MARDI - Five Excellent Years of Innovation in Agriculture

FIVE
EXCELLENT
YEARS
ofINNOVATIONS IN
AGRICULTURE
FIVE
EXCELLENT
YEARS
of
INNOVATIONS IN
AGRICULTURE
Technical Report (20062010)

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute
Published by:
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
MARDI Headquarters, Serdang
P.O. Box 12304
50774 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of MARDI.
Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
FIVE EXCELLENT YEARS of INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE

ISBN 978-967-936-633-4

1. Agricultural innovations--Malaysia. 2. Agriculture--Malaysia.

I. Institut Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia.

338.1609595
Graphic by: Tengku Ahmad Fakrul Adli Engku Mat

Printed by:
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Malaysia
Feeding The Nation
CONTENTS
vi
Message from the Secretary General
viii Message from the Director General
MARDI Achievements 20062010

1
Feeding the Nation
Fruits and Vegetables, Our Export Earner
23
Livestock and Feed Production Sustainability
34
Reaping Benefits from Industrial Crops
43
Value Adding Means Business
57
Natural Resources for Sustainable Farming
67
Agrobiodiversity, Our Heritage
79
Green Initiatives in Agriculture
89
Biotechnology The Future Agriculture
101
MARDI Agrotechnology Parks: Bridging

Knowledge And Communities
109
Our Delivery Systems
118
Technical Committee Members
119
Acknowledgement
Message from the
Secretary General
I would like to thank you for the opportunity
to pen a few words in MARDIs Technical
Report for the Ninth Malaysia Plan. As for
the previous years, MARDIs achievements
in her core businesses are highly
commendable. The Institute has a large
pool of dedicated researchers under the
guidance of an able management team that
has positioned MARDI as a premier R&D
organization in food, agriculture and biobased industries.
The National Agro-Food Policy (DAN)
20112020 has outlined the Government
Transformation Programme, New Economic
Model and the Economic Transformation
Programme which serve as a foundation
towards a high-income developed country.
Some 16 projects and 11 business
opportunities in agriculture under the
National Key Economic Areas Incentives
(NKEA) are expected to contribute RM49.1
billion to Gross National Income by 2020.
MARDIs contribution to the agro-food
sector is duly recognized and will continue
to be relevant for the realization of AgroFood Policy (DAN) where many R&D needs
were outlined. MARDI has been identified
as a significant player in increasing
agricultural production, development of
new products and generating new sources
of wealth of the country. With the precision
of innovation and commitment among
researchers, I believe MARDI will still
remain as a key enabler in contributing
towards the Governments intention to make
Malaysia a developed nation by 2020.
In line with the recommendations of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry, MARDI, as technology generator,
needs to redouble efforts to help realize
the goals that have been entrusted upon
us. It can be achieved by increasing the
generation of innovative technologies and
competitiveness, and to ensure that the

expertise of researchers is at par with
or surpass their global peers. Coupled
with that, the technology transfer and
commercialization activities to target groups
should also be expanded.
A measure of excellence is when there
is competition and recognition within
the R&D circle. MARDIs researchers
have the capacity to compete in local and
international competitions relating to the
food and agriculture sector as can be seen
from the awards bestowed. Some 150
technologies have competed at national
level competitions such as MTE, ITEX
(International Invention & Technology
Exhibition), BIOMALAYSIA and BioInno
in the Ninth Malaysia Plan. During the
same span of time, MARDI researchers
have received 50 prizes and awards at
international level competitions in Geneva,
Brussels (EUREKA), INPEX, IENA and SIIF.
It is noteworthy to mention that 40% (20
inventions) received gold awards, out of
which four are special awards. To cap the
achievement, four MARDI researchers were
named as national individual scientist at the
AIPM (Prime Minister Innovation Award),
AKPP (Service Management Quality award)
and AIN (National Innovation Award) and
three researchers were named international
Individual Scientist at ITEX and BIS (British
Invention Show). This is truly a remarkable
achievement and I would like to express my
heartiest congratulations to all involved.
Insya-Allah MARDI would achieve its vision
to be a world-renowned R&D organization
in food, agriculture and bio-based industries
by 2015.
Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Bin Abdullah

Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry
vi
Technical Report (2006-2010)
vii
Message from the
Director General
MARDI has been entrusted to develop and
disseminate appropriate technologies in
agriculture and agro-based industries to
be applied by our designated target groups.
Our research endeavours for the past 40
years had fruitfully generated many new
crop varieties and clones, animal breeds
and management practices. Cutting edge
technologies in food processing and postharvest handling are also developed for
horticultural and livestock products. ICT
technologies are being exploited in farm
management and operations such as
precision farming technology for rice estate
and yield estimation using the imaging
technology. New techniques are being
developed in environmental management
and optimum utilization of agricultural
resources particularly soil, water and
genetic resources. Significant research

findings in agriculture and agro-based
industries conducted under the 9th Malaysia
Plan are documented in this report.
Technical services and entrepreneurship
development in food, agriculture and
other fields relating to the industry
rendered by MARDI from 2006 to 2010
are also documented. These are mainly
services in the forms of technical
advisory, consultancy, technical trainings,
analytical laboratory services, processing
technology, quality assurance, new
product development and technology
up-scaling. Farmers and entrepreneurs
who had adopted MARDIs technologies
had contributed to the enhancement of
the national agriculture and agro-based
industries. This has made the agricultural
sector a compelling contributor to the
national economy.
I believe the (persistent, never-ending
or unrelenting) search for knowledge
amongst our researchers would continue in
contributing towards achieving our national
goal to transform the food and agriculture
industry into an attractive, vibrant and
competitive sector.
It is also hoped that this publication will
spur related scientists, academicians
from institutions of higher learning
and individuals in their pursuit for
knowledge and apply the lessons
learned towards the betterment of
mankind.
Dato Dr. Sharif b. Haron
MARDI
viii
ix
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
FEEDING THE NATION

FEEDING
THE NATION
Rice is the most important staple food crop

in Malaysia. The national rice production is
2.67 million tons from planted areas totalling
683,677 ha which only achieved 72% of selfsufficiency level (SSL). To fulfil the demand,
Malaysia has to import a substantial amount
of ordinary and specialty rice including the
fragrant and basmati types from Vietnam,
Thailand, Cambodia and other countries. In
2011 alone, Malaysia imported 960,000 tons
of rice.
Hence, MARDI is entrusted to conduct
research and development (R&D) to improve
rice production in the country. The R&D
focus areas are varietal development for high
yield and quality rice, development of costeffective, sustainable and environmental
friendly production system with emphasis
on optimum input utilization, management
of pests and diseases, development of
Feeding The Nation
MR 253
Shortage of land for rice cultivation and the

large acreage of marginal/problem soil have
initiated MARDI to develop rice varieties that
are suitable to be planted on this soil. MR
MEETING INDUSTRY NEEDS
253 produces an average yield of 5.6 tons/ha
NEW VARIETIES
in peat and acidic soil. This high yielding and
early maturation variety is resistant to brown
Development of new rice varieties by
planthopper, green leafhopper, stem rot,
MARDI has significantly contributed to the
bacterial leaf blight, blast, Tungro disease
national rice production. In RM9, six rice
and lodging. MR 253 also has the potential to
varieties with specific characteristics were
overcome the problem of brown spot disease
developed to overcome issues pertaining to
problem soils, pests and diseases, and water leading to declining rice yield on organic clay
muck soil.
shortage.
efficient post-harvest handling and product
development technologies.
MR 232 rice variety, developed from a cross

between W60 and Y1157, was introduced
as a strategy to control blast disease and
has potential yield of 9 tons/ha. This variety
is recommended for planting in panicle
blast prone areas and good for rice varietal
diversification program.
For planting on marginal soil of riverine

origin, MR 263 with an average yield of
5.6 tons/ha is recommended. It is an early
maturing rice variety, dwarf, resistant to
lodging and is moderately resistant to brown
planthoppers and leaf blast.
Demand for coloured rice for the past few

years has consistently increased. This has
led MARDI to emphasise on breeding and
selections of red rice varieties. The major
compound in coloured rice especially the
red rice is the anthocyanins which have
antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties.
A red rice variety, YTM 16 was derived from
crossing involving Q 72 and ER 6275. A food
company, Nestle uses this rice as a major
ingredient for baby food products due to its
colour, high fibre and anthocyanins content.
New padi
merah for
natural
colour and
health
Asfaliza
Ramli
Coloured
rice for
natural
colour and
health
Asfaliza
Ramli
ITEX 2007
Gold
GOLD
Medal
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SIIF 2008
Gold
GOLD
SILVER
Medal
MEDAL
AEROBIC RICE FOR NON-GRANARY

AREAS
SILVER
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
Extreme climate and limited rainfall

leading to water crisis affect the rice
production as its cultivation depends on
BRONZE
irrigation water. More over the scarce
and
MEDAL
intense competition for available water
from domestic and industrial sectors is
expected to increase and is likely to receive
priority over irrigation. This scenario
may necessitate the adoption of new rice
production practices that require lesser
amount of water inputs without impairing
rice yield.
For this purpose, MARDI is developing 80
potential aerobic rice accessions which
produce higher grain yield under water
stress environment. Nine accessions namely
RD3, IR28, QKK-41, Basmati 370, MR 150,
Chianung Sen Yu, MR 142, Y756, and MR 56
produced more than 1 ton/ha grain yield.
The yield of aerobic rice is generally
lower than flooded rice. Aerobic rice yield
decreases when it is grown continuously.
Appropriate fertilizer management is

crucial for the successful cultivation of
aerobic rice. Both organic and inorganic
fertilizers resulted in positive yield
responses when applied at the appropriate
amount. Application of organic fertilizer
at a rate of 1,100 to 1,800 kg/ha before
seed broadcasting is required for better
growth and yield. The recommended rate
of N:P:K application is 150-180:60:60 kg/
ha. Supplementation with microelements
such as copper, zinc and boron is also
recommended. Spraying foliar fertilizer
during tillering stage is required if nutrient
GOLD
MEDAL
deficiency is detected.
Water saving
irrigated rice
production
Dr. Sariam
Othman
Water saving
irrigated rice
production
Dr. Sariam
Othman
Strategic water
management
through aerobic
rice cultivation
Dr. Chan
Chee
Sheng
MTE
2007
GOLD
Gold
MEDAL
Medal
SILVER
MEDAL
IENA
2007
Silver
SILVER
MEDAL
Medal
SILVER
MEDAL
MTE
2009
WAR AGAINST WEEDS AND PESTS
Bronze
BRONZE
Medal
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Weedy rice, locally known as padi angin, is

the most noxious weed in direct-seeded
rice in Malaysia. Early and spontaneous
shattering is the most undesirable trait of
weedy rice. Continuous direct seeding and
poor land preparation are the main factors
enhancing weedy rice infestation. Heavy
infestation of weedy rice may cause up to
74% yield loss.
Collaboration between BASF and MARDI
has developed two new varieties namely
MR 220CL1 and MR 220CL2 by crossing
BASF Clearfield Line No. 1770 with MARDI
MR 220. These imidazolinone-tolerant
varieties are able to withstand the spraying
of imidazolinone to control weedy rice and
other weeds, and are highly recommended
for heavy weedy rice infested areas.
Feeding The Nation
Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) also contributes in managing weed
problem in rice cultivation. eWeeds is a
Decision Support System (DSS) which
provides comprehensive information on the
management of Malaysian rice weeds. GOLD
This
MEDAL
system was specially developed for mobile
devices, providing portable and convenient
information retrieval. eWeeds is a significant
system for weed management as it provides
accurate information on weeds selection
SILVER
MEDAL
criteria and can assist users to monitor
weeds in rice fields.
GOLD
Weed infestation is a threat to successful
MEDAL
aerobic rice cultivation, and hence rice
genotypes with high weed competitive ability
are required. Aerobic rice varieties, Aeron 1
and Aeron 4 are highly competitive against
SILVER
weeds. Aeron 1 grows upright, has highMEDAL
vigour, fast growth rate and shorter maturity
period of 80 days after seeding.
GOLD
Water seeding
an innovation
for weedy rice
control
Dr. Azmi
Man
ITEX 2006
MEDAL
Bronze
BRONZE
Innovative
water seeding
technology for
effective weedy
rice control in
rice cultivation
Dr. Azmi
Man
SIIF 2008
Silver
Innovative
water seeding
technology for
effective weed
control in rice
cultivation
Dr. Azmi
Man
MTE 2008
BRONZE
Silver
Imidazolinone
Tolerant
rice variety :
Solution for
weedy rice
problem
Dr. Azmi
Man
MTE 2009
BRONZE
Silver
A non-GMO
herbicide
tolerant rice
A solution
for weedy rice
problem
Dr. Azmi
Man
Brussels
Innova
2009
BRONZE
Silver
SILVER
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
MEDAL
e-Weeds A
comprehensive DSS
for the management
of Malaysia rice
weeds
Arina
Mohd
Noh
MTE
2008
Bronze
BRONZE
MEDAL
Other than weeds, infestations of major

rice pests such as black bugs, rodents and
apple snails are major constraints in rice
cultivation. An integrated pest management
(IPM) package at FELCRA Seberang Perak
was effective in the control of pests and
weeds. The package consists of resistant
varieties, rodent control using barn owl
and bacterial control agents. The rice yield
was raised from 2.9 to 6.0 tons/ha and the
production cost was reduced by 10.2% using
this package.
SMART PACKS AND FARM MECHANIZATION,
THE BOOSTER FOR PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Finding solutions to facilitate farm
operation and management is essential
towards precision rice farming to boost
rice production. Smart packs developed by
MARDI are complete digital guidelines for
portable devices to assist growers in the
nursery and field operation.
CREST-Pack is a direct seeding package for
crop establishment containing specifications
to establish ideal crop setting for targeted
high yield performance. It contains four
BRONZE
MEDAL
principal components namely post-harvest

management, land preparation, seeding
and crop management. This technology
increased the rice yield from 4 to almost 7
tons/ha at Kg. Gelam, Yan, Kedah. CRESTPack can also be downloaded to portable
devices and used directly in the field.
TRANS-Pack is a precision farming
package for mechanized rice transplanting
encompassing rice field management after
harvest, land preparation, preparation of
transplant materials and crop management
until harvest. The application of TRANS-Pack
resulted in high quality rice suitable as seeds
and capable to increase yield up to 8.5-9.5
tons/ha. It has a yield advantage of 1-2 tons/
ha as compared to that of CREST-Pack.
CREST-FERTO Package: A
decision support system for
rice management
Dr.
Suhaimi
Othman
GENEVA
2006
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
and
Jury Special
Award
Managing wastes and creating

wealth from rice farming:
Application of CREST decision
support system
Dr.
Suhaimi
Othman
MTE
2007
CREST-DSS: ICT application

for crop management in
commercial rice production
Dr.
Suhaimi
Othman
ITEX
2007
CREST Package for yield

enhancement of direct seeded
rice
Dr.
Suhaimi
Othman
MTE
2008
SILVER
GOLD
MEDAL
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
Pingat
SILVER
BRONZE
MEDAL
Perak
BRONZE
MEDAL
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Feeding The Nation
To meet the challenge in labour shortage

for crop maintenance, a set of modification
kits for rice transplanter (CAREKIT) was
developed. It is an alternative low cost
solution specially designed to extend
the usage of 4-wheel mechanical rice
transplanter for crop care operations.
CAREKIT consists of five major modification
kits: wheel kit, body kit, front-mounting
kit, air-condition kit and sprayer kit.
It allows an extended operation of the
commercial transplanter, to be used for
pesticide and fertilizer applications. The
total cost of CAREKIT is 20% cheaper than
that of Japanese high clearance 4-wheel
tractors. It also provides an air-conditioned
GOLD
compartment for a comfortable and safe
MEDAL
environment to the operator.
An innovative
cost effective
local
modification
kits for
4 wheel
mechanical
padi
transplanter
Dr. Chan
Chee
Wan
An innovative
cost effective
local
modification
kits for
4 wheel
mechanical
padi
transplanter
Dr. Chan
Chee
Wan
ITEX
2008
Silver
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SIIF 2009
Silver
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SENSORING TECHNOLOGYA NEW FRONTIER

