Identification of Agronomic Traits of Centella asiatica ( L . ) Urban . Naturally Grown at Regions With Different Altitudes

The Centella asiatica is an important herbal plant in Indonesia. The research was done to describe several agronomic traits that related to yield of the plants grown at regions with different altitudes. The research was carried out at three different regions of highland, midland, and lowerland, each at >500m, 250-500m, and < 250m above sea level. The research location was Pagar Alam, Musi Rawas, and Ogan Ilir, respectively. Research indicated that the agronomic traits of the plants grown at highland, midland, and lowerland, regions were about the same for general appearance of leaf shape and flower color. The leaf size, number and length of stolone, number of rossets, length of rhizomes, and number of flower were varied depending on the region. The plants grown at highland and midland region tend to have larger leaf size, shorter petiole and stolone, more number of rossets and stolone, longer rhizomes, and more number of flowers per plant, compared to the plants of lowerland region. This could be indication that Centella asiatica plants grown on midland, and highland were more productive than plants of lowerland region.


INTRODUCTION
Indonesia is well known as a rich country of having abundant species of plants.Many of them (> 1.300 species) were considered as medicine plant including Centella asiatica (L.) Urban.(Sangat et al., 2000).Winarto and Surbakti (2002), stated that distribution area of the Centella asiatica plants cover large area in tropical as well as in the subtropical region including Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, China, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia.In these area the plants were mainly used for medications and culinary.In China, they called the plants as a miracle elixir of life (Khare, 2003).As the increase in science and technology, the use of Centella asiatica plant becomes more various not only for medication and culinary, but also for cosmetic purposes (Lasmadiwati et al., 2004).

MATERIAL AND METHOD
Research method was designed as field survey at several designated area of regions with different altitude followed by descriptive analysis.The area consisted of highland region (>500 m above sea level); midland region The composite soil samples of each observation plot were taken for soil fertility test.Although the samples were taken from different area as outlined above, the soil fertility seemed to be about the same.The samples indicated that the N % soil were ranged 5.0-6.5%; the P-Bray ranged from 3.2 to 3.6 ppm; the K-dd ranged 3.9-5.0me/100g soil; and the pH H2 (1:1) ranged 5.1 to 6.0 (Table 1).
The observations on the plants include some agronomic traits of the leaf (shape, size, number of

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Unlike botanical trait that includes all part of the plant, the agronomic trait includes only certain part of the plant that are directly or indirectly related to yield and cultivation purposes.For the Centella asiatica plant, the agronomic traits include the leaf, the stolone, the root (rhizome), and the flower (Wilson et al., 1972& Harjadi, 1996).
In general, this research indicated that, the agronomic traits of Centella asiatica plants grown at regions with different altitudes seemed to be similar.
The leaf of the plants grown at highland region (> 500 m above sea level); midland region (250-500 m above sea level) as well lowland region (<250 m above sea level) appeared to be similar in shape of "kidney like" with un-smooth rounded apices and each individual leaf borne in a single pericladial petioles (Figure 2).The size of the leaves, however, relatively varied as shown on Table 2.There was indication that the leaves of the plants grown at mid and highland regions were larger in size with shorter petiole compared to plants at lower region.This indicated that Centella asiatica plants  (1:1) Highland > 500 m above sea level Identification of Agronomic Traits of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban 235 grown at midland, and highland were more productive than lowerland plant.The leaf is considered as an important organ of the plant in which the vital metabolism process of photosynthesis occurs (Haryadi, 1996).The shape and number of leaves of the plant were mainly affected by genetics factor, while the size was effected by genetic as well as by non-genetic factors (Gardner, 1972).For Centella asiatica plant, the leaf is very essential as a main component of the plant production (Halimi et al., 1998).
With respect to grow habit of Centella asiatica plants that grow around top soil, the stolones appeared to be the main body of the plant.The stolones basically carry the leaves on the rossets to certain direction of appropriate place to grow.The research indicated that the plants grew at high and midland have more rossets of 8-16 rossets per plant, and more stolone of 5-6 stolones per plant compared to lowerland plants.Unlike the number rosset and stolone per plant, the length of stolone of the plants grown at lower region appeared to be longer than high and midland plant (Table 3).
Apparently, the Centella asiatica plants found in lower region were more skinny, longer stolen, with less number of stolone, rosset, and leaves (Figure 1).This appearance coincided with the length of roots, in which, the lowerland plants had a shorter root (4-7 cm) compared to high and midland plants (8-15 cm).
The stolones play important role in plant propagation of Centella asiatica, although the seeds might be used for it.The seeds are very small and borne on densely reticulated small fruits of 3-5 mm (Lasmadiwati et al., 2004;Winarto & Surbakti, 2002).
Research indicated that flowers of Centella asiatica plants naturally grown at highland, midland, and lowland region are similar.The flowers are small (less than 3 mm), and hermophrodite, consisted of 2 green brachtea, 6 corolla, 5 stamens, and 2 styles.The flower color could be white, pink or red (Table 4), and born in a small and rounded bunches (umbels), axially erected on the rosset near soil surface.The number of flowers per plant grown in lower region, however, was smaller (18-25 flower per plant), compared to the midland and highland plants of 28-48 flowers per plant (Table 4).This could be indication that Centella asiatica plants grown on midland, and highland were more productive than lowerland plant.

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250-500 m above sea level) and lowerland region (<250 m above sea level).Consecutively, the regions of the research were Pagar Alam, Lubuk Linggau, and Ogan Ilir, South Sumatera Province.Every region covered three condition sites of dry, swampy (wet), and backyard (Figure 1) in which, five observation plots were established (plot size of 1 m 2 ).This research, therefore, consisted of 45 observation plots (3x3x5).Research observation was done in October to November 2009.
leaf ; and length of the petiole) ; the stolone (the number and the length); the roots (maximum length); and the flower (number of flower per plant).Descriptive analysis was performed on the data by tabulation.Data collection were also enhanced by selected pictures (images) representing the observations.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.The observation sites of of Centella asiatica plants naturally growns at regions with different altitude (A:Dry; B:Swampywet; C:Backyard) Figure 2. The leaves and petiole of Centella asiatica plants naturally growns at regions with different altitude (A:Dry; B:Swampy-wet; C:Backyard)

Table 1 .
The soil fertility (N, P, K and pH) of the composite soil samples taken from the observtion sites

Table 2 .
The shape and the size of the leaves and length of the petiole of Centella asiatica plants naturally growns at regions with different altitude

Table 3 .
Number of rosset, number and length of stolone, and length of the root of Centella asiatica plants naturally growns at regions with different altitude Table 4. Number of flowers of Centella asiatica plants naturally growns at regions with different altitude