INITIAL STUDY ON THE NATURAL HABITAT, GROWTH ENVIRONMENT AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DALUGHA (Cyrtosperma merkusii) AS A POTENTIAL STAPLE FOOD CROP Dino Rahardiyan, Jantje Ngangi, Emma Mauren Moko, Aser Yalindua, Meity Neltje Tanor, Sukmarayu Pieter Gedoan
a)Dino Rahardiyan, b)Jantje Ngangi, c)Emma Mauren Moko, d)Aser Yalindua, e)Meity Neltje Tanor, f)Sukmarayu Pieter Gedoan
a)Agribusiness Department, Faculty of Agricultural, De La Salle Catholic University, Manado, 95000, Indonesia, drahardiyan[at]unikadelasalle.ac.id
b,c,d,e,f) Biology Department, Mathematics and Natural Sciences Faculty, Manado State University
Abstract
Locally known as Dalugha (Cyrtosperma merkusii) or namely Giant Swamp Taro (GST) is an endemic underutilized foodcrop of North Sulawesi, that is important amongst the surrounding island dwellers of Sangihe, Talaud and other surrounding islands. In accordance to the Indonesian government’s policy in regards with food security and resilience. The purpose of this research is to record the growth of GST in its natural habitat and its morphological characteristics. Initial surveys within this study indicated that the natural habitat of GST is widely spread in several island among the regencies of Siau and Tagulandang, Sangihe, and Talaud to the farthest island of Miangas bordering North Sulawesi and Southern Philippines. On the mainland of North Sulawesi GST is also found in brackish swamps nearing the shorelines of Tiwoho village, in the North Minahasa Regency. Morphologically GST that was found in these areas were measured and identified while he characteristics of the soil in which is the natural habitat of GST were also analyzed for their chemical compositions.
