Yogyakarta, June 2, 2023. The Community Engagement Team of the Faculty of Biology at UGM (Gadjah Mada University) visited the Learning Center (PKBM) Ibnu Hajar with Professor Dr. Endang Semiarti, M.S., M.Sc. as the coordinator. The purpose of the visit was to gain new knowledge from experienced practitioners in various orchid nurseries and cultivation centers in Yogyakarta and Magelang, such as Galeri Anggrekku, P4S V&M Biotechnology, and Pondok Tani. The field visit took place on June 2, 2023, and was attended by 8 undergraduate biology students from UGM who participated in the Community Service Learning Program (MBKM) under the guidance of Prof. Endang and were members of the Biology Orchid Study Club.
First, the group visited Galeri Anggrekku located in Ngluwar, Magelang. During the visit, they were accompanied by the owner of Galeri Anggrekku, Mr. Boby Purnomo, S.Kom, and his wife, Yeni. They were shown various collections of orchids, including species and hybrids, with unique and distinctive flowers. Mr. Boby’s collection of orchids has received prestigious awards and recently won several trophies, including The Best of Show for Dendrobium Orchids at the Orchid Contest organized by the Indonesian Orchid Lovers (PAI) DIY and Kagama Orchids at the UC UGM Hotel on May 21, 2023. Mr. Boby also shared techniques for orchid care and pest management. He invited the MBKM participants to visit Galeri Anggrekku for further sharing and discussions if they were interested in learning more.
The second visit was to P4S V&M Biotechnology located in Muntilan, Magelang. During the visit, the group was accompanied by the owner of P4S V&M Biotechnology, Mr. Ir. Pranowo Singgihsandjojo, and his assistant, who developed various plants using tissue culture techniques from the Yogyakarta-Magelang Agricultural Development Polytechnic. They shared insights and experiences regarding the potential of tissue culture development and discussed Mr. Pranowo’s experiences during his time in Namibia, Africa. He also suggested that as students, they should explore and innovate as much as possible in the field of tissue culture. Mr. Pranowo also shared his experiences in exploring and innovating tissue culture techniques for horticultural and ornamental plants.
The third visit was to Pondok Tani located in Salaman, Magelang. During the visit, the group was accompanied by the owner of Pondok Tani, Mr. Muh Khairul Saleh, Mr. Joko Sudibyo, and the main team responsible for plant cultivation at Pondok Tani. They were shown various seedling products produced by Pondok Tani. Mr. Khairul shared insights on product utilization, post-harvest treatment, and processing. He and the Pondok Tani team also taught the technique of grafting to expedite plant cultivation. Mr. Joko and the Pondok Tani team invited the group, including Prof. Endang, to visit one of the greenhouses for the cultivation of vanilla plants (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) under the guidance of the Pondok Tani team. Pondok Tani is committed to developing the potential of vanilla plants to achieve high production and rapid multiplication. They aim to collaborate with the Faculty of Biology at UGM to multiply vanilla plants using tissue culture and genetic engineering techniques, with the goal of accelerating plant propagation and flowering. Upon returning, the MBKM team received three vanilla plants and grafted sapodilla plants from Pondok Tani, as well as several Dendrobium orchid plants from Galeri Anggrekku and bottle-grown orchid plants and Vanda orchid plants from P4S V&M Biotechnology. All of these plants were planted by the MBKM students in the Karanggayam greenhouse at the Faculty of Biology, UGM.
Through this visit, it is expected that the participating students from the MBKM Orchid Program at the Faculty of Biology, UGM, will be inspired to explore and innovate to the fullest after gaining additional knowledge and experiences from the visited practitioners. This will greatly support the MBKM program in equipping students with insights and expertise in orchid cultivation. [LAU- MBKM Orchid Team, Ibnu Hajar, Faculty of Biology, UGM].