Sensoring technology provides information
for better management of agricultural
operations and opens up a new frontier in
rice precision farming. An IKONOS satellite
digital image processing procedure for
mapping of rice plots was developed.
Borders between rice plots available in
IKONOS satellite digital image can be
automatically designed. This method creates
digital base maps quickly and efficiently for
rice precision farming.
Rapid and accurate information on rice

yield is important for stakeholders in future
planning of the rice industry. In addition,
yield information is useful for subsequent
crop cultivation. Yield mapping technology
developed by MARDI enables yield to be
estimated during harvesting. This technology
is based on volumetric flow sensors and a
differential global positioning system (DGPS)
GOLD
which are mounted on combine harvesters
MEDAL to
estimate the yield of rice in the field.
QMAP
A cost
effective
automatic
map
digitizing
technique
Dr. Chan
Chee
Wan
ITEX 2008
QMAP A
low cost and
rapid field
plot digital
mapping
technique
Dr. Chan
Chee
Wan
MTE 2008
QMAP A
low cost and
rapid field
plot digital
mapping
techniques
Dr. Chan
Chee
Wan
IENA 2008
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
SILVER
Good rice quality always fetches betterMEDAL
price. Rice quality can now be analysed
automatically, quickly and accurately using
PaddyView. An automated PaddyView is
a quality analyzer consisting an image
BRONZE
acquisition device, an image processing
and
MEDAL
rice grain information analysis software.
It can analyse rice quality automatically,
quickly and accurately. PaddyView is able
to analyse up to 700 grains, count total and
immature grains and to calculate percentage
of immature grains. In addition, the average
length, width and length/width ratio can
be determined to classify the grains into
different sizes and shapes.
PaddyView Paddy
quality analyser
Dr. Teoh
Chin Chuang
ITEX 2009
GOLD
MEDAL
PaddyView Paddy
quality analyser
Dr. Teoh
Chin Chuang
Brussels
Innova 2009
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL

SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES,

OUR EXPORT EARNER
FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES,
OUR EXPORT
EARNER
There is vast potential for Malaysian tropical
fruits and vegetables to cater for global
demand. The success lies in the ability
to produce these fruits and vegetables at
competitive cost and high quality products
that comply with international requirements
as well as the need to secure market access.
The research work undertaken to meet this
demand includes breeding new varieties,
improving cultural practices and postharvest management with the support of
new fruit processing tools.
crop production systems with optimum

input utilization for increased yield and
quality. Crop yield estimation is an important
task in orchard management. Accurate
yield prediction helps growers improve
fruit quality and reduce operating cost by
making better decisions on intensity of fruit
thinning and size of the harvest labour force.
Automated quality verification systems
utilize improved engineering designs and
image-processing techniques for grading to
ensure quality products.
IMPROVED VARIETIES AND TECHNOLOGIES

BOOST PRODUCTION
The new cili padi variety, Semerah, released

in 2008 was developed to solve low yield
of local cili padi. It exhibits synchronized
fruiting habit, early maturity of less than
three months after transplanting and shows
peak production at the fourth to fifth month
after transplanting. It is easy to harvest due
to easily detached fruit stalks, thus, reducing
time and cost of harvesting. Its yield and
pungency vary with growing environments.
Good field management and optimum
fertilizer applications contribute to yields
Development of new varieties or clones of

fruits and vegetables through conventional
and/or modern techniques comprises
introduction, evaluation and selection of
characters with economic value that is
suitable for efficient and modern cropping
systems. Research in cultural practices, pre
and post harvest handling focuses on the
development of efficient and cost effective
10
of 2.3 kg/plant, an improvement of 200%

GOLD
MEDAL
compared to local cili padi. The lifespan of
Semerah plant is eight months to a year.
SEMERAH :
Heating the
market
Dr. Melor
Rejab
ITEX 2009
SILVER
MEDAL
Three superior quality salak clones, ST1,

ST2 and ST3 produce 100% female plants
BRONZE
MEDAL
with fruits superior in terms of yield and
quality. Thus, productivity and farm income
are increased as well as the cost of culling
and replacement of excessive unproductive
male plants is saved. The clones produce
yields ranging from 5.3 - 8.6 tons/ha/year
generating gross income of RM26,500 to
RM43,000/ha/year.
11
Cultivation of starfruit under netted

structure produces fruit-fly free fruits with
less labour requirement and zero pesticide
usage. The introduction of bees under
such structure is crucial to ensure good
pollination and fruit set. Fruit yield is higher
under the netted structure (23 tons/ha/
harvest) compared to that of open planting
(13 tons/ha/harvest), leading to increased
exportable fruits (60-65%). Fruits possess
the right colour, lustre, firmer texture and
better taste. They have the potential to be
exported to countries that ban importation
due to fruit-fly infestation such as Japan
and USA. This technology meets the SALM
GOLD
MEDAL
(Malaysia Accredited Farm System) and
EUREPGAP requirements.
Production
of high
quality
starfruit
under the
netted
structure
Dr.
Zabedah
Mahmood
SIIF 2006
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Manual determination of fruit yield and

quality is mostly destructive, tedious, time
consuming and labour intensive. In order
to overcome this problem, several systems
using imaging techniques have been
successfully developed and tested in
A new imaging system for non-destructive
estimation of papaya yield (PREST)
consisting of a small prime mover attached
with a camera captures the image of the
papaya fruits, stores in digital video recorder
and estimates the yield using computer
software.
12
PRESTPapaya
yield
estimation
and
prediction
system
Dr. Chan
Chee Wan
PREST
Tropical
fruit yield
estimation
and
prediction
system
Dr. Chan
Chee Wan
ITEX 2007
GOLD
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
IENA 2008
SILVER
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
An automated grading system for tropical

fruits system was specially designed for
determining fruit maturity index and size
based on colour and weight respectively,
at a speed of 800 fruits/hour. It consists of
computer vision, weighing and fruit sorting
systems. An image processing algorithm
in the computer vision system captures
the fruit image by a charge-coupled device
(CCD) camera for inspecting the skin colour
to identify the maturity index up to 98%
accuracy. The algorithm can also use the
fruit image to measure the fruit surface area
to predict the weight up to 94% accuracy. The
weighing system uses a strain gauge load
cell to weigh the fruit up to 100% accuracy.
Automated
grading
system for
tropical
fruits
Dr. Teoh
Chin
Chuang
ITEX
2010
GOLD
MEDAL
Malaysia
Innovative
SILVER
Product
MEDAL
Award
The technology for storage of wax apple

was developed to overcome issue of highly
BRONZE
perishable fruits with very short storage
MEDAL
life. It combines proper maturity indices at
harvest, packaging and low temperature
storage. Wax apple cvs Semarang Rose and
Taiwan Crystal can be stored for up to 3
weeks at 10C and 5C respectively, by using
this technique.
Other than wax apple, a technique for

pineapple storage was also developed to
overcome cold temperature damage during
storage. The storage life can be extended
almost two-fold without developing chilling
injury and the fruits can ripen normally after
storage. This technology can be used for all
three commercial varieties, N36, Josapine
and MD2.
Preconditioned
pineapple for
longer storage
and better
quality
Abdullah
Hassan
Brussels
Innova,
Belgium
2008
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
GOLD
Preconditioned
pineapple for
longer storage
and better
quality
Abdullah
Hassan
MTE 2008
Pingat
GOLD
SILVER
MEDAL
Emas
MEDAL
SILVER
Preconditioned
pineapple for
longer storage
and improved
fruit quality
Abdullah
Hassan
MEDAL
MEDAL
and Best
Award
ITEX 2008
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
BRONZE
Minimally processed fruits offer several MEDAL

benefits to the consumer as it is readyto-eat (RTE), reduces preparation time,
provides uniform quality product, requires
less storage space and imposes reduced
air freight cost and quarantine barrier. The
limitation for export of minimally processed
durian is mainly due to the pulps turning
slimy and deteriorating rapidly resulting
in off-flavour and the production of an
astringent odour. An effective handling
management system consisting of short
term freezing techniques and bulk packing
system was developed for transportation of
minimally processed durian.
Storage longetivity of pineapple varieties after

pre-conditioning at 15 oC and 10 oC for 24-hour
duration respectively.
Variety
Storage duration & temperature
N36
8 weeks at 5oC
Josapine
3 weeks at 10oC
5 weeks at 5oC
MD2
6 weeks at 5oC
13
GOLD
MEDAL
The developed handling system can be

used for export markets to Hong Kong and
China as sailing time will take only 6 to 7
days. A quality assurance protocol has been
developed for minimally processed durian
under the ASEAN-Australian Economic
Cooperation Program to ensure safe product
delivery to the consumer.
Frozen
durian
for world
export
Dr.
Noraini
Mohd
Khalid
Brussels
EUREKA
2006
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
Frozen
durian
for world
export
Dr.
Noraini
Mohd
Khalid
ITEX 2006
MEDAL
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
Minimally
processed
durian:
King of fruit
for export
market
Latifah
Mohd Nor
MTE 2008
Ready to
eat fresh
durian
for export
market
Latifah
Mohd Nor
SILVER
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
ITEX 2008
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
The common export technology is mainly

BRONZE
MEDAL
based on single load or one commodity
per container basis, which requires a large
amount of single fruit commodity to be filled
into the container. There is also a need to
deliver fruits in mixed loads of more than
one commodity per container for certain
market segment such as newly captured
or low demand markets, and during low
production season.
The mixed load technology developed by
MARDI involves the selection of compatible
fruits, packinghouse operation, modified
atmosphere packaging, pre-cooling and
transportation by sea. The fruits selected
should be based on tolerance to low
temperature storage, relative humidity,
sensitivity to ethylene and level of
atmospheric condition. Modified atmosphere
packaging should be used for fruits with
high ethylene production to avoid effects of
the gas, as well as to extend storage life.
The mixed loading banana-watermelon is
suitable to be kept at 14 to 15 C, while the
pineapple-starfruit loads tolerated 8 to 10
C. This technique can be used to keep the
fruits for 2, 3 and 4 weeks to cater for the
minimum handling period for export by sea
to Hong Kong, West Asian and European
markets, respectively.
14
GOLD
MEDAL

SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
Modified atmosphere packaging:

The way forward for exporting
Eksotika papaya
Rohani Yon
ITEX 2006
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
Gangsa
Export of minimally
processedjackfruit & pineapple:
Maximisedbenefits& minimize waste
Latifah Mohd
Nor
MTE 2007
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
Export freshcut jackfruit
Latifah Mohd Nor
BIS 2007
GOLD
MEDAL
Handling fresh-cut sugarcane for

export market
Dr. Mohd Salleh

Punan
MTE 2009
BRONZE
GOLD
Pingat
MEDAL
MEDAL
Emas
Handling fresh-cut sugarcane for

export market
Dr. Mohd Salleh

Punan
BIS 2009
SILVER
Pingat
GOLDEmas (Industry Category)
MEDAL
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDALAward: Certificate of
Special
Achievement from President, Taiwan
Invention Association for product
BRONZE
SILVER
Fresh-cut
MEDAL Sugarcane which shows
MEDAL
notable potential to improve the
quality of family life.
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH

MECHANIZATION
Agricultural mechanization plays a vital
role in improving agricultural productivity.
It enables farming operations to be more
efficient, improves the timeliness of
operation, increases cropping intensity and
minimizes hard labour. It also helps in the
conservation of the produce and byproducts
from qualitative and quantitative damages,
enables value addition and establishment of
agro processing enterprises for additional
income from farm produce. MARDI has
developed several tools to assist in
increasing fruit and vegetable productivity.
These include multi-tasking pineapple
machine, transplanter, boom sprayer and
harvester aid, pineapple skin peeler, durian
decorticator, durian destoner, rambutan
decorer and deskinner, mangosteen opener,
mango harvesting tool and tray seeding
machine.
15
The multi-tasking pineapple machine

performs four tasks simultaneously, namely,
soil tilling, mechanical weeding, fertilizer
application and making borders between
rows.
The pineapple transplanter consists of two
sets of planting units with distances of 50
cm, will produce two rows of crops in one
pass operations. The machine sucker bin can
accommodate up to 2000 pineapple suckers.
It can be used in various conditions of land
surface but not suitable on peat soil.
Boom sprayers are used to spray herbicides,
flowering hormones and liquid foliar
fertilizers on large scale pineapple farm.
Boom harvesting aid solves the issue of
handling infield pineapple after harvest.
The pineapple skin peeler can uniformly peel
and cut 300 fruits/hour compared to 30 fruits
per hour manually.
The durian skin decorticator extracts
fibre from durian skin. It is equipped with
changeable sieves of three different mesh
sizes and decorticates skin at a rate of 80 to
90 kg/hour.
Durian destoner is used to separate the flesh
from the seeds hygienically. The tumbling
action ensures that the texture of paste that
is collected is smooth and uniform. One
operator can process up to 30 kg paste per
GOLDto 12
hour using this machine compared
MEDAL
workers required to produce the equivalent
weight of paste.
Durian pulp
destoner
Ahmad
Safuan
Bujang
IENA
2008
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
Durian pulp
destoner
Ahmad
Safuan
Bujang
ITEX
2008
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
16
BRONZE
MEDAL
The mangosteen opener is developed to

help consumers deskin mangosteen neatly
and hygienically resulting in attractive
presentation.
Rambutan decorer and deskinner consist of
decoring component, side slitting concept,
and custom size moulds. The side slitting
concept ensures minimal damage and the
changeable custom-size mould suits the
shape and size of rambutan.
Rambutan
Hasmin
decoring and Hakim
deskinning
Hasbulah
machine
ITEX 2010
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
SILVER
MEDAL
Award
Rambutan
decoring &
deskinning
machine
Hasmin
Hakim
Hasbullah
IENA 2010
Pingat
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
A small and portable tray seeding machine

BRONZE
for rapid seed germination. It can be MEDAL
used
to precisely sow flower and vegetable seeds
at a seeding rate of 15 times faster than the
manual method in a nursery tray.
The mango harvesting tool is used to
facilitate fruit selection and harvest, thus
reducing fruit damage.
17
METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF FRESH

PRODUCT QUALITY
Chemical and non-chemical methodologies
can be applied to detect chemical
compounds both quantitatively and
qualitatively in crops for quality control.
In addition, these methods can be used to
preserve antioxidant contents that act as
functional components of that particular
fruits and vegetables.
Capsaicin is the main capsaicinoid in

capsicum fruits responsible for the hot
and pungent flavour. A rapid and accurate
method has been developed to identify and
quantify the capsaicin levels in Capsicum
species and Capsicum-based products.
Optimization on mass spectrometer
parameters has resulted in high accuracy
and fast detection of both qualitative and
quantitative data.
Light reflectance-based chilli pungency

An accurate method for detection of
auto-analyser prototype measures chilli
antioxidants using HPLC has been
pungency at low levels (5 ppm) within 30
established. The antioxidant activities
seconds.
of each polyphenol component in fruits,
vegetables and salads can be simultaneously
determined without the need for purification
by using column chromatography
components. This method does not
produce a lot of chemical residues and also
reduces the analysis time by 2 days/sample
compared to three months/sample by
conventional methods.
Apart from HPLC analysis, a simple and
more advance technique for analyzing the
antioxidant (phenolic acids) content in
fruits and juices has been developed. The
extraction method using alcohol is followed
by liquid fractionation, and material analysis
is performed using gas chromatography
mass spectrometry (GCMS). This method
involves the use of commercial enzymes
and inoculum. It is suitable for analyzing
the content of phenolic acids found in local
fruits and as such is very important for
the development of beverages with high
antioxidants that are easily absorbed by the
human body.
Lycopene is a natural carotenoid that
has antioxidant properties. This pigment
provides red or crimson colour in fruits
and vegetables. Freeze drying was found to
be the best method compared to oven and
spray drying methods in preserving lycopene
content. Papaya had the highest lycopene
content as compared to watermelon, mango,
pink guava and dragon fruit.
Quality detector prototype determines the

quality of watermelon using Piezoelectric
Transducer Technology (PZT). The prototype
GOLD
MEDAL
was able to increase the efficiency of normal
sugar reading to between 88% and 95%.
Piezoelectric
Transducer (PZT)
sensor for in-field
determination
of watermelon
ripeness
Dr.
Zamri
Ishak
ITEX
2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
Piezoelectric
Transducer (PZT)
sensor for in-field
determination
of watermelon
ripeness
Dr.
Zamri
Ishak
BioInno
2009
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
Emas
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
18

