Profiling Habitats and Agroforestry Characteristics of Superior Local Durians in Kalipuro and Gombengsari Villages, Banyuwangi

Kalipuro and Gombengsari Villages on the slopes of Mt. Ijen are important habitats for locally recognized superior durian within agroforestry systems. This study aimed to characterize vegetation structure and environmental conditions associated with superior durian across different agroforestry management types. Field exploration and mapping identified superior durian based on morphological traits, fruit quality, productivity, and local farmer recognition. Vegetation surveys were conducted in 30 purposively selected plots (10 per system) representing rustic, traditional, and commercial agroforestry systems using nested plots (25 × 25 m for trees, 10 × 10 m for poles, and 5 × 5 m for shrubs). A total of 39 plant species were recorded, indicating diverse multi-strata vegetation. Rustic agroforestry showed the highest species diversity (H’ = 1.85 for trees; 2.65 for poles), while commercial systems had the lowest. Coconut (Cocos nucifera) had the highest IVI in the tree stratum, while Gliricidia and coffee dominated the lower strata. Abiotic conditions differed among systems, with rustic agroforestry associated with 26.67°C soil temperature, 8.00% soil moisture, and 78.3% air humidity, while commercial systems showed 29.50°C, 5.17%, and 1490 I m⁻². PCA separated agroforestry types, indicating that vegetation diversity is related to moisture and humidity, whereas commercial systems align with higher temperature and light.