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Identification of chemical compounds in agarwood-producing species Aquilaria malaccensis and Gyrinops versteegii

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Abstract

Agarwood is a non-timber forest product found in tropical rain forests. It is a black and fragrant resin valued for the perfume industry and demand continues to increase. However, the Indonesian agarwood-producing species, Aquilaria malaccensis and Gyrinops versteegii do not automatically produce such quality resin. Bio-induction technology or inoculation using Fusarium solani is usually applied to these species to trigger resin production. This research aims to identify agarwood compounds formed in seedlings and trees of A. malaccensis and G. versteegii after these species were inoculated with the fungus F. solani. The chemical compounds were identified by comparing the patterns of mass spectra fragmentation in the sample and in previous studies. Five groups of agarwood compounds were identified: (1) sesquiterpen group—cis-jasmone and aromadendrenepoxide; (2) chromones group—8-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromen-4-one and newly-discovered chromone derivative, 7-(benzyloxy)-5-hydroxy-2-methylchromone found only in G. versteegii; (3) aromatic group—benzylacetone, guaiacol, p-ethylguaiacol, phenol, syringaldehyde, vanilin, furfuryl alcohol, and furfural; (4) fatty acid group—palmitic acid, oleic acid, and lauric acid; and, (5) triterpen group—squalene.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the SEAMEO-BIO TROP Indonesia. Then, we appreciate USAID through SHERA Program-Centre for Development of Sustainable Region (CDSR) for facilitating and supporting this research. In addition, we would like to show our sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Erdi Santoso and Dr. Asep Hidayat for the new insight and expertise given to this research. The authors are also grateful to Dr. Laura L. B. Graham from Borneo Orangutan Survival, Dr. Achmad Solikhin, and Dr. Evelyn for proofreading this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Tropical Silviculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Bogor, 16680, Indonesia

    Arie Aqmarina Nasution

  2. Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Bogor, 16680, Indonesia

    Ulfah Juniarti Siregar

  3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Bogor, 16680, Indonesia

    Miftahudin

  4. Forest Research and Development Center, Environment and Forestry Research, Development, and Innovation Agency (FORDA), Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bogor, Indonesia

    Maman Turjaman

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  1. Arie Aqmarina Nasution
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  4. Maman Turjaman
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Correspondence to Ulfah Juniarti Siregar.

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Project funding: The work was supported by SEAMEO-BIOTROP Indonesia with a special Grant to Dr. Ulfah J. Siregar.

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Corresponding editor: Tao Xu.

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Aqmarina Nasution, A., Siregar, U.J., Miftahudin et al. Identification of chemical compounds in agarwood-producing species Aquilaria malaccensis and Gyrinops versteegii. J. For. Res. 31, 1371–1380 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-00875-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-00875-9

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