For a dissertation entitled “Dinamika Populasi Bakteri Rhizosfer dan Endofit pada Budidaya Ubi Jalar Cilembu (Ipomoea batatas var. Cilembu) dan Peranannya Selama Proses Pengimpanan Pascapanen” or “The Dynamic of Rhizosfer and Endofit Bacteria on the Cultivation of Cilembu Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas var. Cilembu) and Their Role in Post-Harvest Storage Process”, Agustina gets Doctorate degree from Biology Doctoral Study Program of School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH) of ITB.

“Departing from the observation and the existing phenomenon, it is found that Ubi Bilembu that is cultivated outside Desa Cilembu will have different quality especially in the sweetness. We want to do a research on the microbiological aspect, hence I conducted a research on microbes especially Rhizosfer and Endofit bacteria which are assumed specific to the location in which Ubi Cilembu is originated from,” she said.

She said that, based on the conducted research, Ubi Cilembu which is cultivated outside Desa Cilembu will have different abundance and diversity of bacteria. The bacteria is one of the factors that affects the sweetness. The soil can also be an affecting factor.

The research is expected to be helpful for farmers in cultivating Ubi Cilembu outside Desa Cilembu, for example, by producing biofertilizer products that contain similar microbes in the original place. “Hopefully, my approach can be an alternative to extensification of Cultivation of Cilembu Sweet Potato outside the original place,” she said.

Sweet potatoes such as Ubi Cilembu are the alternative to carbohydrate sources such as paddy, corn, and cassava. It contains high economic value so that it can be an alternative in food diversification.

Support from Family
During her research and study in Doctoral program in ITB, the biggest challenge is living separately from family. She has to live separately from her husband and two children who live in Manado, North Sulawesi. The challenge, fortunately, is not a hindrance. This becomes her motivation to finish her study and her family fully supported her.

“There are no undo button in life. So we have to move forward and face it. It is not as easy as I say it right now but my family’s support and prayer push me to always do something, to come to campus, to always move,” she said.

She said that the First Graduation Ceremony Academic Year 2018/2019 is the initial momentum in her life to the next challenges. “Graduation is not the end but the beginning of what we will face in the future. Pray and be grateful for what we get. To students (still studying), it does not mean that we who are graduating now are better than you. We have our turn. Just keep doing our part because the result is not ours to determine,” she concluded.