Density Survey of Sago Palms in Sago-identified Areas in Mindanao, Southern Philippines

Sago palm, locally known as lumbia, is one among the many sources of flour. In the Philippines, especially in Mindanao however, it is an untapped resource. Thus, the density of natural sago stands in several areas of Mindanao was determined in this study. Sample locations were identified in several areas of Mindanao and were surveyed using the transect method to determine the population density of sago palms in various growth stages. The number of sago palms in rosette, bole formation, inflorescence, and fruiting stages were determined and categorized according to their age by counting the number of leaf scars and fronds in stand. Transect survey was conducted according to dry, wet, and submerged soil conditions. Further stratification was also done to delineate sago density in areas where local community used sago shingles for roofing and household business. Results showed that sago palms are very dense in Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte, and approximately 8,800 trees are in the stage of inflorescence which can be harvested within 1 to 2 years; a total of 209,000 stand in bole formation stage which can be harvested after 4 to 5 years; and about 6.5 million rosette in varying ages. These results indicate that the sago palm can be a potential economic enterprise for farmers within Mindanao