The role of healthy citrus planting materials production as a major component in the development of national citrus industry

Abstract

Certified citrus seed is one of vital component on the program of good agricultural practices for the development of healthy citrus plantation. Certified seed guarantee the free systemic disease and optimum vigor planting material, thus put an impact on maximum physiological response to the agriculture inputs that being applied. Production of healthy planting material is initially started from the acquisition of free diseases protocol of seeds from breeder seeds. However, there are still many issues regarding bud-stick in Indonesia which cause the spread of systemic diseases, one of which is CVPD/Huanglongbing (HLB). Therefore, this article presents a descriptive review of the important role of healthy citrus planting materials production that meets the requirements, so that it can become a reference for the citrus nurseries. There are several factors (limited availability of citrus planting materials, technology components to produce healthy seedlings that are not fully applied, as well as the partial application of certified citrus planting materials) that could inhibit the use of technology by the citrus nurseries. A number of recommendations from literatures to overcome these problems are the use of effective dissemination and extension methods, also the provision of understanding and supervision that is carried out on an ongoing basis.