BRONZE
MEDAL
Identify
general food
Group pesticide
Identity
representative
pesticide
Available
residue data
Available Acceptable
Daily Intake (ADI) &
Acute Reference
Dose (ARfD)
Market
basket study
Malaysian
consumption
Collect consumption
data (Balance sheets,
deitary survey/record)
Data
evaluation:
calculate,
establish &
generate risk
factor
Information on food
processing and
edible factor
Testing & Validation
Pesticide Risk
Assessment Tools
The pesticide risk assessment tool provides useful information for health risk evaluation on pesticide residues through dietary
intake. The information may alert the authority to relook into the MRL values set for the high risk compounds to lower the
population risk factor.
19
20
GOLD
MEDAL
STANDARD COMPLIANCE EXPANDS

EXPORT MARKET
Most countries have established Maximum
Residue Limits (MRLs) for their pesticides
to safeguard consumer health and promote
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in the
use of pesticides. MRLs vary from country
to country depending on the pesticides
available, the crops being treated and the
way the pesticides are used. Food exporters
must comply with these MRLs as a condition
for market access.
Eight MRL values of cypermethrin,
deltamethrin, azoxystrobin and lufenuron
in mango, starfruit and papaya have
been generated based on proper usage
of pesticides in accordance to GAP.
The recommendation of the pesticides
azoxystrobin and lufenuron on starfruit,
papaya and wax apple is part of GAP that is
recognized by the government. Codex MRL
established for cypermethrin in starfruit
and papaya is 0.2 mg / kg and 0.5 mg / kg,
respectively.
Rapid chemical
method for
simultaneous
multi-residue
analysis of
pesticides in fruits
and vegetables
Ma Choon
Kwong
MTE 2006
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
GOLD
Pesticide risk
assessment tools
Lim Ah Long
IENA
2011
MEDAL
SILVER
Pingat
MEDAL
Perak
Pesticide risk
assessment tools
Lim Ah Hong
ITEX 2011
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
and
Innovative
Product
SILVER
MEDAL
Award
Pesticide risk
assessment tools
Lim Ah Hong
MTE 2011
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
e-MRL, a user friendly database system

provides information on pesticides for multicountry and multi-functional purposes to
prevent MRL violations and promote GAP
for use of pesticides and safer food for
consumers.
21
22
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
LIVESTOCK AND FEED

PRODUCTION SUSTAINABILITY
23
LIVESTOCK
AND FEED
PRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY
24
Malaysia is self-sufficient in poultry and

swine products but relies heavily on
imported beef, lamb and dairy needs.
Commercial livestock production is a
challenge, particularly for local ruminants
due to Malaysias environmental conditions
with high temperature and humidity, as well
as the inconsistent supply of quality feeds.
Research is needed to support the
development of local livestock industry,
especially the ruminant sub-sector, to
increase local meat and dairy production
as well as reducing the dependency
on importation of beef, milk and feed
ingredients. Livestock research in MARDI
aims to improve animal feed, genetic
materials and production systems. Focus is
most given to animal feed research where
the twin thrusts of animal feed research at
MARDI are the utilization and improvement
of locally available resources as well as
the development of innovative feeds for
livestock.
INNOVATIVE FEEDS REDUCE IMPORT BILLS
In an effort to reduce the high dependency
on imported feeds, one of MARDIs core
research thrusts to enhance the livestock
industry is to develop innovative feeds from
the oil-palm industry by-products. Potential
technologies and products developed as
substitutes for imported feeds are the use
of the enzyme consortium PKzyme to digest
palm kernel expeller (PKE) for broiler
consumption, broiler poultry feed based on
fermented palm kernel extract (FPKE) and
fPOME Plus, a high protein product derived
from yeast-fermented palm oil mill effluent
(POME).
PKzyme is an enzyme consortium used
to digest PKE fibres for poultry feed and
improves nutrient digestibility of PKE-based
feed. It has high mannanase and several
other enzymes such as mannosidase,
cellulase, xylanase, galactanase and traces

of proteases. Feed efficiency improved by
5% while final body weight of the birds was
enhanced by 10%. It also enhanced PKE
utilization at higher inclusion levels and
enabled partial replacement of imported
corn and soybean meal in poultry feed.
Another technology developed to utilize oilpalm by-product involves solid substrate
fermentation of PKE using a fungal strain.
The product known as fermented palm
kernel cake expeller (fPKE) has higher
true metabolizable energy (TME) and
upgrades the nutritive values of the feed.
The utilization of fPKE can help to stabilize
the prices of poultry feed and of meat by
partially substituting the expensive imported
feedstuffs with locally available and newly
improved feed stuffs. Broiler chickens
with 30% fPKEin the diet have similar
growth performance, carcass quality and
composition with chickens fed standard
corn-soybean meal diet. The chickens were
better able to withstand heat stress and have
zero mortality compared to 5% mortality
of chickens fed the standard corn-soybean
meal diet. Abdominal fat of chickens fed on
the fPKE diet was lower (4.2%) than that of
commercial broiler carcasses (6.2%).
The utilization of waste water such as palm
oil mill effluent (POME) to produce high
quality protein product will not only benefit
the palm oil industry but would also reduce
environmental pollution. fPOME Plus, a
high protein POME is a product of POME via
submerged fermentation. fPOME Plus has
high crude protein (60%) and amino acid
(55%) making it a suitable protein substitute
for fish meal or amino acid additives
in animal feed. Supplementation with
fPOMEPlus improves the digestibility of most
essential amino acids in broiler chicken
thus, reducing the overall feed cost.
25
Apart from oil-palm by-products, rice straw

can also be utilized as animal feed in the
form of chopped straws, silage and pellets
with or without chemical treatments. About
30-50% of rice straw can be mixed with other
feed ingredients to form a complete diet or
as a main ingredient in a total mixed ration
(TMR). A mixture of untreated rice straw,
molasses, urea and minerals formed into
pellets can be utilized as a practical and GOLD
MEDAL
cost-effective feed for ruminants in Malaysia
Improved
solid-substrate
fermented palm
kernel expeller
(PKE) for
poultry
Noraini
Samat
MTE
2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
PKC cocktail
Enhancing
performance
of palm kernel
cake based
broiler diet
Noraini
Samat
BioInno
2010
Pingat
BRONZE
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
MEDAL
High amino acid

palm oil mill
effluent (POME)
Jameah
Hamed
High amino acid

palm oil mill
effluent (POME)
Jameah
Hamed
ITEX
2011
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
PKC cocktail
- Enhancing
performance
of palm kernel
cake based
broiler diet
Noraini
Samat
ITEX
2011
MEDAL
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
PKMOS - A
Potential
antibiotic
replacer in
poultry diets
Noraini
Samat
GOLD
MEDAL
BioInno
2010
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
BRONZE
MEDAL
and
Innovative
Product
BRONZE
MEDAL
Award
Biolnno
2011
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Ensiling is a simple and low-cost option to

convert by-products and forage into silages.
It can preserve feeds that are seasonally
abundant for later feeding during periods
of shortage. Silage prepared from whole
paddy crop (WPCS) contains 8.6% crude
protein, 30.4% crude fibre and 2.3% fat.
Diets containing 30% WPCS are optimum for
cattle feed formulation where the average
daily gain is 1.1 kg/day. Ensiling by-products
from industrial processing of citronella
treated with the microbial inoculant,
GENKiMO-Fauna, were found to yield higher
gross energy (4.6 MCal/kg) compared
to that of fresh citronella (4.3 Mcal/kg).
The produced silage is also aromatic and
possesses a pleasant attractive colour.
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
26
Kedah-Kelantan crossbred cattle fed for 4 months with 30%

citronella silage and oil palm frond-based pellets yielded an
average daily gain of 0.8 kg which was 12.4% higher than that
attained by cattle fed with only oil palm frond-based pellets.
MARDI developed two ensiling technologies

to suit industry needs. Siloseal utilizes a fluid
sealant technique and reduces the incidence
of spoiled silage during ensiling and feeding.
Water is used as a sealant to preserve
the anaerobic condition needed for the
fermentation process to produce high quality
silage. Siloseal is capable of producing 2 to
20 tons of silage. This technology can benefit
large scale commercial livestock production.
Silo seal was designed to be user-friendly
and cost-effective.
Another ensiling technology, OTOSILTM is the
first combined silage machine developed
in Malaysia to accelerate silage production
from crop residues such as oil palm
frond (OPF) and corn stover. The machine
automatically produces OPF chips of 1 to
2 cm long considered to be most suitable
for efficient fermentation and animal
intake, compacts the OPF chips and sprays
inoculants into a PVC drum. Finally the lid is
installed on top of the PVC drum to complete
the process. The OPF chips are ensiled for
3 to 4 weeks before feeding to ruminants.
OTOSILTM produces quality silage as indicated
by the reduction in pH value 3.9 compared
to 4.5 for manual method. It is transportable
and convenient for livestock entrepreneurs,
and also suitable for small and medium
scale silage producers.
Improvement of silage production using

OTOSILTM Over Manual
Criteria
Percentage
Production rate (kg/hour)
63
Feed quality (pH at 30 days)
12
Production cost (RM/ton)
27
SIIF 2006
GOLD
MEDAL
Processing
of complete
feeds based
on oil-palm
fronds (OPF)
for ruminants
Dr. Wan Zahari

Mohamed
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
GOLD
OTOSILA cost efficient

machine for
OPF-silage
production
Ghazali Hussin
ITEX 2006
BRONZE
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
MEDAL
OTOSIL
A cost efficient
machine for
OPF-silage
production
Ghazali Hussin
GENEVA
2007
Pingat
GOLD
SILVER
Perak
BRONZE
MEDAL
OTOSIL
A cost
effective
machine for
OPF-silage
production
Ghazali Hussin
MEDAL
AIN 2009
MEDAL
SILVER
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
Trophy
and
RM15,000
BRONZE
MEDAL
27
Bacterial
inoculants for
quality silage
production from
crop residues
Dr.
Ramli
Mohd
Noor
BIO
MALAYSIA
2008
Pingat
GOLD
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
MEDAL
Bacterial
inoculants for
quality silage
production from
crop residues
Dr.
Ramli
Mohd
Noor
SIIF 2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
MEDAL
Other than utilizing agriculture by-products,

BRONZE
MEDAL
MARDIs animal feed research includesBRONZE
MEDAL
sourcing for quality feed. A study analysing
planting techniques, fertilizer applications,
harvesting and management of 10 Napier
grass species namely Kobe, Taiwan Dwarf,
King, Australian Dwarf, Uganda, Taiwan,
Indian, White, 3rd Generation and Red were
studied. Near Infra Red (NIR) analyses at
30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120 days performed
on the ten species revealed Taiwan Napier
had the highest dry matter yield and total
digestible nutrient at 82.67 and 45.4 tonnes,
respectively, indicating its potential as
quality animal feed for ruminants.
Quality feed must contain protein which
is an important nutrition for all animals
including fish. One of the potential protein
sources for aqua feed is the local cricket.
The protein contents of three species of
local crickets are 69.13%, (Gryllus spp.),
69.02% (Teleogryllus occipitalis) and 65.89%
(Achetadomesticus). The Gryllus spp.
collected from the wild required a long
time for domestication whilst T. occipitalis
28
were more suitable for mass rearing. The

T. occipitalis have better growth rate (0.616
g) and population rate (67.3%) compared to
those of A. domesticus (0.037 g and 51.6%),
respectively. A simple fish meal is prepared
by harvesting the crickets between 40 and
50 days after hatching and freezing priorGOLD
to
MEDAL
drying at 50oC for 8 hours or sundried for a
GOLD
day.
MEDAL
Molife A
high quality
liquid
supplement
to increase
ruminant
production in
Malaysia
Dr. Wan
Zahari
Mohamed
MTE 2007
New cost
effective
feed for red
tilapia
Dr. Wan
Zahari
Mohamed
MTE 2007
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Amino acids are the building blocks of

protein. It is important to know the amino
acid composition of animal feed. Thus, a
rapid, versatile and sensitive ion exchange
liquid chromatography technique with a
direct one-step acid hydrolysing procedure
was developed by MARDI. The advantages
of the new technique are the direct one step
procedure, better reproducibility of peak
area and retention time, better separation
between each amino acid as well as high
sample throughput which makes it better
and accurate technique than those available
in the market.
ENHANCING LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

A higher standard of living in Malaysia has
raised the demand for quality meat. MARDI
has looked into Wagyu-Angus crossbred
cattle reared under an intensive system
(feedlot or enclosed house).This crossbred
cattle fed with local feed ingredients for 360
days produced high grade (USDA-low choice)
beef. The growth performance of 12-month
cattle fed with local or imported feed
showed an average growth exceeding 0.60
kg/day during a study period of 420 days.
The complete cost for local-based feed and
imported feed were RM1.07/kg and RM1.31/
kg, respectively.
to lice and parasites. They are also suitable

for meat production under both the intensive
and semi-intensive production systems. The
average pregnancy and twinning rate in a
scheduled breeding system were 82.5% and
57.3%, respectively. The average percentage
for twin births is lower for first kidding and
increases with subsequent births.
Feedlot beef fattening is an important

industry in Malaysia providing high grade
beef for the local market. A spreadsheetbased decision support system (DSS)
software known as Beef Production Model@
MARDI was developed to improve feedlot
beef cattle production. It incorporates feed
formulation components, daily weight gain
prediction and anticipated profit which
would help the feedlot operator in making
GOLD
MEDAL
useful economic decisions. The DSS was
developed for feedlot entrepreneurs, animal
nutritionists and extension agents and as
a teaching tool. It is anticipated that the
SILVER
developed model would assist in the growth
MEDAL
and development of the beef industry in
Malaysia.
Beef
Production
Model @
MARDI
Dr.
Shanmmugavelu
Sithambaram
MTE
2011
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
The countrys self-sufficiency level (SSL)

of small ruminant is still at a very low
10% level. To increase this level pure
and crossbred Boer goats reared under
local conditions have great potential for
commercial production. Boer goats have
good growth rate and produce more meat
at slaughter. The male mature weight can
reach 90 kg while that of the female, 65 kg.
The goats are highly adaptable to local hot
and humid environment and very resistant
29
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
Dorper sheep imported by MARDI in 2009

reared under a semi-intensive production
system can help increase self-sufficiency
level of mutton. This system can be adopted
in open pasture areas as well as integrated
within permanent crop farms. Dorper sheep
has high body weight gain of 200-280 g/day.
The weight of mature males ranges between
65 and 90 kg while that of the female is
between 45 and 65 kg. The ewes are capable
of achieving 64% twin rates and weaning
rates of 60%.The pregnancy, lambing and
pre-weaning growth rate is 92.1%, 130% and
190 to 210 g/day, respectively, compared to
those of local sheep at 70%, 70% and 50 to
70 g/day.
Efficient laboratory technique is important
to assist in good research. Larvisst is a kit
for helminth larvae isolation comprising a
top compartment for faeces samples and
larvae collection bottle at the bottom.This
kit separates larvae from the faeces without
any chemicals or centrifugation compared
to other conventional systems. It is userfriendly and cost-effective for anthelminthic
studies.
LARVISST:
A novel
helminth
larvae
isolation
system
Mohd Saufi
Bastami
LARVISST:
A novel
helminth
larvae
isolation
system
Mohd Saufi
Bastami
MTE
2011
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
SILVER
MEDAL
MEDAL
ITEX
2011
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Innovative
Product
Award
and Best
Invention
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
Award
ECONOMICS OF LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

