In essential oil sourcing, supply reliability and product performance are directly influenced by agronomic consistency. Variability in planting material can result in uneven crop establishment, fluctuating biomass yields, and inconsistent oil quality across seasons.
To address this upstream variability, Taru Wangi evaluates tissue-cultured patchouli planting material developed by Universitas Padjadjaran. Tissue culture provides a more uniform propagation baseline, enabling early-stage selection before plants are exposed to field-level stress factors.
Following propagation, planting material undergoes an acclimatization phase and is subsequently evaluated through multi-location field trials in Taru Wangi farmer-managed plots. This approach allows plant performance to be assessed under real cultivation conditions, including variation in soil characteristics, climate, and disease pressure.
Across repeated observations conducted over three consecutive growing seasons, selected patchouli lines have demonstrated the following agronomically relevant characteristics:
- Broader leaf morphology, contributing to increased effective photosynthetic area and supporting stable vegetative growth and biomass development under field conditions.
- Improved field tolerance to bacterial wilt (under trial conditions), with better plant survival and sustained growth at sites where disease pressure is present, reducing early stand loss during crop establishment.
- Promising indications related to oil quality traits, including Patchouli Alcohol. While compositional analysis remains ongoing, early assessments indicate encouraging stability in oil quality–related parameters.
Evaluation across multiple locations and seasons provides a robust basis for assessing phenotypic stability and field adaptability. Improved plant survival and consistent biomass formation contribute to greater predictability at the farm level, supporting more reliable raw material availability over time.
By linking agronomic performance with downstream quality considerations, this applied research approach supports a patchouli supply that is field-adapted, resilient, and aligned with long-term buyer requirements for consistency and performance.