and was laid out in a Randomized Block Design consisting of 10 sweet potato genotypes as treatments and two replicates. Obtained data were subjected to combined analysis of variance to determine GxE interaction, followed by stability analysis based on joint regression model of Eberhart and Russell. Research results revealed that genotypes, locations and genotype by location interaction posed significant effect on the observed variables. Most of the evaluated clones were unstable for vegetative growth characters but were stable for tuber yield and yield components. The local clon...