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Sains Malaysiana 54(11)(2025): 2661-2673

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5411-07

 

Interstock-Induced Anatomical and Metabolomic Shifts Enhance Growth and Stress Adaptation in Citrus Cultivars

(Perubahan Anatomi dan Metabolomik yang Dipicu oleh Interstok Meningkatkan Tumbesaran dan Penyesuaian terhadap Stres dalam Kultivar Sitrus)

 

AGUS SUGIYATNO1, NIRMALA FRIYANTI DEVY1,*, HARDIYANTO1, ANANG TRIWIRATNO1,

SRI WIDYANINGSIH1, EMI BUDIYATI1, FARIDA YULIANTI1, HASIM ASHARI1, MUTIA ERTI DWIASTUTI1, DORKAS PARHUSIP1 & IMRO’AH IKARINI2

 

1Research Center for Horticulture, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Cibinong Science Center, Jalan Raya Bogor, Cibinong, Indonesia

2Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Kawasan Puspitek, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, Indonesia

 

Received: 29 October 2025/Accepted: 20 May 2025

 

Abstract

Citrus growers are challenged to be able to produce high yields while being resilient to environmental stress, while maintaining high yield and cultivar potential. However, the use of pummelo as an interstock-despite its growing relevance for cultivar replacement-remains poorly studied in terms of its anatomical and metabolic effects on scion varieties. This study evaluates the impact of Pummelo interstock on the growth, leaf anatomy, and metabolomic profile of three citrus cultivars: Sweet Orange (Manis Pacitan), Tangerine (Siam Pontianak), and Mandarin (Keprok Batu 55). Morphological assessment showed that interstock application increased leaf thickness by 3.9% and palisade layer thickness by 15.2%, with additional adaptations in epidermal and glandular structures suggesting enhanced stress tolerance. Stomatal density rose by 22% in certain combinations. GC-MS metabolomic profiling identified 91 metabolites, with interstock treatments increasing the accumulation of stress-related compounds such as flavonoids and terpenes. Stress-metabolite upregulation reached 59.6% in Keprok Batu 55, 36.2% in Manis Pacitan, and 47.8% in Siam Pontianak. Key pathway modifications involved the stimulation of fatty acid metabolism and the development of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors in interstocked plants, which led to better morphological and physiological features. These findings highlight the role of interstock technology in promoting vegetative vigor, metabolic reprogramming, and stress adaptation in citrus, with practical implications for improving productivity and sustainability in citrus cultivation. Further research should explore long-term performance and underlying genetic mechanisms.

Keywords: Citrus; interstock; morpho-anatomical traits; pummelo; secondary metabolite

 

Abstrak

Penanam sitrus dicabar untuk menghasilkan hasil yang tinggi dan berdaya tahan terhadap tekanan alam sekitar, sambil mengekalkan potensi hasil dan kultivar yang tinggi. Walau bagaimanapun, penggunaan pummelo sebagai interstok-walaupun semakin relevan untuk penggantian kultivar-masih kurang dikaji dari segi kesan anatomi dan metaboliknya pada varieti scion. Kajian ini menilai kesan interstok pumello terhadap pertumbuhan, anatomi daun dan profil metabolomik tiga kultivar sitrus: Jeruk Manis (Manis Pacitan), Jeruk Keprok (Siam Pontianak) dan Jeruk Mandarin (Keprok Batu 55). Penilaian morfologi menunjukkan bahawa penggunaan interstok meningkatkan ketebalan daun sebanyak 3.9% dan lapisan palisade sebanyak 15.2%, disertai adaptasi pada epidermis dan kelenjar yang mencadangkan peningkatan toleransi tekanan. Ketumpatan stomata meningkat sebanyak 22% dalam beberapa gabungan. Pemprofilan GC-MS mengenal pasti 91 metabolit dengan interstok meningkatkan pengumpulan sebatian berkaitan tekanan seperti flavonoid dan terpena. Peningkatan metabolit tekanan dicatatkan sebanyak 59.6% di Keprok Batu 55, 36.2% di Manis Pacitan dan 47.8% di Siam Pontianak. Perubahan laluan utama termasuk pengaktifan metabolisme asid lemak dan biosintesis penambat glikosilfosfatidilinositol (GPI) dalam tumbuhan saling berstok, sepadan dengan anatomi dan fisiologi yang lebih baik. Hasil ini menyerlahkan potensi teknologi interstok dalam meningkatkan kekuatan vegetatif, pengaturcaraan semula metabolik dan penyesuaian tekanan dalam tanaman sitrus. Penyelidikan lanjut perlu dijalankan untuk menilai prestasi jangka panjang dan mekanisme genetik yang terlibat.

Kata kunci: Citrus; interstok; ciri morfo-anatomi; metabolit sekunder; pummelo

 

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*Corresponding author; email: nfdevy@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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