Classification of Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Divisio: Spermatophyta
- Sub-Division: Angiosperms
- Class: Dicotyledoneae
- Order: Myrtales
- Family: Myrtaceae
- Genus: Eugenia
- Species: Eugenia aromatic; Syzigium aromaticum
Other names for Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) in the area:
Clove (English), cengkeh (Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese),; wunga Lawang (Bali), cangkih (Lampung), sake (Nias); bungeu lawang (Gayo), clove (Bugis), sinke (Flores); canke (Ujung Pandang), gomode (Halmahera, Tidore).
Description of Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
 |
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is a type of herbaceous plant that can have large tree trunks and hardwood, cloves can survive tens or even hundreds of years, can reach 20-30 meters in height and quite dense branches. The branches of the clove plant are generally long and filled with small branches that break easily. The crown or also commonly called the cone-shaped canopy of the clove tree. Green clove leaves are oval-shaped elongated with the tip and the base angled, the average width ranges from 2-3 cm and the length of the leaves without stalks ranges from 7.5 -12.5 cm. Flowers and clove fruit will appear on the tips of leaf twigs with short stalks and bunches. The fruit stalks are initially green, and red when the flowers have bloomed. The cloves will be harvested when they reach a length of 1.5-2 cm. When they are young, clove flowers are purple in color, then turn greenish yellow and turn pink when they are old. Dried clove flowers will be dark brown in color and have a spicy taste because they contain essential oils. Generally, cloves first bear fruit at the age of 4-7 years. |
The Origin of Cloves
Cloves in English are called cloves, are scented dry flower stalks from the Myrtaceae family of trees. Cloves are native to Indonesia, widely used as a spice in spicy dishes in European countries, and as the main ingredient in Indonesian clove cigarettes.
Cloves are grown mainly in Indonesia (Banda Islands) and Madagascar, and also thrive in Zanzibar, India and Sri Lanka. There are several areas that are believed to be the origin of cloves, namely the Philippines and Makian Island (in North Maluku), but there are also those who argue that cloves originated from Papua.
Cloves are native to Indonesia, widely used as a spice in spicy dishes in European countries, and as the main ingredient in Indonesian clove cigarettes. Cloves are grown mainly in Indonesia (Banda Islands) and Madagascar, and also thrive in Zanzibar, India and Sri Lanka. Maluku was the only clove producing area until the 18th century.
In the fourth century, the leader of the Han Dynasty from China ordered everyone who approached him to chew cloves beforehand, so that his breath would smell good. Cloves, nutmeg and pepper were very expensive in Roman times.
Cloves were exchanged by the Arabs in the Middle Ages. At the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese took over the trade route in the Indian Sea.
Together with that the clove trade was also taken over with the Tordesillas agreement with Spain, as well as an agreement with the Sultan of Ternate. The Portuguese brought a lot of the cloves they obtained from the Maluku islands to Europe.
At that time the price of 1 kg of cloves was the same as the price of 7 grams of gold. The clove trade was finally dominated by the Dutch in the 17th century. With great difficulty the French succeeded in cultivating clove trees in Mauritius in 1770. Finally, cloves were cultivated in Guyana, Brasilia and Zanzibar. In the 17th and 18th centuries in England the price of cloves was the same as the price of gold because of the high cost of imports.
Terms of growth Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Clove plants grow well in areas between 20 °LU - 20 °LS. The suitable air temperature for clove plants is 21 - 35 °C with an ideal altitude of 200-300 m above sea level. Clove plants grow and produce in the lowlands, while in the highlands, clove plants are slow to produce even at all.
Clove plants will grow well if there is enough water and get direct sunlight. In Indonesia, cloves are suitable for planting both in lowland areas near the coast and in the mountains at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level.
The preferred rainfall for clove plants is rainfall that is evenly distributed throughout the year, ranging from 2,000-3,500 mm / year, with 9 wet months and 3 dry months. In dry months, clove plants require rainfall of around 60-80 mm / month.
Clove plants require moderate soil fertility with loose soil structure and deep soil solum and well drained, with a pH of 5.5-6.5. The selected land should have a sloping topography, so that the water is not stagnant.
Cultivation Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Provision of seeds Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Clove plants are generally propagated by seeds that must be sown first. Seed nursery begins with the preparation of the nursery which includes land cultivation and making beds.
The nursery in the form of beds are generally 1.5 - 2 m wide, the length is adjusted to the land conditions and the height of the beds is about 30-50 cm. The nursery needs to be provided with shade to protect it from direct sun and rainwater.
Clove seeds are planted in beds with a spacing of 20 cm x 20 cm if they will be transplanted after 1 year, but if they will be transplanted after 2 years, the spacing is 30 cm x 30 cm. Nursery media must be loose, free of pests and diseases but still moist.
Transfer of 1 year old seedlings is carried out if the plants have reached a height of 60 cm, while 2 year old seedlings are transferred if the plants have reached a height of 125-150 cm. Regular nurseries are also carried out in polybags after 3-4 months of seedlings are in the beds.
Polybag nurseries are maintained until the age of 1-2 years. The distance between the polybags is 60 cm x 60 cm to 80 cm - 80 cm. The results of Suherman's (2008) study showed that the dose of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) 12.5 g tan-1 and a compound fertilizer dose of 1.0 g tan-1 NPK gave the highest yields on the number of leaves of the Zanzibar cultivar clove seedlings.
FMA dose of 7.5 g plant-1 gave the best effect on stem height of Zanzibar cultivar clove seedlings at 12 WAP. Meanwhile, the best compound fertilizer dosage is 2.0 g tan-1. For stem diameter, the best results are found in the application of AMF at a dose of 17.5 g tan-1. Sutardjo's research (2006) concluded that the combination of organic fertilizer Biotriba and NPK (15:15:15) with different doses had a different effect on the growth of clove seedlings.
