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- Study of Muntingia calabura as an alternative fruit for consumption
Study of Muntingia calabura as an alternative fruit for consumption
Dissertation Abstract:
Muntingia calabura may be an alternative food because this plant can grow and adapt in difficult environmental conditions without cultural practices, and the fruit is nutritious. Muntingia calabura can be processed for greater economic value, however the limitation of literature and information of Muntingia calabura are matters to improve the plant as a commercial fruit. Due to this issue, this study combined some aspects. i.e., morphological and molecular characteristics, propagation method, utilization of fruit as a raw material to produce some products, and fruit maturity stage as a unit technology to increase economic value of Muntingia calabura. These components are important to improve Muntingia calabura as a commercial or alternative fruit in the future. Besides that, the utilization of Muntingia calabura as a raw material to produce some products is very useful to increase farmers' desire to cultivate this tree. This present study found data which can develop Muntingia calabura as a "commercial fruit" in the future. The consequences of this study are based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The eight accessions of Muntingia calabura studied have low diversity. Thus, these accessions are not suitable to be selected as mother plants for cross breeding activity. Air layering is a suitable method for propagation in Muntingia calabura. Stage three (the ripe stage) is the most appropriate stage of fruit to be processed. The final product is stable and able to withstand for a long time. It is acceptable by consumers. This research can be a fundamental method in the future because there is limited literature on propagation of Muntingia calabura.