Dean of FMIPA UI Visits Research Institute in Japan, Discusses Progress of Joint Research on Rubber Leaf Fall Outbreak

In a series of visits to several universities and research institutions in Japan which took place on 23-27 May 2023, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) Dede Djuhana, Ph.D., attended the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) Meeting of the SATREPS Project at the Koryuto Hall Building, RIKEN Yokohama, on Thursday (25/5/2023). This activity was held for the first time face-to-face after two years previously being conducted virtually.

The meeting was coordinated by RIKEN Yokohama led by Minami Matsui, D.Sci. as Group Director of CSRS RIKEN and also the chairman of the 3rd organizing committee.^rd JCC Meeting-Short Training Visiting and SATREPS Project Manager.

The event, which was officially opened by Dr. Kyoko Watanabe (Tamagawa University) and Prof. Toshiaki Umezawa (Kyoto University) in the afternoon, was held to discuss the progress of research collaboration achievements between FMIPA UI and Japanese research institutions Riken Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Riken Center for Advance Photonics (RAP), and Indonesia Rubber Research Institute (IRRI). The purpose of the collaboration itself is to develop technology to prevent and control leaf fall disease. Pestalotiopsis on rubber trees, through the SATREPS project (Science & Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development), with funding support from the International Coorporation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

The collaborative activities include the development of new fungicide candidate compounds for rubber tree leaf fall disease (both chemical and biological), the creation of new clones Hevea brasiliensis which demonstrates resistance to leaf fall disease through genomic and transcriptomic approaches, development of a detection system for areas affected by leaf fall disease by imaging analysis Artificial Intelligent (AI) uses data obtained from  satellites,drone, serta leaves data images to strengthening the basis for research and development and practical application of relevant and long-term technologies.

The funding support provided by JICA is to facilitate research activities between Indonesian and Japanese researchers involved with a project period of five (5) years. This research collaboration involves a team of lecturers, researchers, and students from the Department of Biology, Department of Geography, Department of Mathematics, and the Indonesian Rubber Research Institute (IRRI).

In his speech, the Dean said, “The development of rubber plants in Indonesia is very rapid. Rubber is one of the plantation commodities that plays a very important role. Increasing rubber plant productivity is very necessary to support the national economy. Unfortunately, the attack of the rubber leaf fall epidemic has affected the growth of rubber trees and reduced rubber production and quality. Therefore, joint research activities on leaf fall disease are very necessary to be carried out properly. With the collaboration between Riken, FMIPA UI, IRRI and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, we hope to have a good impact on the sustainability of rubber plants in Indonesia.”

The rubber leaf fall epidemic itself, continued the Dean, is known to have appeared around 2017 and caused a decrease in national rubber production of up to 40%. So that the Pestalotiopsis Leaf Fall Disease (LFD) has become a serious issue for the sustainability of rubber plantations in Indonesia.

The Dean also conveyed several achievements that were successfully obtained from joint research activities in overcoming the rubber leaf fall outbreak. Among them are the discovery of new fungicide component candidates and microbes as biofungicides, the results of genomic and transcriptomic analysis for the development of new clones of rubber plants, and the results of AI imaging analysis of rubber plantations by utilizing data obtained from satellites and drones.

Since May 15-24, 2023, there have been 4 (four) representatives from FMIPA UI, namely Dr. Retno Lestari, M.Sc., Sanya Khaerunnisa S.Sc. from the Department of Biology, Dr.Eng. from the Department of Geography, and Devvi Sarwinda, S.Sc., M.Kom. from the Department of Mathematics, has joined as a participant in the Short-Visiting Training Program at RIKEN Yokohama, RIKEN Wako, and Gifu University together with 5 (five) representatives from the Indonesian Rubber Research Institute (IRRI), namely Dr. Suroso Rahutomo (Director of IRRI), Dr. Tri Rapani Febbiyanti, Dr. Fetrina Oktavia, Alchemi Putri Juliantika Kusdiana, S.P., M.Si. and Charlos Togi Stevanus, S.P.

In addition to providing basic reinforcement for research and development and practical application of relevant and long-term technology by expertise researcher from Japan, namely Minami Matsui, D.Sci. as Group Director of CSRS RIKEN and also the 3rd Chair of the Executive Committee^rd JCC Meeting, Dr. Yuko Makita, Kiwamu Kase, D.Eng, Dr. Yuki Yanagawa, Dr. Wen Dee Ong, Dr. Hidehumi Hamasaki, Dr. Tomoko Kuriyama, Associate Prof. Masafumi Shimizu, Prof. Yoshiharu Yamamoto, Dr. Stephany Angelia, and Dr. Syafaah Afdholiatus, training participants and JCC Meeting participants also visited the Yokohama Rubber Factory to see the rubber processing and tire production process, as well as discuss the impact of this project on the rubber industry in Japan as a rubber importing country.

The FMIPA UI delegation who attended the meeting were Dr. Tito Latif Indra (Vice Dean for Resources, Ventures, and General Administration), Anom Bowolaksono, Ph.D. (Head of the Department of Biology), Prof. Alhadi Bustamam, M.Kom., Ph.D. (Head of the Department of Mathematics), Iqbal Putut Ash Shidiq, M.Sc., Ph.D. (Head of the Undergraduate Study Program in Geography). ), Dr. Retno Lestari, M.Si. (Lecturer in the Department of Biology and SATREPS Project Coordinator from UI), Dr. Eng. Masita Dwi Mandini Manessa, S.Si., M.Si., M.Eng. from the Department of Geography, and Devvi Sarwinda, S.Si., M.Kom. from the Department of Mathematics

In addition to the FMIPA UI delegation, other representatives from the Indonesian Rubber Research Institute (IRRI) were also present, namely Dr. Tri Rapani Febbiyanti (Senior Researcher as SATREPS Project Coordinator from IRRI), Dr. Thomas Wijaya, M.Agr.Sc. (SATREPS Project Advisor), Dr. Radite Tistama, M.Sc. (Senior Researcher), Dr. Fetrina Oktavia (Senior Researcher), and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, namely Dr. Ir. and Farriza Diyasti, SP., M.Sc., as well as representatives of JICA Indonesia, namely Mr. Satoru Mitani, Dr. Safendrri Komara Ragamustari, and Sheny Marliana, S.S.

Also present from Gifu University, namely Prof. Yoshiharu Yamamoto Associate Prof. Masafumi Shimizu, who is a lecturer and researcher, as well as Dr. Stephany Angelia, and Dr. Syafaah Afdholiatus doctoral students.

News source: https://sci.ui.ac.id/