The livestock sector contributes about 22%
of the agricultural Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). Studies in livestock economics are
important to identify the situation and
outlook of enhancing the sustainability of the
livestock industry. The macro outlook in the
non-ruminant livestock industry indicated
that 45% of the poultry industry in Malaysia
also serves the export market is dominated
by 10 big companies. The swine subsector
on the other hand, despite being the third
largest livestock industry in the country, was
only capable of supplying local needs due to
its highly fragmented distribution.
The production cost of broilers in a closed
farming system was found to be 2% lower
than that of the open system. Larger scale
layer chicken and broiler duck production
will be more profitable due to the economics
of scale. The productivity (total output/total
input) for feedlot cattle and broilers are
1:41 and 1:06, respectively. The cost and net
profit of the goats, broiler, layer and swine
subsectors in Malaysia is shown in the table
below.
30
The cost and net profit of selected livestock production in

Malaysia
Livestock
Types
Production
System/Scale
Production
Cost (RM)
Net Profit
(RM)
Boer goat
Intensive
11.50/kg live
weight
2.50/kg live
weight
Broiler
chicken
Open
4.00/kg live
weight
0.20/kg live
weight
Broiler
chicken
Closed
3.92/kg live
weight
0.24/kg live
weight
Eggs
Closed
0.24 each
0.01 each
Broiler duck
<20,000/cycle
20.00/bird
4.00/bird
Broiler duck
>20,000/cycle
18.00/bird
5.00/bird
Swine
NA
6.10 /kg live

weight
0.9/kg live
weight
Beef cattle producers demand technologies on animal

feed and nutrition, livestock management and housing
system, as well as value added processes. Enhancing
research and development in these fields would
contribute to improve the viability and feasibility of beef
cattle farming. Other factors such as farm size (cattle
population), production system and farmers skills and
experiences were the major factors influencing demand
of technology. Strengthening the extension services
could be an effective way to encourage technology
adoption.
31
32
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
REAPING BENEFITS FROM

INDUSTRIAL CROPS
33
REAPING
BENEFITS
FROM
INDUSTRIAL
CROPS
Sweet potato, kenaf, sweet corn,
coconut, stevia and groundnut
have been identified as potential
industrial crops. Currently,
some of these crops serve
the fresh market, while some
have greater potential for
downstream processing
of value-added products.
The scope of research on
industrial crops involves
disciplines such as
breeding and selection of
new improved varieties,
agronomic practices,
pest management,
field mechanization,
bioprocessing and
product development.
34
COMBATING BETA-CAROTENE DEFICIENCY

WITH VITATO
VitAto is derived from the words vitamin
A and sweet potato. VitAto has high betacarotene (over 2,000 g /100 g tubers), an
antioxidant which is a source of vitamin A.
It also has attractive tuber shape and is
much higher yielding. The fresh tuber yields
(24-41 tons/ha) exceed those of Gendut, a
MARDI table variety, and Kuala Bikam 2, the
current orange-fleshed farmer variety. VitAto
is adaptable to various soil types, especially
bris soil. This new variety was launched by
the Minister of Agriculture & Agro-based
Industry on 12 June 2007 at Telong MARDI
Station, Kelantan.
The quality of VitAto tubers is very important
in commercial production. The main factors
contributing to the quality of tubers are
the physical appearance, tuber size and
nutritional qualities. These factors are
directly influenced by the maturity of tubers
at harvest. Delay in harvesting will result in
lower tuber quality due to weevil infestation.
The improvement in tuber quality will help
farmers in getting the maximum marketable
tubers and thus an increase in income.
The crop maturity also influences the yield
and beta-carotene content of VitAto. The
yield of VitAto on bris soils ranged from 2631 tons/ha when harvested at 14-16 weeks
after planting. The dry matter content was
highest at 14 weeks (29%).
Other than fresh consumption, the high
beta-carotene VitAto is incorporated in
various food products to add value and
diversify health products for consumers.
Processing technologies have been
established for VitAto-based products
including frozen puree, flour, premixes
for traditional confectioneries, frozen food
products, sauce and crisps. A collaborative
project between MARDI and Nestle R&D
Singapore for converting VitAto tubers into
powder with minimal loss of beta-carotene
has been established.
Reaping Benefits From Industrial Crops
Cultivation of VitAto on sandy soil requires

a lot of fertilizer such as chicken manure.
Fertilizer application in large scale
cultivation on sandy soil needs special
machine. Hence, an in-row chicken manure
spreader has been developed with working
rate at 5 tons/hour or 0.2 ha/hour. BothGOLD
dried
MEDAL
(processed) and wet (unprocessed) chicken
manure can be applied using this machine.
VitAto An
Dr. Tan
orange sweet Swee Lian
potato variety
for food and
health
MTE
2008
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
VitAto An Dr. Tan

orange sweet Swee Lian
potato variety
for food and
health
BIS 2009
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
(Industry
Category)
SILVER
MEDAL
PlatinumMedal
(special award)
for Innovation
of the Year
-Consumer
category
BRONZE
MEDAL
Special
Award:
Certificate of
Achievement
from President,
Taiwan
Invention
Association
for product
VitAto Sweet
potato, which
GOLD
showsGOLD
notable
MEDAL
MEDAL
potential
to
improve the
quality of family
life.
Healthy
crisps
from VitAto
industry
Dr. Aida
Hamimi
Ibrahim
ITEX
2011
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
Healthy
crisps
from VitAto
industry
Dr. Aida
Hamimi
Ibrahim
MTE
2011
Pingat
Gangsa
BRONZE
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
MEDAL
KENAF, ALTERNATIVE FIBRE CROP

Kenaf has strong potential for commercial
production. It can be used for high quality
fibre, medium density board, plaster ceiling,
pulp and paper, as well as for biocomposite
materials.
Monocrop planting of kenaf in ex-tobacco
fields suffered serious nematode infestations
at 54.5%. An effective control of nematode
by using selected rotational crops namely
groundnut, corn, soybean and sweet potato
has been developed. The kenaf-groundnut
and kenaf-corn rotations recorded the least
nematode infestation of 8.5% and 12.4%
respectively. It achieved the acceptable level
for plant population infested by nematode,
which is below 20% for crop security yield.
The manual harvesting of kenaf is slow,
tedious and requires high labour. A small
pedestrian type harvester has been
developed to facilitate harvesting work in
the field. It is easier to operate with higher
efficiency of 6 hours/ha.
An integrated kenaf in field decorticating
harvester was also developed with the
collaboration of Malaysian Kenaf and
Tobacco Board and SCS Industries Sdn Bhd.
This machine was modified from the existing
reconditioned combine rice harvester. It
is the first prototype in the world that can
perform harvesting, decorticating and baling
operations simultaneously. The innovation
of the harvesting component is the unique
design which prevents jamming caused
by the kenaf stalks. The outputs from the
combine harvester are the separated long
bast fibres and cores which can be utilized
directly to serve the multipurpose needs
of the kenaf industries without the hassle
of stalk decorticating process. Integrated
kenaf harvester can improve the production
capacity of kenaf stalk at 2.5 hours/ha.
The technology of utilizing kenaf for plastic
composites was initiated since high end
products are more profitable compared to
35
sale of fibre. Whole kenaf plants can be

utilized for the production of kenaf polymer
composite (KPC). Kenaf fibre mixed with
plastic resin such as polyethylene (PE),
polypropylene (PP) or polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) and other materials produced high
quality KPC. KPC from kenaf are lighter,
water and termite resistant and has good
mechanical properties.
Integrated
kenaf
harvesting
machine
Abu
Hassan
Daud
Pedestrian
crop harvester
Abu
Hassan
Daud
Brussels
Innova,
Belgium
2009
ITEX
2009
GOLD
Pingat
MEDAL
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
and
Special
Award
SILVER
Association
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
of Polish
Inventors
and
GOLD
Rationalizers
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
Pingat
MEDAL
Gangsa
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
and
MEDAL
Inovative
Product
Award
Integrated
kenaf
harvesting
machine
Abu
Hassan
Daud
ITEX
2009
Kenaf seed
thresher
Ten Seng
Teik
GENEVA
2007
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
SILVER
MEDAL
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
HIBRIMAS FRESH OR CANNED?

A collaboration between MARDI with
Tropical Fruit Network (TFNet) and Green
World Genetics in 2008 produced a new
tropical sweet corn hybrid named Hibrimas.
Hibrimas is suitable to be planted in areas
with temperatures between 20oC and 35oC.
It can also be adopted under high density
cultivation with planting distance of 25
cm x 30 cm (50,000 plants/ha). Hibrimas
36
has special characteristics such as early

maturity (65-68 days after sowing), resistant
to leaf blight disease, high yielding
(>400 g/husk cob, >250 g/dehusk cob) and
15oBrix sweetness. Hibrimas has also high
carotenoid (lutein and zeaxanthin).
Hibrimas can be used for fresh consumption
and canning. The fruit kernel of Hibrimas
is firm and not easily crushed which makes
it suitable for cup corn. Thus the kernel
maintains excellent quality when steamed
(15-20 minutes) in which it remains the
same golden colour and has a soft texture
and sweeter taste. Young cobs (baby corn)
can be used as a vegetable and the stalks
can also be used for ensilage for cattle feed
or for composting.
REVITALIZING COCONUT INDUSTRY
Coconut research is entering a new era.
Focus has been put on developing value
added products from coconut. DermacoTM
M7 is an innovative product developed
from virgin coconut oil using enzymatic
processing technology. The technology
enhanced vitamin E content in virgin
coconut oil and this product known as
enhanced virgin coconut oil (EVCO). EVCO
contains effective amounts of components

with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial
activities towards selected pathogenic
microorganisms. The product kills bacteria
and fungus simultaneously, does not contain
steroids and is generally recognized as safe
(GRAS).
The enhanced virgin coconut oil (EVCO)
has now been granted a Malaysia Patent
MY-140578-A on 31 December 2009. In
addition, MARDI with its partner, Biotropics
Malaysia Berhad, have initiated filing
under PCT invention (Application No PCT MY
2006/000028) in several countries including
United States of America, the United
Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan,
India, Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.
Collaboration between MARDI and Wawasan
Tebrau Sdn. Bhd. up-scaled the production
of EVCO by establishing a pilot plant.
This plant has been certified with Good
Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd.,
an International Accredited Body. The plant
has capacity to process 500 kg of desiccated
coconut per batch to produce 200 litres of VCO
and further enhanced to produce 100 litres
EVCO.
37
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Coconut by product is also suitable for

animal feed. Bioprocessing of coconut testa
by a solid state process using food grade
fungi improved its total phenolic content and
tripled the antioxidant activity for animal
feed.
An in-field coconut husk decorticating
machine was designed to overcome the
problems of high transportation cost
and dust pollution in factory during the
processing of coconut husk. The machine
is able to loosen and separate coco peat
and coir fibre from coconut husk in wet and
dry conditions. Powered by a 10 hp diesel
engine, it can process 500 kg/hour of husks
which has 15-20% moisture content. This
machine can be operated continuously with
low maintenance.
Modified
coconut oil with
pharmaceutical
value
Dr. Kamariah
Long
GENEVA
2006
Mobile coco peat

and coir fibre
extractor
Dr. Md. Akhir

Hamid
ITEX 2011
BRONZE
Pingat
MEDAL
Gangsa
GOLD
GOLD
MEDAL
Pingat
MEDAL
Emas
and
Anugerah
Produk
SILVER
SILVER
Inovatif
MEDAL
MEDAL
Mobile coconut
husk extractor
machine
Dr. Md. Akhir

Hamid
MTE 2011
Mobile coco peat

and coir fibre
extractor
Dr. Md Akhir
Hamid
IENA
2011
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
BRONZE
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
Gangsa
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
38
Stevia is becoming more and more popular

as a sugar replacer. The material can be
used as alternative to the normal ingredient
in the production of confectioneries such
as tart filling, flavoured jelly and milk
chocolate. The short day length in Malaysia
which is less than 12 hours, causes early
flowering. Thus, reducing vegetative growth
and low yield of stevia.
SWEET
BUT IS
NOT
SUGAR
Stevia yield has been enhanced by using

fluorescent warm white bulb at night
to extend day length. This technology
successfully delayed flowering induction
GOLD
MEDAL
from 18 to 47 days and increased stevia
yield from 3 to 12 g (dry weight) per plant
per harvest. The optimum fertilizer rate
has been determined for stevia planted on
alluvial soil, which gave an accumulative
SILVER
MEDAL
yield of 10 tons/ha after eight times
harvesting.
Rapid and
improved
method for
sweetness
assessment
of Stevia
rebaudiana
Mohd Lip
Jabit
MTE
2009
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
39
MARGENTA- BRIGHT COLOUR WITH BRIGHT

FUTURE
Restructuring of the tobacco industry
has resulted in more than 15,000 tobacco
farmers being displaced from planting
the crop. Therefore, there is a need to
find alternative crops to replace tobacco
especially on bris sandy soil. One of the
crops identified is groundnut.
A new groundnut variety, Margenta, was
released on 18 August 2009. It was named
after MARDI and magenta, the colour of
the seed coat. It meets the grain quality
demanded by the market, including having
uniform seed pods (80% double seeded)
40
and bigger seeds. The recommended

planting distance is 10 cm x 50 cm which
give planting density of 200,000 plants/ha.
Margenta has higher dry yield (3.5 tons/ha)
compared to the local variety, Sawo Merah
(2.9 tons/ha). Recommended fertilizer rate
is 70:100:100 (N:P:K) with an addition of
10 tons/ha of poultry manure. Harvesting
is best carried out at 105-115 days after
planting. A net return up to RM1,750/ha can
be achieved at yield of 3.0 tons/ha and farm
gate price of RM2.50/kg. Margenta is also
suitable as an ingredient in the production of
Malaysian snacks such as bepang, rempeyek
and coated peanut snack. It can also be
produced as dried-boiled groundnut.
41
42
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
VALUE ADDING
MEANS BUSINESS
43
VALUE ADDING
MEANS BUSINESS
44
The food industry in Malaysia has undergone

massive transformation over the past two
decades. Modern innovations and increased
disposable income, the lifestyle and food
habits of the population have changed over
the years with the onset of new technologies.
They are better informed about nutrition and
are more aware of the environmental and
societal impacts. There is now more demand
for better quality, safe, functional, convenient
and ready-to-eat foods that conform to local
and international regulations such as Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard
Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). The
food processing sector in Malaysia has a
trade net deficit estimated at RM13 billion. It
will be expanded and diversified in the Third
Industrial Master Plan (IMP3) period (20062020), towards making Malaysia a regional
food production and distribution hub with
particular emphasis on Halal foods.
FOOD MECHANIZATION - FULFILLING
DEMANDS
Manual processing methods in small and
medium enterprises of traditional foods are
burdened with the shortage of skilled labour,
inconsistent quality and low production
capacity. In order to ascertain sustainability
and competitiveness in domestic and
global markets, technologies developed
need to integrate product and process
designs to fulfil demands for higher product
quality, timeliness, safety, reliability, ease
of operation and low production costs.
Mechanization and automation would also
greatly enhance product quality and hygiene
as well as contribute towards diversifying
the product range. There is dire need to
incorporate some form of mechanization into
the process and at the same time to retain
the original flavour, shape and texture of the
product.
Various products developed by MARDI

through mechanisation for improved outputs
include the following:
The continuous fryer for stackable crackers
and chips is capable of frying up to 1200
pieces of crisps per hour and operated by a
single worker. Regular shaped products are
obtained by clamping the crisps between
two metallic perforated plates during frying.
The plates are moved by a pair of stainless
steel roller chain conveyor system which is
powered by a variable speed single phase
motor. An electric 6.0 kW heater is used to
heat the oil at the frying section where the
heater is thermostatically controlled to a
desired temperature. The products from
the fryer are of consistent quality, easily
arranged, and packed in canisters. ThisGOLD
MEDAL
machine is capable of reducing packaging
materials up to 50%.
Continuous
fryer for
stackable
crackers and
chips
Zainun
Mohd
Shafie
ITEX
2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
The automated control process in the BRONZE

