Ismira Lutfia

Plant scientists have developed a new mangosteen planting technique that allows the tree to start bearing the exotic fruit just five years after planting, marking a significant reduction from the current maturity period of 10 to 12 years.

Harlion Syair, a researcher from the Agriculture Ministry’s Tropical Fruit Research Agency, said on Friday that some of the 1,000 seeds planted in Dayo village in Rokan Hulu district, Riau, in 2007 had begun bearing fruit earlier this month.

“This will be beneficial to farmers by stimulating the mangosteen agribusiness sector and also by boosting their income,” he said.

The breakthrough in the mangosteen maturity period was pioneered by horticulturist Mohammad Reza Tirtawinata, who spent six and a half years researching the subject for his doctoral thesis at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB).

Reza, who completed his thesis in 2003 and now serves as the director of research and development at the Mekarsari Fruit Park in Bogor, said the key discovery was that mangosteen plants had very few roots, and hence were only able to draw in water and nutrients at a limited rate that meant they would only reach maturity after about 10 years.

To address this limitation, he planted three mangosteen seeds in close proximity to one another. The seeds eventually grew into a single plant, but with three taproots, thereby increasing the rate at which water and nutrients were absorbed.

Reza said this system, which he branded “three-in-one,” could save farmers up to eight years in waiting for the tree to grow to maturity and start bearing fruit.

However, he said few farmers knew about the method and more campaigning was needed to make them aware of it.

“The science is there, but very few people know about it,” he said.

“Yet this is a fruit that is highly sought after, especially in East Asian countries. Indonesia is practically unrivaled in mangosteen production. Only Thailand and Malaysia come close.”

Mangosteens, first grown in the Malukus and dubbed the “queen of fruits,” are prized for their antioxidant properties.