Sains Malaysiana 50(3)(2021): 595-603

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5003-03

A Review on Wild Indigenous Eggplant, Terung Asam Sarawak (Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal.)

(Suatu Ulasan terhadap Terung Asli Liar, Terung Asam Sarawak (Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal.)

ALBERT TING KOON SOON & PHEBE DING*

Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 29 January 2020/Accepted: 13 August 2020

ABSTRACT

Terung Asam Sarawak (Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal.), also known as terung Dayak or sour eggplant is one of the largest indigenous crops in Sarawak. It has slowly gained a significant commercial importance in Malaysia especially East Malaysia. There have been several studies on Terung Asam Sarawak in the last few decades but mainly focus on plant vernacular and morphology with only some studies focusing on the fruits. The agronomic practices of the plant until fruit postharvest handling have not been comprehensively studied. The information on Terung Asam Sarawak scatters in diverse sources, either local or regional sources, and in several languages too. Therefore, this review attempts to compile these all literature and outline every important finding (from plant origin to planting, fruit postharvest handling, uses and many more) about Terung Asam Sarawak in order to pinpoint the gaps of knowledge. It is hope that this review could assist researchers to focus on the gaps that will help to establish this indigenous eggplant as an important commercial vegetable in tropical countries.

Keywords: Borneo; geographical indication; medicinal plant; Solanaceae; terung Dayak

ABSTRAK

Terung Asam Sarawak (Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal.), juga dikenali sebagai terung Dayak atau terung masam adalah salah satu tanaman asli yang terbesar di Sarawak. Terung Asam Sarawak mempunyai kepentingan komersial di Malaysia terutamanya di Malaysia Timur. Terdapat beberapa kajian mengenai Terung Asam Sarawak dalam beberapa dekad kebelakangan ini tetapi kebanyakannya bertumpu kepada vernakular dan morfologi tumbuhan ini dengan hanya beberapa kajian yang menumpu kepada buah tumbuhan ini. Maklumat berkaitan dengan tumbuhan ini daripada amalan agronomi hingga kepada pengendalian lepas tuai buah masih belum lengkap. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengumpul semua maklumat kepustakaan dan seterusnya mengemukakan penemuan penting (bermula dengan asal-usul tanaman ini hingga ke cara penanaman, pengendalian lepas tuai buah dan penggunaan) mengenai Terung Asam Sarawak untuk mengenal pasti jurang dalam pengetahuan. Dengan ini, para penyelidik diharap dapat menumpukan perhatian kepada jurang tersebut agar dapat membantu untuk menjadikan terung asli ini sebagai tanaman penting di negara tropika.

Kata kunci: Borneo; petunjuk geografi; Solanaceae; terung Dayak; tumbuhan perubatan

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*Corresponding author; email: phebe@upm.edu.my