MEDAL
production of kuih ros consists of continuous
product shaping, frying and draining.
It increases production capacity and
consistently maintains product quality. The
system uses 24 moulds that are capable of
producing 1,200 kuih ros per hour.
The flexi snack forming machine is
developed to mechanize the process to form
karas, muruku, putu mayam and roti jala.
The forming process of these traditional
snacks involves similar pattern of movement
but differs in cooking formulation, process
and time. Changeable attachments allow
for expandable number of stations with
minimum cost. By using the same central
rotating axis, flexible configurations can be
obtained. The capacity is twice faster than
that of traditional methods.
45
GOLD
MEDAL
Flexi snack
forming
machine
Hasmin
Hakim
Hasbullah
ITEX 2009
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
Perak
and
Innovative
Product
BRONZE
Award
Mechanized
production
of quality
murtabak
Zolkafli
Aris
ITEX
2010
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
SILVER
Award
MEDAL
MEDAL
The rempeyek processing system comprises

several processing operations such as
filling, forming, frying and oil removing. The
production capacity of the systems is 2.5
kilograms (670 pieces) per hour, which is
GOLD
MEDAL
three to four times faster compared to that
of the conventional method. It also reduces
the overall production cost due to accurate
quantities of material used and less workers
employed. The product quality is superior
in
SILVER
MEDAL
colour and texture, uniform in shape and is
less oily.
Mechanical
system for
production of
traditional snack
(rempeyek or
peanut cracker)
Samsudin
Ahmad
GENEVA
2006
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
The production system for murtabak consists

of an automatic aluminium tray depositor,
automatic filling, manual wrapping of the
murtabak skin and heating chambers. The
depositor measuring 145 x 85 x 20 mm and
100 g in weight is able to produce consistent
volumes of filling. The baking system
comprises a single endless conveyor with
a guide rail to facilitate tray movement
through four heating chambers. The speed
of the conveyor can be adjusted to get the
required heating time of each chamber. The
maximum baking temperature is 250oC in
12 minutes. The production capacity of the
system is 300 pieces of murtabak per hour
with two operators. This system produces
consistent and hygienic products.
46
GOLD
Pingat
MEDAL
Emas
The retractable spring loaded mould has

been developed for forming kuih cincin,
kuih jenderam, hard cookies and similar
BRONZE
MEDAL
products that require stamping on sheeted
dough. It is made of brass and stainless
steel with production capacity three times
more than that of traditional methods. The
mould consists of an outer ring and an inner
retractable die that punches six holes thus
forming the products. It is robust, consistent
and produces quality products with well
defined shapes. Its quick release feature
does not require skilled labour and also
suitable to small operators. This technology
made the production of its products fourfold
and requires less effort compared to those
produced by traditional methods.
A retractable
spring loaded
mould for
forming
Malaysian
traditional
snacks
Mohd Zainal
Ismail
IENA
2008
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
A retractable
spring loaded
mould for
forming
traditional
snacks
Mohd Zainal
Ismail
ITEX
2008
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
A versatile machine for juice extraction

and seed separation is for juice extraction
(citrus and dokong) as well as skin removal
and destoning (rambutan and salak). It
comprises a hopper with vibration feeder,
BRONZE
MEDAL
two-tier roller made of teflon and food grade
vulcanized rubber. In the first tier, tri-lobe
teflon breaks the fruit structure. Rubberized
corrugated rollers in the second tier extract
the juice and separate the seed. Due to the
roller configurations, cushion crushing and
squeezing actions, the seeds are not crushed
during processing and consequently prevent
juice bitter taste, especially for citrus, which

have bitter skin and seeds. The roller gaps
and speeds are adjustable, thus allowing
more flexibility in their use for multiple
fruits. The machine can process up to 260 kg
of fruits per hour by one operator.
Versatile
machine
for juice
extraction
and seed
separation
Masniza
Sairi
IENA
2009
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
kitchen while regeneration and reheating

can be carried out at the outlets. Malaysian
meals can be prepared in a modern setup
that is clean, safe, and cost effective as well
as maintaining their traditional taste. This
concept can be extended so that ready-toeat or ready-to-cook meals may be retailed
at supermarkets or be supplied in bulk to
restaurants, mass catering establishments
and franchise outlets.
Self-serve
grilling
machine for
food service
outlets
Mohd
Zainal
Ismail
Self-serve
grilling
machine for
food service
outlet
Mohd
Zainal
Ismail
ITEX
2006
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
and
Innovative
Product
SILVER
MEDAL
Award
Brussels
EUREKA
2006
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
MINIMALLY PROCESSED PRODUCTS

SILVER
EXPLORING NEW EXPORT MARKETSMEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
Minimally processed fruits offer several

benefits to consumers as they are readyto-eat, reduce preparation time, provide
BRONZE
uniform quality products, require lessMEDAL
storage space as well as reduce air freight
costs and quarantine barriers.
The uniqueness of durian lies in its smooth

and creamy yellow or white pulp with a
strong flavour and odour. Marketing the
fruit pulp in a minimally processed form is
becoming a popular trend for producers. The
constraint for export of minimally processed
BRONZE
MEDAL
The Nutrima Kitchen is a cook-chill central
durian is its pulp turning slimy and rapidly
kitchen equipped with medium scale statebeing off-flavour as well as being astringent.
of-the-art equipment and technology for the Minimally processed durian is prohibited
preparation of high quality and safe foods.
from transportation by air shipment and its
The design of the central kitchen conforms
high cost limits a wider market for the fruit.
to GMP and HACCP requirements to ensure
only safe food is served. The whole concept
An effective handling management system
of the Nutrima Kitchen is to provide a
for transportation of minimally processed
food service system based on blast chilling
durian by sea shipment has been developed.
followed by storage at low temperature (0A short term freezing technique reduces
3C). Simple, complete ready-to-eat cuisines the microbial counts and the quality can
with long shelf life are prepared in this
be maintained for three weeks at 2oC. The
Versatile
machine
for juice
extraction
and seed
separation
Masniza
Sairi
ITEX 2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
47
Fresh-cut pineapple is one of the popular

fruits served locally. Treatments with sodium
chloride, calcium chloride and ascorbic
use of an effective bulk packaging system
maintains the quality and controls the aroma acid improve the taste, flesh firmness
and overcome browning problems of cut
during storage and market distribution.
pineapple. Rigid polypropylene containers
The developed handling system is used for
are used for the modified atmosphere
the export of minimally processed durian
packing. An oxygen absorber can also be
to Hong Kong and China as travelling time
used for quality enhancement of the stored
takes only 6 to 7 days.
product. Fresh-cut pineapple can be stored
for 2 weeks at 2C, 1 week at 10C and 2
days at 25C. The technology is currently
commercialized in local markets.
The technology on fresh-cut vegetables
developed in retail and bulk packaging
systems is aimed for different markets.
Fresh-cut vegetables in retail packaging are
for shops, fresh/wet markets, convenience
stores, food marts, and supermarkets.
Fresh-cut vegetables in bulk packaging
are for food services/catering centers,
Minimally processed jackfruit is becoming

popular with the original taste, aroma,
texture and color retained. Use of rigid
polypropylene container and heat sealed
packing system as a modified atmosphere
packing provides a storage life of 3
weeks at 2oC. The technology has been
commercialized where minimally processed
jackfruit is exported to Europe, Dubai and
Singapore. Minimally processed jackfruit is
also distributed in local hypermarkets.
48
restaurants, hotels, food processing

industries, exporters, importers and
packers. Chili, cabbage, chinese mustard,
long bean and lettuce in fresh-cut forms
can be stored 2-3 weeks in polypropylene
(PP) and 4 weeks in low density polyethylene
(LDPE 0.04 mm) at 2oC. Fresh cut cucumber,
cauliflower and broccoli in PP retail
packaging has a storage life of 2 weeks at
2oC while peeled onion and garlic can be
stored for 8 weeks at 2oC in LDPE 0.04 mm.

Grey oyster mushroom can be stored for 3
weeks in LDPE 0.04 mm at 2oC compared to
less than 11 days in commercial practice.
The technology for frozen cut vegetables
is developed to prolong the shelf life of
long beans, french beans, baby corns,
cauliflowers, okras and peas in a form that
is convenient for cooking or eating. Cut
vegetables pre-treated by blanching for 2
minutes at 98C followed by blast freezing
until the core temperature reaches -18C in
high density polyethylene (HDPE) are crucial
to prolong storage life up to 6 months.
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)
for fresh juice is commonly exported to
Singapore in the form of whole and short
stalks. Fresh-cut sugarcane has the
skin removed for ready-to-crush stalks
as required recently by the importers in
Singapore and UAE. However, fresh-cut
canes are easily exposed to microbial
contamination, limiting the product shelf
life between one and two days. Fresh-cut
technology for sugarcane extends storage
life, maintains quality and ensures safety of
the product for fresh juice consumption. The
technology involves handling of raw canes,
fresh-cut processing, sanitizing, packaging,
storage and transportation. Minimal
processing activities for sugarcane involve
skin scraping, cutting, washing, drying,
packing and low temperature storage. This
maintains quality and ensures safety of
fresh-cut sugarcane for more than 4 weeks
at 2-5C. The extended storage life provides
an opportunity for transporting fresh-cut
sugarcane for export by sea.
Handling
fresh-cut
sugarcane
for export
market
Dr. Mohd
Salleh
Punan
MTE 2009
Emas
Handling
fresh-cut
sugarcane
for export
market
Dr. Mohd
Salleh
Punan
BIS 2009
GOLD
Pingat
MEDAL
Emas
SILVER
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
(Industry
Catagory)
SILVER
MEDAL
Special
BRONZE
Award:
MEDAL
Certificate of
Achievement
from
President,
BRONZE
Taiwan
MEDAL
Invention
Association
for product
Fresh-cut
Sugarcane
which shows
notable
potential to
improve the
quality of
family life.
49
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

THE HEALTHY WAY
Product development research on fruits and
vegetables has yielded functional foods,
powders, new beverages, frozen products,
salsas and specialty jams. Increasing
consumer awareness of nutritional values
and food fortification for healthcare has
created a demand for functional or healthy
minimally processed fresh and organic food
as well as natural flavours from plants and
seafood.
Functional foods is an emerging field in
food science due to its increasing popularity
with health conscious consumers and the
ability of marketers to create new interest
in existing products. The functional food
industry, consisting of the food, beverage
and supplement sectors, is one of its several
areas that are experiencing fast growth
in recent years. Functional foods provide
health benefits by reducing the risk of
chronic diseases and enhancing the ability
to manage them. Functional or health foods
produced in Malaysia are mainly in the form
of enriched food products.
Soursop-based functional drink is developed
from a combination of soursop pulp with jelly
from its leaf extract. This product contains
acetogenin (an anti-cancer agent), high
amount of polyphenols and antioxidants.
Soursop powder is a potential functional
food ingredient that is expected to provide
bioactive components capable of promoting
good health and disease prevention. It is
produced by oven drying the fruit pulp at
60oC or freeze drying it to moisture content
below 10% before being pulverized into
powder. Freeze dried products are very much
whiter compared to the oven dried ones. The
total antioxidant activity is 60%.
50
Dietary fibre powder developed from

pink guava by-products is rich in dietary
fibre (76.1%) and has good hydration
characteristics with a high antioxidant GOLD
MEDAL
activity (86.72%). It has a low energy value
(200 kcal /100 g) and is suitable as an
ingredient in low calorie products. Dietary
fibre powder has been identified with
prebiotic and hypocholesterolemic effects
SILVER
MEDAL
which can potentially be used as a health
food.
High value
health food
from pink guava
processing
waste
Aida
Hamimi
Ibrahim
MTE 2008
High value
health food
from pink guava
processing
waste
Aida
Hamimi
Ibrahim
ITEX 2008
Dietary fibre
from pink guava
processing
waste
Aida
Hamimi
Ibrahim
Brussels
Innova,
Belgium
2008
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Pingat
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Nutrima-Jusis prepared from selected

tropical fruit puree treated with commercial
SILVER
enzymes or inoculums. This sweetenedMEDAL
and
pasteurised juice contains high antioxidants
in the form of free phenolic acids (681.4 g/g
dry weights) which is higher than that of
other available commercial products. Free
BRONZE
MEDAL
phenolic acid is a high and rapidly absorbed
antioxidant in humans. It has significant
anti-aging benefits for the body such as
controlling inflammation, strengthening
cells, preventing growth of abnormal cells,
boosting immune system, and improving
blood circulation.
Frozen durian products are developed

Chilled durian dadih nutrient composition
to preserve the fruit without affecting its
quality. Frozen whole durian produced by
Nutrient composition
Per 100 g edible portion
blast or cryogenic freezing techniques
Moisture
78.33 g
has a storage life of 8 months at -18C
Crude protein
3.29 g
without any significant changes in chemical,
Crude fibre
0.67 g
microbiological and organoleptic qualities.
Dietary fibre
1.40 g
Using similar techniques, the arils can be
1.6 g
stored for at least a year. Durian puree which Ash
has undergone pasteurization can be blast

frozen and stored for at least 3 months at
-18C. Chilled durian dadih is a yoghurt-like
dessert produced using durian puree and
can be kept for up to 2 weeks at 2 to 5C.
Total fat
0.91 g
Carbohydrate
16.46 g
Energy
89.99 Kcal
Vitamin A
15.07 g
Vitamin C
2.02 mg
Calcium
13.71 g
Salsa is typically a tomato and vegetablebased food, while local fruit salsa is
produced from mangoes, pineapples,
soursop and calamansi. The bottled product
has a shelf life of 12 months at room
temperature. The same fruits are also
utilized in the preparation of chilli fruit jams.
This product, with a pH of 3.0 to 3.5 and total
soluble solids of 68Brix, has a shelf life
similar to the fruit salsa.
Cempedak-based products have been
developed to diversify their use in providing
high nutrition. These include puree, breaded
fruit, jam, srikaya, lempuk, sauce, drink,
cordial and powder. Frozen cempedak puree
and breaded cempedak can be stored up to
12 months at -18C. Cempedak jam, srikaya,
lempuk, powder, sauce, cordial and canned
cempedak drink can be stored up to 12
months at room temperature.
51
FISH AND MEAT-BASED PRODUCTS

PRESERVING QUALITY
Research on product development from fish
and livestock has gained momentum in the
Ninth Malaysia Plan. Products developed
include super-chilled cobia fish fillet, frozen
restructured fillet, ready-to-eat pickled
fish, cobia tempura, stabilized selayang fish
protein, satay for space travel, shelf stable
coated herbal eggs and chilled ayam percik.
Super-chilling technology extends the shelf
life of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) fillet.
Manually filleted cobia is blast chilled to
-5C in less than 30 minutes followed by
packing in low density polyethylene bags and
stored at super-chilled temperature. The
storage life of super-chilled cobia fish fillet
increased to 40 to 50 days at -4C to -2C
compared to only 14 days for fillet stored in
ice. This technology paves the opportunity
for the export of cobia fillet.
Frozen restructured fillet made up of scraps
and small fillets wrapped in batter and
breadcrumbs can be stored for a year
at -18C.
Restructured
whole-muscle
fish fillet from
processing waste
and small fillet
Che Rohani
Awang
Restructured
whole-muscle
fish fillet from
fillet trimmings
and small fillet
Che Rohani
Awang
MTE
2007
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Cobia Tempura: Nor Salasiah ITEX 2010

transforming
Mohamed
the less
popular fish
into high value
product for
world market
Pingat
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Brussels
EUREKA
2007
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
52
Cobia tempura is prepared by coating the

fish meat in a specially formulated batter
incorporating local rice and tapioca flours.
This preserves the quality and safety of the
product for up to 12 months when storedGOLD
at
MEDAL
-20C. It contains high protein ranging from
15 to 25 g/100 g.
Ready-to-eat pickled fish packed under

vacuum in nylon/low density polyethylene
(nylon/LDPE) bags and stored under chilled
conditions at 02C is found to have a shelf
life of 4 months. Spicy seabass (siakap) and
tilapia packed in high density polyethylene
(HDPE) and nylon/LDPE bags, and similarly
packed seabass in baked fish sauce can be
stored for 2 weeks at 0 to 2C.
Selayang fish (Decapterus russeli) flesh
contains 20 to 22% protein. The reduced gel
formation of selayang fish protein during
frozen storage renders the fish unsuitable
for further processing into products such
as fish crackers. Sucrose and sorbitol at
4 to 6% stabilized selayang fish protein
for storage at -18C up to 10 months in
polyethylene bags.
Satay for space travel is boneless breast
chicken meat marinated with a spice blend,
packed in a retort pouch and processed
at 121C with thermal death time, Fo
value of 15. The product which passed
the Russian food safety test for passage
to the International Space Station (ISS) is

successfully tested by the countrys first
astronaut.
Shelf stable coated herbal eggs effectively
reduce the microbial load and moisture
exchange thus protecting their quality. The
antimicrobial edible coating extends the
shelf life of herbal eggs up to 3 months
without jeopardizing their colour and sensory
attributes. The shelf life of uncoated herbal
eggs is 1 month.
Chilled ayam percik using conventional
packaging has a storage life of only 4 weeks
at 2C due to high microbial growth. Modified
atmosphere packaging (MAP) preserves food
by adjusting the surrounding atmosphere.
Increasing carbon dioxide levels between
40% and 50% in the package extends the
storage life of ayam percik up to 7 weeks at
22C.
53
CEREAL-BASED TOWARD HEALTHY

