Calophyllum inophyllum as an Alternative Energy Source from Selayar

TheIndonesia.co - The local government in Selayar, South Sulawesi, is asked to cultivate nyamplung plant (Calophyllum inophyllum) in islands. Nyamplung can be an alternative energy source.

This idea comes from a Senior Researcher from the Center for Research and Development of Biotechnology and Forest Plant Breeding of Indonesia's Ministry of Environment, Budi Leksono, on Friday, December 17, 2021.

Nyamplung potential as an alternative energy source is very large because its productivity is higher than the jatropha plant. This was discovered from research at the Pharmacy Biology Phytochemical Laboratory by Prof. Budi Leksono and the Nyamplung Research Team in 2012. They found out that nyamplung oil (tamanu oil) contains coumarin.

The research on the substance and other properties of tamanu oil was analyzed using seed samples from 7 islands in Indonesia, including from the Selayar Islands. Nyamplung seeds which have the highest oil yield come from the island of Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara, and then following the Selayar Islands Regency. This was confirmed by a young researcher from the Makassar Center for Environment and Forestry C Andriyani Prasetyawati.

The team has been researched nyamplung in Selayar islands for about two years. Selayar can produce nyamplung seeds 20 tons per year.

"The potential for nyamplung in Selayar is very large. It's just that the community has not cultivated it because of possible marketing constraints," he said.