The combined application dosage combination of Biotriba organic fertilizer and top soil (1: 3) + NPK 2.5 g / plant gave a better effect on plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, plant dry weight, root dry weight, and length. roots of clove seedlings and can more efficiently use inorganic fertilizers (NPK), compared to other treatments. Treatment of Biotriba organic fertilizer and top soil (1: 3) + NPK 2.5 g / plant on 4 WAP of plant height and leaf area.
Land preparation for Cloves (S. aromaticum)
Land preparation is carried out by clearing the land (land clearing) of shrubs and trees. For planting cloves, the land does not need to be processed, everything just needs to be made a planting hole. Generally, planting holes are made 3-6 months before planting. The planting holes are 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8 m in size, trenches are made between the planting holes to prevent stagnant water.
Planting clove plants can be given a shade tree such as Flemingia sp. and Moghania macrophyla. The goal is to reduce erosion. Cover crops are planted 4-5 months before planting and maintained until the cloves are 2-3 years old. For the row of cover crops facing clove plants, a trench is necessary.
Planting
The spacing of cloves is 8 m x 8 m so that the cloves can last up to 20 years. The prepared seedlings are put into the planting hole carefully, and efforts are made so that the soil in the polybag does not break when inserted into the planting hole. After planting, the soil around the planting medium is compacted so that the clove seeds grow upright.
Maintenance
Cloves need intensive care for up to 4 years. This age is a critical period for clove plants. Clove plant maintenance includes planting and watering, weeding, fertilizing and tilling the soil.
a. Embroidering and watering
Performed until the plant is 2 years old. If anything dies, the plants must be replaced immediately with new, good seeds. Watering is done in the afternoon every 2-3 days, especially during the dry season.
b. Weeding
Weeding is done at the beginning and end of the rainy season along with loosening the soil, especially on dense and heavy soils.
c. Fertilization
Generally, manure is used at a dose of 30-60 kg / tree / year, by making circular grooves as far as the shape of the clove plant canopy. In addition, fertilization with NPK fertilizer is also carried out twice a year, namely the beginning of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season.
d. Land burial
Done by hoeing and turning the soil. Drainage and soil reversal are needed to prevent root rot by microbes, especially root fungi. Turning the soil also serves to replace and improve the cycle of nutrient use by plants.
Pest Control
The main pests that attack cloves are clove leaf suckers (Helopeltis sp.) And termites. Symptoms of clove leaf sucking pests include brown spots on the leaf surface.
Control is carried out by spraying contact insecticides or smearing the base of the stems with a systemic insecticide and cutting the ends of dead branches so that better shoots will grow. Termite infestation occurs in young plants that have just been planted.
Control is done by spraying anti-termite toxins, or tobacco products from cigarette factories that have been mixed with cloves. The main diseases affecting cloves are leaf pox, root rot and celibacy.
Smallpox caused by the fungus Phylosticta sp. with symptoms of swollen patches like smallpox. Spotting is clearly visible on the young leaves.
On old leaves, the spots appear transparent. Heavy attacks cause the leaves to curl and wrinkle. This disease attacks the petiole, flower and fruit. The control of smallpox is carried out by spraying a fungicide with an active ingredient Maneb and increasing the dose of fertilization to restore the condition of the sick plants.
Root rot disease is indicated by symptoms of unhealthy trees, sparse leaves and dry twigs. This disease is controlled by making deep drainage or excavating the soil around the plant. Single / girl death disease is caused by the Xlb bacteria (Xylem limited bacterium).
The symptom that is caused is that the branches of the plant are bare and dry, starting from the tip of the crown to the base of the tree. The time needed from initial symptoms to death 3-5 years, depending on plant conditions.
The death of branches by this disease is due to blockage of the xylem vessels in the roots so that the absorbed nutrients cannot be distributed to the plant canopy. The control method is by good drainage, dehydration and adequate plant care, and the affected plants are not given artificial fertilizers for a while but are replaced with organic fertilizers.
Harvest
Harvesting of clove flowers must be done at the right time, namely when the flowers are pale (yellowish green), the flowers are still buds, the flower heads are round and shiny.
Picking is done when the flower is 6 months old since it came out of the flower. Picking too quickly results in low yields and low oil content, while late picking, flowers that have bloomed or swelled have decreased taste, aroma and quality.
The ripening of the flowers in one tree is not the same, so harvesting needs to be done 3-4 times in a span of 10-14 days. One month before planting, harvesting should be done, the plants should be given Urea fertilizer.
Post-harvest
Clove flowers that have been harvested should be processed immediately so that freshness is maintained. The clove flower that has been plucked is separated from the stalk. If the percentage of the handle exceeds 5%, cloves are classified as quality II.
Do not mix flowers with the peduncle because the price of the handle is very low, which is 1/8-1 / 10 of the price of clove flowers. The separation of the clove flower and stalk is done by ripening 1 night using a sack, so that the clove flowers appear brown.
Clove flowers that are ripened have a darker color than those that are not ripened. After ripening, the clove flowers are dried in the sun for 5-7 days until the moisture content is 12% (Suwarto and Octavianty, 2010). The level of eugenol in clove leaves is determined by the position of the leaves on the twig.
Based on Irawan's (2006) research, it was concluded that the higher the yield, eugenol content and refractive index, the higher the yield, the higher the solubility in alcohol and the color of the resulting oil. Thus it can be concluded that the best leaf position is the position of the leaves at the base of the twig.