PRODUCTS
Pre-commercial production of local brown
rice breakfast cereals using the varieties
MR 219 or MR 220 is carried out using direct
expansion extrusion technology. Three
flavours of brown rice breakfast cereals
were produced (vanilla, chocolate plus
bran and green peas). These are nutritious
food products with functional health food
characteristics.
Coloured rice has a number of nutritional
advantages over common rice, such as
high protein and total essential amino
acid contents. One of the potential uses
of coloured rice is its application in
composite flour for the manufacture
of nutritious products and nutritional
enrichment. Nutritious brown and coloured
GOLD
MEDAL
rice flours have been developed for longer
shelf life compared to ordinary flours due
to their natural antioxidant content. The
anthocyanin contents of these flours range
between 7.35 and 23.47 mg/100 g and SILVER
the total phenolic content is from 31.48MEDAL
to 153.86 mg/100 g gallic acid equivalent
(GAE).
NUTRIMA
brown rice
cookies:
Healthy and
nutritious.
Rosniyana
Ahmad
ITEX 2007
BRONZE
Pingat
MEDAL
Gangsa
NEW AND EMERGING PRODUCTS

Resistant starch is a potential fibre
replacement in food derived from local
starch sources. It has potential for use
as functional food ingredients. Resistant
starch is produced from the sweet potato
variety Telong by gelatinizing its high
amylose content. The optimum yield of
44% of resistant starch is achieved when
gelatinized at 125oC and cooled at -20oC.
The endothermic temperature for resistant
starch is 143oC compared to 83oC for native
starch.
54
MARKETING AND CONSUMER

ACCEPTANCE ENSURING SATISFACTION
Market studies and consumer evaluations
to ensure satisfaction towards value
added products have proven that these
products are well accepted. Major factors
Temu lawak is an ingredient in traditional
that determine the purchase of minimally
medicine suitable for anti-aging,
processed fruits by consumers in Malaysia
gynaecological and cosmetic use. Temu
are cleanliness, freshness, product safety,
lawak (Curcuma xanthorrhiza) drink is a
taste and shelf life. The supplier must
product containing temu lawak powder,
tamarind, sugar and citric acid. It has a pH of ensure that their products meet high quality
standards where R&D and innovative efforts
2.88 and total soluble solids of 11oBrix.
must focus on finding ways to maintain
the freshness and quality of minimally
Ready-to-use herbal seasonings for fish,
processed fruits.
chicken and beef using various types of

culinary herbs including basil, turmeric,
Consumer acceptance of fishery and
kaffir lime and Vietnamese mint have been
developed. These seasonings are convenient cereal-based product technology ascertains
whether technologies generated match
and ready-to-use for mass catering
industries and household consumers. Herbal consumer needs. Tempura, kebab and
breaded products prepared from freshwater
seasoning pastes for fish packed in glass
fish species as well as cookies and dodol
bottles and herbal seasoning for beef (asam
made from local brown rice are found to
pedas paste) packed in either glass bottles
be well accepted by consumers. A majority
or oriented polypropylene/aluminium/
polyethylene (OPP/Al/PE) bags can be stored of consumers preferred the taste, aroma,
colour, texture and shape of these products.
up to 12 months at room temperature.
Consumers are sensitive to price changes.
Herbal seasoning powder for beef and
They accept a 10% increase in price of
pastes for chicken packed in either OPP/
local brown rice products but not that of
PE or OPP/Al/PE bags can be stored up to 6
freshwater fish products.
GOLD
months at room temperature.
MEDAL
Herbal seasoning powder for rice

is developed from a combination of
various culinary herbs, garlic, tom yam
seasonings, chicken stock, anchovies and
salt. The product packed in polyethylene
terephthalate/aluminium/polyethylene (PET/
Al/PE) bags can be stored up to 6 months at
ambient temperature.
Sago starch-based edible film is developed
for food packaging with the incorporation
of lipids at different concentrations to give
tensile strength, allow for water vapour
transmission, colouration, solubility and
transparency. The safe consumption of
edible films from modified sago starch is at
2 g/kg level. Sausages packed in the edible
film can be kept for 3 months under frozen
condition.
A study on the small and medium scale food

processing subsector found that the annual
growth during the Ninth Malaysia Plan in
SILVER
production attained by chilli sauce is 3.1%,
MEDAL
soy sauce, 2.5%, snacks, 4.6 %, crackers
and crisps, 6.0%, as well as curry powder,
13.0%.
12-minute
dodol
Zainun
Che
Ahamad
ITEX 2007
BRONZE
MEDAL
Pingat
Gangsa
55
56
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
NATURAL RESOURCES FOR

SUSTAINABLE FARMING
57
NATURAL
RESOURCES FOR
SUSTAINABLE
FARMING
58
Natural resources are living and non living

materials that exist in various natural
undisturbed environments. They are
generally scarce, economically valuable
and can be utilized in the raw or minimal
processed form. These resources have
to undergo bioprospecting, selection and
evaluation, extraction and purification
process before creating value added
products such as biological control agents,
biopesticides, biofertilizers, waste utilization
and beneficial microbes for human benefits.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL: A SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTION
Biological control or biocontrol is the
reduction of pest populations by natural
enemies and typically involves an active
human role. The term has been used in
different fields of biology, most notably
in entomology and plant pathology.
There are three basic types of biological
control strategies, namely, conservation,
classical biocontrol and supplemental
release of natural enemies. Biocontrol is
being considered as an alternative means
to manage diseases and reduce use of
agrochemicals.
In war against notorious weeds,

bioprospecting was carried out to obtain
biocontrol agents against sambau
(Echinochloa sp.), and other grass types
in rice fields. Five out of 86 isolates of
fungal pathogens screened were found to
have potential to control sambau grass,
particularly isolate B22A (Exserohilum
monoceras sp.).
Another biocontrol technology using the
fungi, Beauveria bassiana, was developed
against sweet potato weevil, the most
destructive pest in sweet potato production
which may cause up to 90% yield loss. The
isolate is very pathogenic to the weevil,
causing 70% and 87.5% mortality after 5
and 10 days respectively. The fungi can be
mass-produced using sterilised paddy media
and the paddy cultured B. bassiana cost only
RM120/ha (100 to 120 kg/ha) compared to
the current insecticide recommendation
(RM400/ha). This form of biocontrol is a
relatively easy and effective technique which
can be used by growers keen on producing
insecticide-free sweet potatoes.
Apart from using microorganisms for crop

protection, insects were also found to be
effective in controlling pest infestation.
Management of rice diseases in Malaysia
The onset of tongkat ali commercial
has been largely dependent on host plant
planting throughout the country have led
resistance and chemical control which may
to widespread outbreaks of the tiger moth
not be consistent in terms of sustainable
up to 90%. Currently, insecticides, such as
agricultural production. However research
lambda-cyhalothrin and acetamiprid, is
on biological control strategies have resulted the main control measure, however, this
in sustainable crop protection practices.
practice is not sustainable. As an alternative
Four Pseudomonas strains, namely, 2A
to using Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. aizawai
1, 1B 9, BCA 29 and BCA 22 have been
to reduce tiger moth population, which is
identified as bacterial control agents BCA
costly, other forms of biocontrol agents
as well as plant enhancers. IB 9 and BCA 29 were identified. Four insect species, namely,
demonstrated effectiveness against most
Oomyzus sp., Brachymeria sp., Drino sp. and
of the major diseases such as rot, sheath
a midge species (Diptera) were found to be
blight, bacterial leaf blight and bacterial leaf the indigenous parasitoids of tiger moth.
streak. BCA 29 at nursery stage followed
However, it was found that the parasitism
by the use of strain 1B 9 or 2A1 at active to
levels of the parasitoids on tiger moth was
maximum tillering stage was found as the
low, ranging from 2.1 to 3.4%.
best combination in controlling the diseases
59
BIOPESTICIDES AT WORK
Biopesticides are naturally occurring
substances, microorganisms or pesticidal
substances produced by plants that can
control pest infestation. Biopesticides can
greatly decrease the use of conventional
pesticides, while maintaining high crop
yields when used as a component of
integrated pest management (IPM).
A potential biopesticide against diamond
back moth (DBM) was formulated using
essential oil extracted from jeremin plant
(Pelargonium radula). Jeremin was found
to have antifeedant properties containing
some potent biopesticidal compounds such
as limonol, citronellic and decanoic acids
to control DBM. In vitro studies showed that
100% mortality rate of larvae was achieved
within 2 days in the 1% jeremin oil treated
group with lethal concentration (LC50)
value of 0.06% as compared to the control
(lemongrass).
Oil-based
biopesticide from
Pelargonium
radula to control
diamondback
moth, Plutella
xylostella
Pelargonium
radula oil-based
biopesticide: New
way of controlling
Plutella xylostella
Pelargonium
radula oil-based
biopesticide: New
way of controlling
Plutella xylostella
Dr. Mohd
BIS
Shukri Mat Ali 2011
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
Dr. Mohd
ITEX
Shukri Mat Ali 2011
SILVER
Pingat
MEDAL
GOLD
Emas
Dr. Mohd
BioInno
Shukri Mat Ali 2010
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
MEDAL
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
60
Ralstonia-phages are potential biopesticide

that can be used to control bacterial wilt
disease in tomato. The phages can cause
pathogenicity changes in the bacterium by
GOLD
reducing wilting symptoms by 30% to MEDAL
50%
and also indirectly increase the dry weight
and height of tomato plants by 10% to 20%.
Phage-based
biopesticide
for plant
diseases
Dr. Tan
Geok Hun
BioInno
2010
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
Phage-based
biopesticide
for plant
diseases
Dr. Tan
Geok Hun
ITEX
2011
GOLD
Pingat
MEDAL
Emas,
Phage-based
biopesticide
for plant
disease
Dr. Tan
Geok Hun
BRONZE
MEDAL
Best Women
Invention
- World
SILVER
MEDAL
Intellectual
Property
Organization
(WIPO) and
Innovative
Product
BRONZE
Award
MEDAL
BIS
2011
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Special
Award:
International
SILVER
MEDAL
Consumer
Double Gold
Award
Armyworm (Spodoptera litura) is a serious

insect pest attacking many vegetable BRONZE
MEDAL
crops. Previous research showed that
nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV)-based
biopesticides is effective in controlling S.
litura larvae. However, this formulation has
to be kept chilled as it is easily broken down
by ultra violet (UV) rays. In order to overcome
this problem, a new NPV-based pesticide
formulation involving the addition of two
new virus carrier materials and a protectant
against UV light was developed. This
formulation can be stored in powder form at
room temperature for up to 12 months and
found to be highly effective in controlling S.
litura larvae in open field and greenhouse
environments. The efficacy of the newly
formulated biopesticide is almost 95% larval
mortality.
GOLD
MEDAL
Virus based biopesticide

for controlling
armyworm, Spodoptera
litura
Siti Noor Aishikin

Abdul Hamid
IENA 2010
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Environmental friendly
virus-based biopesticide
for controlling
Spodoptera litura and
Spodoptera exigua
Siti Noor Ashikin

Abdul Hamid
BIOMALAYSIA
2008
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
Environmental friendly
virus based biopesticide
for controlling
armyworm, Spodoptera
litura
Siti Noor Aishikin

Abdul Hamid
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
ITEX 2010
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
GREEN JOBS WITH FERTILIZERS
SILVER
MEDAL
Fertilizer plays an important role affecting

productivity especially in intensive farming
which is highly dependent on inorganic
fertilizers. Most of these inorganic BRONZE
MEDAL
fertilizer sources are imported except for
urea. As an alternative, biofertilizers that
contain free living and effective strains
of microorganisms were developed for
natural/organic as well as conventional
farming. Biofertilizers can be used as an
economic input to increase crop productivity
by lowering fertilizer doses and harvesting
more nutrients from the soil. In the Ninth
Malaysia Plan, MARDI has embarked on
the development of fertilizers such as crop
booster, microbial biofertilizers, fertilizer
recommendations for selected crops and
the development of appropriate fertilizers
application tools.
One of the fertilizer technology developed
specifically for rice, chilli, tomato and citrus
is the nitrohumic acid (NHA)-based crop
booster. The NHA formulation can deliver
high nutrient dosage, is rapidly absorbed by
the plants thus requiring less application
frequency. Application of NHA on tomato

crops showed that the treated tomato plants
were more robust, high yielding and less
affected by blossom end rot and fruit end rot
diseases. The efficacies of NHA compound
fertilizers either coated or incorporated with
8% NHA and clay binders was superior to
the normal compound fertilizer in terms
of increased grain filling and grain weight,
correct multi-nutritional disorder, alleviate
problems of fruit cracking and slow release
GOLD
MEDAL
of urea. Pilot plant was built for large scale
NHA fertilizer production (400 liters/batch).
Production of
nitro-humic
acids (NHA)
from coals and
compost
Muhammad
Syahren
Adzahar
MTE 2007
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
Nitrohumic
acids (NHA)
from low
calorific coals
Muhammad
Syahren
Adzahar
Brussels
EUREKA
2007
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Recycling HNO3 Muhammad

for nitro humic Syahren
Adzahar
acids (NHA)
production
IENA 2009
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Recycling HNO3 Muhammad

for nitro humic Syahren
Adzahar
acids (NHA)
production
ITEX 2009
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
61
Apart from chemical fertilizer development,

MARDI has initiated research on
microorganisms such as free living nitrogen
fixing Bacillus strains as biofertilizer.
Efficacy tests showed that these strains
are more competitive than other bacteria
in terms of better performance of leafy
vegetables. Thus, an effective MARDI growth
medium (MGM) was developed for mass
production of these Bacillus strains. Bacillus
strains cultured on MGM have a shorter
fermentation period and a 95% reduction in
material cost compared to other commercial
growth media. This finding paved the way
for a new and cheaper medium for the
production of nitrogen fixers using an
alternative carbon source from organic
material. This biofertilizer provides higher
nitrogen content (exceeding 2%) and can be
an alternative fertilizer for organic farming
practices.
Another type of biofertilizer known as

microbial consortium biofertilizer (MCB)
was formulated by mixing several strains of
free living nitrogen fixing and phosphorus
solubilizing microbes. This microbial
consortium was then inoculated into
sterilized rice straw compost as a carrier.
Application of MCB on chilli was found to
significantly increase plant height, stem
diameter, fruit number per plant, fruit yield
per plant, fruit size and weight as compared
to chemical fertilizer or compost only.
The knapsack granular fertilizer dispenser
dispenses granular fertilizer precisely to
the plants rhizosphere. The work rate in
the nursery is 20 plants per minute
and
GOLD
MEDAL
minimizes risk of chemical exposure
to the
operator.
GOLD
MEDAL
The twin-row organic manure spreader uses

two augers to measure and deliver
SILVER organic
MEDAL
fertilizer to the planting bed at a work rate of
0.06 to 0.20 ha/hour.
SILVER
MEDAL
New bacillus
biofertilizer
Emmyrafedziawati Aida Kamal Rafedzi
BioInno 2010
Effective growth
medium for
nitrogen fixers
Nor Fadilah Abd. Halim
MTE 2011
Effective growth
medium for mass
production of free
living nitrogen fixer
bacteria strains
Biolnno 2011
Effective growth
medium for
nitrogen fixers
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
ITEX 2011
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
62
CREATING WEALTH FROM AGRICULTURE

