Myth about sandalwood broken

Yemris Fointuna, London

The myth that sandalwood (santalum album) can only be bred naturally and not scientifically has been proven otherwise. A recent study shows that valuable sandalwood (santalum album) trees can be cloned by applying the micropropagation method.

This achievement in micropropagation was conveyed by young Indonesian scientist Margareth Pratiwi Ismael -- a student of the Bandung Institute of Technology's (ITB) faculty of mathematics and natural sciences -- at the London International Youth Science Forum, held in London recently.

The forum was attended by hundreds of scientists and winners of the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Olympics from 57 countries.

Margareth explained that traditional farmers on Timor and Sumba islands in East Nusa Tenggara province, were less successful in breeding sandalwood.

"Growers usually plant johar (fast-growing shade trees) or chili pepper plants as shelter for sandalwood saplings, but the chances of them living are so small. But, by applying the micropropagation system, the chances of keeping young sandalwood saplings alive are bigger," she said.

Micropropagation is the latest method of culturing sandalwood. Buds of the sandalwood tree are cloned as a medium for the development of new buds containing the nutrition and organic compounds that control the growth of ovules and later, new seedlings ready for planting.

Sandalwood contains aromatic compounds and has the highest content of Santalol, a principal component of sandalwood oil. The pale yellow oil that is obtained from sandalwood is one of the most expensive materials used in cosmetics, as well as for incense for religious rites and medicine.

Sandalwood has been the top revenue earner for East Nusa Tenggara over the past 15 years. Historically, the aromatic tree originated from Indiana, Latin America, but is now only found on Timor and Sumba islands.

According to the East Nusa Tenggara Statistics Office, the number of sandalwood trees is estimated to be only some 100,000 due to illegal logging. However, with the latest method of breeding, new hope is given for the propagation of sandalwood.