Jakarta – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), through the Research Centre for Plant Conservation, Botanical Gardens and Forestry (PRKTKK), is researching plant ecophysiology and symbiosis to determine the behaviour and function of plants due to climate change. This research is in anticipation of climate change, which has a significant impact on the rate of extinction of plant species.
Head of the Plant Ecophysiology and Symbiosis Research Group of PRKTKK BRIN Frisca Damayanti explained that climate change causes changes in plant behaviour and function. These changes include response, metabolism, reproduction, interaction and defence of a plant species that can be known through ecophysiology and symbiosis research.
“This research is fundamental as an effort to conserve rare plants from the threat of extinction,” she said, at the 13th Garden Talk webinar, organised by BRIN.
On the same occasion, Mutiara Kusuma Pitaloka, a PRKTKK BRIN researcher, presented the results of her study on “Plant Physiological Response to Abiotic Stress”. She pointed out the research results on one of the rare plants, Hopea bilitonensis, a dipterocarp family. She obtained information on the physiological response of this rare species due to drought stress.
“Hopea bilitonensis, also known as pelepak, is a rare plant with IUCN Critically Endangered (EN) status. Its growth and existence in nature are affected by climate change. It is hoped that we can determine the right conservation strategy through physiological studies,” she said. (Hartatik)
Banner photo: Dipterocarp forest in Southeast Asia. Neenawat Khenyothaa/shutterstock.com