WASTE
More than 1.4 million tons of rice straw
and other rice by-products are generated
annually in Malaysia. Rice straw, the main
rice waste, is a renewable biomass which
has potential for utilization in both the
agricultural and industrial sectors. The
disposal of this waste by alternative and
more beneficial methods are encouraged.
Rice straw is a natural fibre with complex
lignin, hemicelluloses and cellulose
polymer structures, making it recalcitrant
for degradation. More than 400 bacteria
isolated from compost and soils were
screened for their ability to degrade the rice
straw fibre components using agar plate
assays. After the screening, a consortium
of microbes comprising Bacillus sp. and
Cellulosimicrobium cellulans capable of
GOLD
MEDAL
digesting 50% rice straw within a span of 4
weeks was successfully established.
Rice straw mat produced by treating straws
SILVER
with NaOH and compacting using heat
into
MEDAL
sheets to produce seed mat, mulch and
packaging materials.
Restructuring
rice straw into
reactive natural
product for mat
production
Noor Sarinah
Mohd Noor
MTE
2009
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Rice husk is a major by-product of rice

milling and is mostly disposed as waste.
Controlled burning of rice husk during the
process of drying rice in the rice mill will
produce rice husk ash (RHA), a whitish
powder containing 70 to 85% of silica. A
mixture of RHA, palm oil fruit bunch ash
(POFBA), palm oil meal sludge (POMS)
and humic acid was developed for use
as fertilizer for rice growth and disease
suppression. Both POFBA (containing high
potassium) and POMS (containing up to 2%
nitrogen), act as binder. The mixture was
made into pellets and dried at a production
cost of less than RM 350/ton. The fertiliser
can be an alternative to silica fertiliser.
63
The use of materials from renewable

resources especially agriculture waste such
as biodegradable plastics and biopolymer
products, have the ability to undergo
biodegradation, is receiving increasing
importance and attention. Biopolymers
derived from various natural resources
such as starch and pineapple leaf have
been regarded as alternative materials
to petroleum plastic because they are
abundant, renewable, inexpensive and
biodegradable. The superior mechanical
properties of pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) due
to its high cellulose content (70 and 82%)
enables its potential use as filler in polymer
matrix.
An environmental friendly food packaging
material was developed from a combination
of pineapple fibre, sago starch (SS) and
linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). This
formulation is biodegradable, decomposing
faster than other bioplastics available in
the market such as polylactic acid (PLA)
and polybutylene succinate (PBS). However,
the problem of brittleness, interaction of
fibre-matrix and uniform distribution of
fibres in the composites system must be
addressed before developing end products.
This technology will help to reduce agrowaste disposal and decrease the usage of
petroleum products since the price of plastic
had escalated due to the increase in petrol
price. This technology will also create vast
opportunities for packaging industries in the Microbial consortium: a tool for sustainable
production of competitive products using
agriculture
agro-based materials.
The interest in the application of microbial
consortium has increased due to demands
Durian bio-composite fibre was produced
for more green technologies and increasing
by using internal mixing methods and hot
costs of agrochemicals. The microbial
pressing to produce films and food trays.
consortium can be used as tools for
Films produced using 50% or less durian
enhancing plant growth and yield, biocontrol,
skin fibre can be used as environment
promoting conducive environment as well as
friendly food packaging materials, while food accelerating biodegradation.
trays were produced using not more than
70% durian skin fibre. The high fibre content
in both these products helps accelerate
biodegradation process of the products.
64
GENKiMO is a probiotic product containing Effect of microbial inoculants GENKiMO Fauna

on organic acids content of rice straw silage
indigenous microorganisms (IMO) such as
Lactobacillus, yeast and phototropic bacteria.
GENKiMO products (Fauna, Flora, Odor
Acetic Acid
Lactic Acid (% DM)
(% DM)
Removal, Composeed and Bio) are generated Treatment
Day-14
Day-28
Day-14 Day-28
through a biological fermentation process
and naturally isolated from 100% natural
Rice Straw
Silage with
local resources.
5.15
11.24
1.80
0.61
Application of GENKiMO Fauna,
GENKiMO Odor Removal and GENKiMO
Bio improves animal health and growth
performance as well as enhances disease
resistance. They can also overcome
problems relating to odour and fly infestation
thereby improving the quality of the
environment. GENKiMO Fauna can be
incorporated into livestock drinking water
as a feed additive for animals, contributing
to reduced cost of medicine and treatment.
GENKiMO Fauna can also be utilized as
fermentation stimulants similar to other
commercial silage inoculants or enzymes.
When inoculated during an ensiling process,
the percentage of lactic acid in rice straw
silage increased at Day 14 and Day 28 while
the acetic acid content decreased at both
days. High lactic acid and low acetic acid
contents are indications of good silage.
GENKiMO
Fauna
Rice Straw
Silage
without
GENKiMO
Fauna
2.21
2.74
2.20
3.10
* DM: Dry matter
GENKiMO Flora and GENKiMO

Composeed encourage re-growth, growth
and crop yield, increase photosynthesis
efficiency and accelerate decomposition
of organic materials into high quality
biofertilizers. Total yield of corn stovers
harvested when applied with GENKiMO
Flora and GENKiMO Composeed is higher
(84.8 MT/ha) compared to without these
applications (26.5 MT/ha). Microbial contents
of GENKiMO that promote good plant
growth namely, Trichoderma, NPK bacteria
and Mycorrhizae increased with ratios of
1:400, 1:3.7 and 1:23 respectively when
inoculated on a commercial biofertilizer.
The MARDI Indigenous MicroOrganisms
(MIMOs) consortium is produced by
fermentation of selected plants with the
addition of a few selected microbes which
have been proven to help in providing
nutrients in the soil. MIMO has a stable pH
of 4.0 and has a shelf life of one year if the
solution was stored at room temperature.
Soil sprayed with MIMO showed an increase
in microbial community population by 50
times compared to negative control. This
proved that the solutions rejuvenated
the soil, making it more suitable for
microorganisms to grow.
65
66
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
AGROBIODIVERSITY,
OUR HERITAGE
67
AGROBIODIVERSITY,
OUR HERITAGE
Agricultural biodiversity includes all forms of
life encompassing the variety and variability
of plants, animals and microorganisms
which are necessary to sustain key functions
in the agro-ecosystem. In addition, it
includes genetic, population, species,
community, ecosystem and landscape
components, and human interactions with
all these components. MARDI conducted
research on biodiversity with respect
to bioprospection, conservation and
utilization of plant biodiversity of indigenous
fruits, vegetables and herbs as well as
medicinal plants. In order to support the
conservation and sustainable utilization
of agrobiodiversity, MARDI has developed
a database known as Agrobiodiversity
Information System (AgroBIS) and a
supporting system called National
Information Sharing Mechanism (NISM) for
information sharing purposes.
EXPLORING AND UTILIZING
UNDERUTILIZED FRUITS
In the Ninth Malaysia Plan, research was
conducted to identify elite accessions with
high yield and nutritional values, tasty and
bear good quality fruits. A total of 1,361
accessions of underutilized fruit species
have been collected and characterized
including Mangifera, Pulasan, Durio,
Baccaurea, Garcinia, Artocarpus, Bouea,
Citrus and others. These genetic resources
are then conserved in the genebanks at
various MARDI stations. Currently, 487
accessions of underutilized fruits comprising
Mangifera (165), Durio (53), Pulasan (30),
68
Agrodiversity, Our Heritage
Baccaurea (64), Artocarpus (44), Citrus (60)

and underutilized fruits (71) have been
conserved at MARDI Serdang, Jelebu,
Jerangau, Kemaman and Bukit Tangga
stations. Based on a survey, Sabah and
Sarawak were found to be relatively richer in
diversity compared to Peninsular Malaysia.
Some of the underutilized fruit species found
in these states are terap, bambangan, kuini,
belunu, sukun, salak, pulasan, rambai, dabai,
tampoi, jering, and petai.
A potential elite sweet binjai accession (no.
40) bears fruits weighing 387 to 464 g, 14
to 15 cm in length with very fine, juicy,
aromatic and sweet flesh. Another potential
accession (no. 78) has fruits weighing 326
to 429 g, 12 to 13.5 cm in length, with very
Number of accessions of underutilized fruits
fine, juicy, aromatic and sweet sour flesh.
collected and characterized
Evaluation and characterization conducted
on 70 accessions of tampoi (Baccaurea
macrocarpa) indicated that two accessions
Extracts of soursop fruits and leaves
(no. 42 and 47) were found to be potential
elite accessions based on the characteristics have natural anticancer properties. The
extracts inhibited the proliferation of human
as shown inthe table below.
cancer cell lines at 0.015 - 2.0 mg/ml after
incubation of 72 hours.
Fruit characteristics of tampoi elite accessions
Characteristics
No. 42
No. 47
Weight (g)
65.1-86.2
85.9-171
Length (cm)
4.0-4.6
5.1-6.1
CONSERVING THE LIFE OF SEEDS
Recognizing the importance of plant

genetic resources for food and agriculture,
Width (cm)
5.5-6.4
5.5-7.1
MARDI have been actively engaged in the
No. of fruits/bunch
14
2-4
exploration, collection, conservation and
Total soluble solids
utilisation of crop genetic resources, thus
27
26
(%)
contributing to the activities of Convention
of Biological Diversity (CBD), Global Plan
Twelve underutilized fruits were screened for
of Action (GPA) for the Conservation and
antioxidant activities. Five types of fruits had
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic
more than 90% antioxidant activity including
Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA)
sour Bambangan, kuini, belimbing buluh
as well as the International Treaty on Plant
and jentik-jentik while buah melaka, asam
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
gelugur, Sarawak rambai, cerapu, sentul,
(ITPGRFA).
binjai, kundang, pulasan hitam and kecapi had
80 to 89% antioxidant activity. Apart from
The programme addressed research in
the fruits, two accessions of beluntas and
the area of collection, characterisation
bebuas trees and three accessions of cashew
and utilisation of underutilised fruits,
that are traditionally used as salad (ulam)
traditional vegetables, medicinal and
were identified to have potential based on
aromatic plants and rice. A total 1361
the flavour of the shoots and high antioxidant
accessions of underutilised fruit species
activity.
have been collected and characterised. The
69
GOLD
MEDAL
fruit species include Mangifera (137 acc),

Pulasan (5 acc), Durio (165 acc), Baccaurea
(261 acc), Garcinia (192 acc), Artocarpus
(250 acc), Bouea (108 acc), Citrus (84) and
underutilized fruits (159 acc). For traditional
vegetables and ulam 120 species consisting
of 649 accessions were collected. Out of
these, 384 accessions were ulam, Amaranth
(55 acc), Fabaceae (39 acc), Solanum (32 acc),
Cucurbits (25 acc) and Malvaceae (6 acc).
For medicinal plants and herbs, about 47
accessions of kacip fatimah were collected.
A total of 2475 accessions of rice were also
characterised. Underutilised fruit species
were evaluated for nutritional contents,
antioxidant, sweetness and other desirable
characteristics.
These genetic resources are then conserved
in the genebanks at various stations. About
487 acc of underutilized fruits comprising
Mangifera (165 acc), Durio (53), Pulasan
(30 acc), Baccaurea (64 acc), Artocarpus
(44 acc), Citrus (60 acc) and underutilized
fruits (71 acc) are conserved at MARDI
Serdang, Jelebu, Jerangau, Kemaman and
Bukit Tangga. About 47 accessions of Kacip
Fatimah, 17 accession of Derris sp. and 19
accession of Limau purut were planted and
conserved at MARDI Jerangau genebank.
Meanwhile, rice genetic resources are
conserved in the seed genebank at MARDI
Seberang Prai. About 450 accession of rice
have been conserved in MARDI Station
Seberang Perai in medium and long term
storage.
Currently 25 elite accessions of fruit species
have been identified: kuini (5 acc), binjai (3
acc), bacang (2 acc), pulasan (5 acc), rambai
(3 acc), tampoi (3 acc) and Bouea (4 acc).
Elite accessions of kuini and pulasan were
planted or upscaled at MARDI Bukit Tangga
and Jelebu. For traditional vegetables,
four species had been selected as an elite
accession based on taste, ease to harvest
and shoot production. The species are peria
pantai (Colubrina asiatica), bebuas (Premna
cordifolia), cashew (Anacardium occidentale)
and beluntas (Pluchea indica). Phytochemical
analysis revealed that accessions bebuas
70
(EST07-0201), beluntas (STN07-0263,

GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
STN07-0266, STN07-0287, STN 07-0202)
and
MEDAL
cashew (25 out of 30 accessions) had the
high antioxidant content.
Baccaurea
diversity:
Potential
nutritional
supplement
Khadijah
Awang
MTE 2008
SILVER
Pingat
MEDAL
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Binjai Dr. Salma

MTE 2011
tropical fruit Idris & Mirfat
of the future Ahmad
Hassan
Salahuddin
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
SUSTAINING THE AGRO-ECOSYSTEM

Stingless bees (Trigona spp.) as pollinators
are threatened by agricultural activities
and changes in land use that limit their
food resources and alter their reproductive
habitats, thus, increasing their mortality.
Some species may disappear before
their importance for regional agricultural
productivity and ecosystem maintenance is
discovered. Assessment of assemblages of
stingless bees in Ayer Hitam and Templer
Park Forest Reserves and Selangor Fruit
GOLD
Valley identified five species of Trigona.MEDAL
Two
most common species found at the sampled
areas were Trigona thoracica and T. itama.
Stingless
bees
harmonize
MEGA
production
Ithnin Badri
MTE 2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
HERBS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS, OURBRONZE

MEDAL
HERITAGE TO WELLNESS
The global demand for herbal products is
increasing at approximately 10.5% until
2020.The value of herbal related products
in Malaysia is more than RM4.5 billion
a year. At present, less than 10% of raw
materials used are cultivated locally.The
rest are either imported or collected from
the wild.In order to overcome the shortage
of raw materials, MARDI has developed
cultivation technologies for commercial
production. Besides, priority is given to
primary processing, extraction and analysis
of phytochemicals, toxicology studies and
the development of food and non-food
(nutraceutical and pharmaceutical) based
herbal products.
Following exponential demand for tongkat ali
(Eurycoma longifolia), commercial planting
is required and planting techniques need
to be developed. An innovative production
system based on containerized planting was
developed to facilitate root harvesting. The
system provides uniform and faster crop
growth due to homogenous growth mixture
as well as easier crop management. The root
yield of 36-month-old plants was 3.5 tons/

ha. Containerized planting had 17% higher
root yield than that of conventional planting.
Major bioactive compounds identified GOLD
in tongkat ali roots are eurycomanone, MEDAL
9-methoxycanthin-6-one. These are
usually used as standard markers for the
standardization of tongkat ali products. The
concentration of eurycomanone is highest
SILVER
MEDAL
(0.89 mg/g dry weight) in the plant roots
harvested at 30 months.
Containerised Mansor Puteh
planting
technique for
production of
tongkat ali
MTE
2008
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Kacip fatimah (Labisia pimula) has been

traditionally used by Malay women during
postpartum. Valuable basic chemical
information for kacip fatimah has been
discovered in the form of chemical marker
known as methyl gallate. This compound
was isolated and purified using an open
column chromatography and separation of
the compound was monitored using thin
layer chromatography (TLC). The mass
analysis of methyl gallate was determined
using GCMS DIprobe and confirmation of
the structure was achieved using nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR). This finding is
useful for quality assurance of kacip fatimah
products.
Mas cotek (Ficus deltoidea), an epiphyte,
growing mainly on the branches of higher
plants, is traditionally used as postpartum
treatment and for treatment of gout,
pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension.
MARDI has developed a system for large
scale production of mas cotek in polybags
(50 x 30 cm) with a good irrigation and
automated fertigation system using a
suitable medium growth (coco-peat + palm
oil mill sludge cake) to minimize the risk of
nematode infestation. Accession MFD 4 gives
a wet and dry weight of 2200 kg/ha and 380
kg/ha respectively, after 6 months planting.
71
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Production
technology of
dukung anak
(Phyllanthus
niruri) A
medical plant
that has been
commercialized
in Malaysia
Musa Yaacob MTE

