Ebony (Diospyros celebica Bakh.) is an endemic plant on Celebes (Sulawesi) island. Extractive compounds within ebony wood cause it to have durability, strength, and beautiful patterns. In this study, we used near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to discriminate between ebony wood samples, based on their origins at different growth sites on Celebes island, and to develop quantitative models to predict the extractive content of ebony wood. A total of 45 wood meal samples from 11 sites located in West, Central, and South Celebes were collected in this study. NIR spectral data were acquired from hot water and ethanol–benzene soluble extracts from ebony wood in this study. The extractive content of the ebony was 10.408% and 10.774% based on hot water solubility and treatment with ethanol–benzene solvent, respectively. Multivariate analysis based on principal component analysis–discriminant analysis revealed that ebony wood from West Celebes differed from most of the wood from South Celebes; however, it was only slightly different from ebony wood from Central Celebes based on NIR spectra data. These findings were in line with the extractive contents obtained. Partial least square regression models based on wood meal spectra could potentially be used to estimate the hot water and ethanol–benzene extractive contents from ebony wood.

Kapur (Dryobalanops aromatica) is an important dipterocarp species currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List Threatened Species. Science-based conservation and restoration efforts are needed, which can be supported by new genomic data generated from new technologies, including MinION Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT). ONT allows affordable long-read DNA sequencing, but this technology is still rarely applied to native Indonesian forest trees. Therefore, this study aimed to generate whole genome datasets through ONT and use part of these data to construct the draft of the chloroplast genome and analyze the universal DNA barcode-based genetic relationships for D. aromatica. The method included DNA isolation, library preparation, sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, and phylogenetic tree construction. Results showed that the DNA sequencing of D. aromatica resulted in 1.55 Gb of long-read DNA sequences from which a partial chloroplast genome (148,856 bp) was successfully constructed. The genetic relationship was analyzed using two selected DNA barcodes (rbcL and matK), and its combination showed that species of the genus Dryobalanops had a close relationship as indicated by adjacent branches between species. The phylogenetic tree of matK and the combination of the matK and rbcL genes showed that D. aromatica was closely related to Dryobalanops rappa, whereas the rbcL gene showed group separation between D. aromatica and D. rappa. Therefore, a combination of the matK and rbcL genes is recommended for future use in the phylogenetic or phylogenomic analysis of D. aromatica.

Sample collection activities for a study of population genetics across the natural distribution of targeted tree species require a lot of resources, mainly if repeated field visits are necessary. Conventionally, population genetic studies use good sample material like leaves. In addition, cambium or small pieces of fresh wood can be used to replace leaf samples. Currently, restrictions from the permit regulation have caused only a limited number of samples that can be collected. Therefore, efficient use of samples must be designed to maximize their uses for research. Due to the small amount of successfully sampled materials, hence there are limitations to extend their uses for other analyses and are often sufficient only for genetic analysis. Therefore, innovation in sampling methods using pickering punch (https://www.agroisolab.com/pickering-punch) to collect ebony wood cores in this study is required to cover multi-analyses not only limited to genetics but also for other analyses such as isotopes, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRs), anatomy, and chemical compounds. • Pickering punch is recommended for efficient wood core sample collection from ebony standing trees. • 323 wood core samples were successfully collected from 16 natural populations across Celebes (Sulawesi). • Multi-analyses studies on sampled wood cores are possible for ebony wood identification (e.g., species and origin/provenance).

Ebony (Diospyros celebica Bakh.) is endemic species to Sulawesi that is experiencing population decline. It is known that population size is an important element for the dynamics of natural forests through changes in vegetation structure and composition that need to be monitored. This study aims to analyze the species diversity in natural habitats of genetically diverse ebony, namely: i) Bantimurung National Park (BB), ii) Cani Sirenreng Nature Park (CS), iii) Farhumpenai Nature Reserve (FP), and iv) Pangi Binangga Nature Reserve (PB). Data collection was carried out based on a modified transect line and plot with 20 m x 100 m in size. The results showed that as many as 28 families were identified, consisting of 44 species at the tree level, 37 species at the pole level, 39 species at the sapling level, and 31 species at the seedling level, respectively. The composition of vegetation in Babul National Park consists of 32 species, Cani Sirenreng consists of 18 species, Farhumpenai consists of 19 species, and Pangi Binanngga consists of 19 species. The species composition was dominated by Diospyros celebica Bakh., Dracontomelon dao (Blanco) Merr. & Rolfe, Canangium odoratum, Ficus benjamina L., Pterospermum celebicum Miq., Kleinhovia hospita L. and Vitex cofassus Reinw. Ex Blume. The diversity index (H’-Index) of tree species in BB, CS, FP, and PB were 0.82, 1.13, 1.03, and 1.60, respectively. The Important Value Index (INP-Index) of ebony in BB, CS, FP and PB were 18.01%, 74.1%, 60.13% and 113.5%, respectively. The structure of the forest canopy layer in BB and FP consists of three layers of canopy, while CS and PB consist of two layers of canopy.

Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees & T.Nees) Blume (Lauraceae) belongs to the Magnoliids group and is mainly distributed in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. burmanni sampled from Indonesia was assembled and annotated for the first time in this study. The length of the cp genome is 152,765 bp with a GC content of 39%, and it consists of four subregions: a large single-copy (LSC) region of 93,636 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,893 bp and two inverted repeats (IR) regions (IRA 20,121 bp; IRB 20,115 bp) . The cp genome of C. burmanni encodes a total of 173 unique genes, which are 96 protein-coding genes, 19 rRNA genes, and 68 tRNA genes that can be utilized for advanced genetic and genomic studies of the species.

Gyrinops versteegii is one of Indonesia’s most important agarwood producers, with natural distributions in the Lesser Sunda, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. This endemic Indonesian species from the Tymeleaecaeae family can be developed for tree breeding in the future to support sustainable agarwood cultivation and production. The major problems of Gyrinops versteegii are a rapid decline in the population of agarwood trees in their habitat, uncertainties in species identification required for conservation purposes, a lack of genomic data needed to differentiate the species, and unresolved phylogenetic relationships between Gyrinops and other Aquilaria species. Our research aimed to conduct a phylogenetic tree analysis using long reads sequences generated with MinION Oxford Nanopore Technology. Sequence datasets were de novo assembled with Nanogalaxy and followed by annotation using GeSeq. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to determine the relatedness of six chloroplast genomes of G. versteegii from our study and two publicly available reference chloroplast genomes from Gyrinops walla and Aquilaria sinensis. Eucalyptus grandis is used as an outgroup. All sequences were aligned using MAFFTv7 and Bioedit Sequence Alignment Editor, phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Maximum Likelihood method, and the phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA7 with a bootstrap value of 1000 replicates. Our results showed that all samples of G. versteegii in the clade Thymelaeaceae clustered after the outgroup of E. grandis. Based on phylogenetic/phylogenomic study using a single rbcL or matK gene, or a combination of both matK and rbcL, or chloroplast genome, we make a preliminary conclusion that Gyrinops are paraphyletic to Aquilaria.