Leaves as an Indicator of Potential Production of Palm Sap in Sugar Palm Plants (Arenga pinnata Merr) in South Tapanuli Regency

The sugar palm (Arenga pinnata Merr.) is a valuable natural resource, particularly as a source of sap that can be processed into palm sugar. However, its utilization remains suboptimal, as sugar palm plants in South Tapanuli Regency continue to grow wild and have not been cultivated intensively. The morphological characteristics of these plants, such as the number of leaf stalks, are believed to influence sap production. This study aims to identify the relationship between the number of leaf stalks and sap production in South Tapanuli Regency. The study employed a survey method and simple linear regression analysis to investigate the relationship between the number of leaf stalks and sap production. The results indicated a positive correlation between the number of leaf stalks and sap production; specifically, an increase in leaf stalks corresponded to higher sap production. The highest sap production, recorded at 10.27 liters per day, was observed with more than 21 leaf stalks, while the lowest sap production, at 6.78 liters per day, was noted with 1 to 5 leaf stalks.