2006
Domestication
of mas cotek
(Ficus deltoidea)
for commercial
production
Musa Yaacob MTE

2007
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Functional drink Hadijah

from cultivated
Hassan
mas cotek MFD4
MTE
2008
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
Gangsa
Habitat
Wan Zaki
simulation
Wan Mamat
technique for
commercial
domestication of
mas cotek (Ficus
deltoidea)
MTE
2008
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Domestication of Musa Yaacob INPEX

Ficus deltoidea
2007
(mas cotek) for
commercial
production
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Pingat
Perak
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
Solar drying can maintain optimum level
of
MEDAL
total flavonoids (453.6 mg/100 g) in misai
kucing (Orthosiphon stamineus) compared to
fluidised bed drying (FBD), low temperature
low humidity drying (LTLH) and barn-drying.
Ginger rhizome is traditionally used for

the treatment of arthritis, bronchitis and
gastrointestinal ailments such as motion
sickness and ulcerative colitis. The main
active components in ginger from its
phenolic substance are gingerol and
shogaol. 6-Gingerol is an active pungent
ingredient having anti-bacterial, antiinflammatory and anti-tumor activities.
Bentong ginger had the highest amount of
6-gingerol (0.81 mg/g) while Chinese ginger
had the highest amount of 6-shogaol (1.58
mg/g) compared to commercial ginger, red
ginger and Tanjung Sepat ginger.
Oleoresin is one of the valuable ginger
products which contains a mixture of resins
and volatile oils. It can be used in cosmetics,
72
Misai kucing
(Orthosiphon
stamineus)
toiletries, health care and aromatherapy

products as well as for food flavouring. The
total yield of oleoresin from the rhizomes of
dried ginger extracted using high pressure
supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technique
(carbon dioxide as solvent) was 6.8% (dry
weight basis) than that of hot solvent
extraction (5.6%) technique. The amount
of 6-gingerol was 16.4% (dry weight basis)
in SFEs extracted oleoresin, compared to
hot solvent extraction (13.4%). In addition,
the SFE extracts exhibited high antioxidant
activity and phenolics content.
The ginger harvester was developed by
modifying an existing root digger harvester
and collector. It works at a rate of 0.2 ha/
hour which is 10 times faster than the
conventional method.
Mengkudu fruit is traditionally used as

folk remedy for many ailments such as
hypertension, diabetes, liver inflammation,
poor digestion, arthritis, cancer as well
as postpartum treatment. However,
ripe mengkudu fruit has an undesirable
odour deterring consumption of the
fruit-based products. Therefore, dextrin,
a polysaccharide derivative was used to
remove the undesirable odour compounds
from mengkudu fruit juice. Eight compounds
(octanoic acid, hexanoic acid, decane,
tridecane, methyl ester, n-tridecane,
undecane and 4-octanol) associated with
odour were isolated from the juice and
identified using GC-MS. In contrast, using
the previous calcium carbonate and ozone
reaction method, only two compounds could
be isolated.
Toxicology studies were also conducted to

verify the safety of limau purut oil usage.
Blood tests on rat liver and kidney showed
no significant differences between rats
treated with limau purut oil and the control.
A concentration of limau purut oil up to 5%
did not show any toxic effect on the skin
even though the level exceeded the limit
of 2% allowed by the Cosmetic Laws and
Regulations.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) produces
essential oils containing 65-85% citral which
can be utilized in the flavour and fragrance
industry. It is cultivated using suckers
taken from a clump of parent plants. The
recommended planting distance is 1.0 m x
0.5 m, giving a plant population of 20,000
plants/ha with a fresh yield of 17-20 t/ha.
Harvesting is usually done 6-8 months after
transplanting. An oil yield of 0.4-0.6% can be
obtained from the fresh yield.
Serai wangi (Cymbopogon nardus)
essential oils is used in the formulation of
aromatherapy products such as bar and
liquid soaps, aromatheraphy oils, lotions,
moisturizers and massage oils. It contains
GOLD
major aromatic citronellal compoundsMEDAL
with relaxing, less spicy and lemony scent
characteristics.
GOLD
MEDAL
Palatable Morinda Saniah

citrifolia functional Kormin
drinks
MTE
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
Improved
citronella
personal
care
products
Norma Hussin
ITEX
2010
SILVER
Pingat
MEDAL
Perak
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
BRONZE
Award
MEDAL
Limau purut is one of the potential citrus

species in Malaysia. Essential oil can be
BRONZE
MEDAL
extracted from its fruit peels and leaves.
Limau purut contains 1% essential oil with
a high level of aromatic compound, namely,
citronellal (88%). Thus, limau purut oil can
be used as a main perfumery ingredient
in aromatherapy products. The oil was
harmonized with a mixture of other essential
oils of limau kasturi, gelam, nilam and
kenanga to produce various desired aroma.
73
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
The lemongrass mechanical transplanter

developed is able to create planting intervals
within rows of 55 to 80 cm with an overall
working rate of 2 to 4 hr/ha/row planting.
The volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
in herbs and flowers may be lost or
drastically reduced when extracted using
a conventional hydro-distiller. Therefore,
a 120 litre improved prototype called Low
Temperature Recycling Hydrodistiller (LTRH)
was developed to enhance recovery of the
temperature sensitive essential oils. This
instrument can speed up the evaporation of
essential oils at lower temperature. Thus,
the compounds in essential oils can be
preserved. The prototype was capable of
distilling lemon grass oil at 80oC. The citral
content was higher (84.3%) than that of the
conventional method (63.3%). LTRH required
about 5 hours to complete the extraction
compared to conventional hydro-distillation
(7 hours).
The cashew leaves and bark as well as
cashew apple possess herbal health benefits
that include antibacterial activity, antidiarrhoea, drying secretions, increasing
the libido and reducing fever, blood sugar
level, blood pressure and body temperature.
The cashew oil can be developed into
other external use healthcare products
such as antibacterial cream, soap and
mouth wash. Essential oil from cashew
shoot is an effective antibacterial agent
against several bacterial strains including
methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), a dangerous pathogen that causes
fatal nosocomial infections in hospitals
worldwide. The oil also contains gammaterpinene, an active compound that inhibits
the bacterial growth by damaging the
bacterial cell wall. The effects of cashew
oil are comparable to that of tea tree oil.
In addition, a potential accession of yellow
cashew nut with non-bitter shoot and high
antioxidant content (1041.59 M Fe2+/g dry
weight) has also been identified.
74
GOLD
MEDAL
Topical antiseptic Dr. Mohd

MTE
from Anacardium Shukri Mat Ali 2009
occidentale
(gajus) oil
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
Antiseptic oil
from Anacardium
occidentale
Dr. Mohd
BioInno
Shukri Mat Ali 2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
Antiseptic oil
from Anacardium
occidentale
Dr. Mohd
SIIF 2010 Pingat
BRONZE
Shukri Mat Ali
Gangsa
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
AGROBIODIVERSITY INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
an open access information support

system for conservation and sustainable
utilization of plant genetic resources for
food and agriculture. This database can
be retrieved from http://mega.mardi.my/
gpa/mys/index.html to obtain information
on 20 priority activity areas related to
plant genetic resources. The data was
compiled by more than 30 stakeholders from
various government agencies, agricultural
departments and private sectors. Malaysia
and other member countries in collaboration
with Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) have undertaken the project on the
implementation of the GPA in Asia which is
funded by the government of Japan.
Currently, MARDI is the focal point for the

preservation of biodiversity in Malaysia.
Thus, it has developed an agrobiodiversity
database known as AgroBiodiversity
Information System (AgroBIS) containing
diverse information on genetic resources
of plants, insects and microorganisms,
including a system for rice. Among the
information available in the passport
data are morphological characterization
and quality characteristics. At present,
over 13,000 accessions of plants, insect
specimens and microorganism isolates have
been included in the system. The database
can be retrieved from http://agrobis.mardi.
my/. It is expected that AgroBIS will contain
at least 40,000 accessions of crops, 30,000
specimens of insects and 2,500 isolates of
microorganisms when completed.
The Global Plan of Action (GPA) for
conservation and sustainable utilization
of food and agriculture was formally
adopted on June 1996. Representatives
from 150 countries including Malaysia
agreed that a mechanism is needed to
monitor the implementation of GPA in
order to identify gaps, effective strategies
and action plan at a national level by
gathering and exchanging information. In
2004, a new approach for monitoring GPA
implementation based on internationally
agreed indicators was introduced. This
led to the establishment of the National
Information Sharing Mechanisms (NISM),
A book entitled Conservation and Utilization

of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (PGRFA) in Malaysia was
published by MARDI to highlight the progress
made by the country in implementing GPA.
This book was the outcome of the first
comprehensive nationwide assessment on
the conservation and sustainable utilization
conducted from 2004 until 2008. It is also
GOLD
intended to assist Malaysia in the national
MEDAL
planning and management, monitoringGOLD
the
MEDAL
implementation of the GPA, reporting on
the
management and needs and priorities of
PGRFA.
SILVER
MEDAL
AGROBIS:
Agrobiodiversity
Information
System
Tosiah Sadi
MTE
2008
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
Agrobiodiversity
Information
System
Tosiah Sadi
ITEX
2008
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
Gangsa
BRONZE
MEDAL
75
76
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
GREEN INITIATIVES
IN AGRICULTURE
77
GREEN
INITIATIVES IN
AGRICULTURE
78
Green agriculture is broadly defined as the

use of farming practices and technologies
that maintain and increase farm productivity
and profitability while ensuring the provision
of food on a sustainable basis. It reduces
negative externalities and gradually leads
to positive ones, and rebuilds ecological
resources namely soil, water, air and
biodiversity by reducing pollution and using
resources more efficiently.
Green agriculture offers opportunities
to contribute to sustainable economic,
social and environmental development.
The agriculture has an important role
to play in the process that facilitates the
sharing of technologies and innovations to
support green growth. Green agriculture
utilizes existing natural resources available
in contributing to sustainable farming.
Methods such as landscaping, urban
agriculture, organic farming, agroforestry,
cultivation under protective structures,
soilless cultivation systems and integrated
farming can be adopted.
LANDSCAPING IMPROVES AESTHETIC
APPEAL
Landscaping can be defined as organizing
and enriching outdoor space through the
placement of plants and structures in an
agreeable and useful relationship with
the natural environment. The technology
cluster on landscape and ornamentals
covers multi-commodities such as wild
plants, exotic species, orchids, trees, palms,
shrubs, annuals, perennials, ground covers
and house plants. It also includes the
development of technology in cut and dried
flowers.
Most landscape trees are propagated
using seeds. Inconsistent seed supply and
genetic variability among the materials limit
their use as planting sources. Vegetative
propagation would facilitate it to be
carried out at any time for the cloning of
desirable genotypes. Species are not all
readily multiplied by vegetative propagation
methods, while some require special
environments and techniques.
Rapid and large-scale reproductive

techniques for five species of roadside
landscape trees have been developed.
Landscape tree species that are difficult to
root such as Tebebuia sp., Lopanthera sp.,
Delinia sp., Xanthestemon sp. and Hopea
sp. can easily and quickly be propagated
on a large scale by using microcuttings.
This method utilizes a strip of very young
seedlings or plants produced from tissue
culture. Sectional cuttings measuring 1 to 4
cm are planted closely in a closed capillary
propagation system. Most of the cuttings will
start rooting within 10 days. Cuttings that do
not root easily require a period of between 4
and 6 weeks to root. Most of these species
can achieve 100% rooting.
Some indigenous species such as the rain
tree (Samanea saman) are very difficult
or cannot be multiplied with the present
propagation technique. A rain tree mutant,
known as the yellow rain tree (YRT) has
been identified. The microcutting technique
enables propagation and multiplication of
this species up to 2,000 - 3,000 seedlings
within two years. This efficient production
GOLD
technique has a direct influence on theMEDAL
nursery and landscaping industries.
Micro
Ab. Kahar
cutting:
Sandrang
the answer
to reliable
mass
propagation
of landscape
trees
ITEX 2007
Micro
Ab. Kahar
cutting:
Sandrang
the answer
to reliable
mass
propagation
of landscape
trees
IENA 2007
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
GOLD
BRONZE
MEDAL
MEDAL
Pingat
Emas
SILVER
MEDAL
Some tropical fruit trees especially the rare

types can also be used for landscaping.
BRONZE
Socio-economic dimensions of conservation
MEDAL
and use of local fruit species in gardens and
orchards indicated that a total of 127 of them
had been identified. There is an average of
eight species preserved in every yard and
fruit orchard. The average diversity index
79
for home gardens and fruit orchards is 0.64

and 0.68, respectively. It has been shown that
the districts of Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar,
Alor Gajah, Jerantut and Kuala Lipis have
richer diversities compared to those of other
districts. More than 60% of fruit species in
these areas are classified as rare fruits with
salak, pulasan and petai being more dominant.
NEW ORCHID HYBRIDS
Orchids are long-lasting and particularly
elegant types of flowers, making them perfect
gifts for many occasions. Their graceful
appearance draws immediate attention and
their reputation as exotic and unusual flowers
evoke a sense of refinement and innocence.
They are exotic and grow naturally in almost
all climates. They are intricately beautiful
to the everyday flower lover and considered
to be some of the worlds most evolved
flowers to flower specialists. Among many
orchid varieties, the Phalaenopsis (or Moth),
Cymbidium, and Dendrobium orchids are the
most popular types.
The production of new varieties through
hybridization is given priority in MARDIs
orchid research programme, with similar
efforts supported by orchid growers.
Hybridization is aimed towards developing
quality orchid cut flowers and potted plants.
These new orchid hybrids are also used in
landscaping.
Cattleya and its related hybrids are among
the most commonly grown and recognized
orchids, especially in temperate environment.
Their attractive, big and fragrant flowers are
beneficial features for making them ideal
indoor potted plants. However, the world of
Cattleyas is previously dominated by large
corsage-types. Improvement and variations
of favourable flower qualities and flowering
habits are needed to promote Cattleya
alliance in the potted plant industry in tropical
region. These potential hybrids will support
the demand of new Malaysian Cattleya
alliance hybrids for the potted orchid industry.
80
1. Cattleya Datin
Robiah
Suitable as potted
plants with
greenish-yellow
flower, adorned
with pink and
purple. The lip is
purple, greenishyellow and white.
2. Cattleya Datin
Zuraidah
A cross between
Cattleya Netrasiri
and Cattleytonia
Jamaica Jewel.
The flower is
purple with
yellowish interior
lip parts. Released
on 28 March 2009.
3. Rhyncholaeliocattleya
Datin Seri Rosmah
Named after the wife
of the Prime Minister
and released on 3
December 2010.
The flower is white
with orange tinge,
yellowish-purple red
lips and has a strong
fragrance.
4. Hybrids C2-1, C2-2, C2-16 and C2-17.

These have been identified to have good
quality flowers with colours ranging from
white, pink to purple and have strong
fragrance.
A new Dendrobium hybrid was launched
on 21 November 2006 in conjunction with
the Prime Ministers visit to the Malaysia
Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism
Exposition (MAHA). The hybrid is an ideal
indoor potted plant.
Realizing the constraints in the types of
varieties available in the market, MARDI
has led a programme to develop new
inter-generic hybrids like the Vandaceous
orchids. These will encourage the increase
of orchid varieties, thus keeping in pace
with consumer preferences. Among the
Vandaceous orchid types are hybrids
developed from the genus Kagawara, Mokara
and Vanda.
Dendrobium Abdullah Badawi is a cross

between Dendrobium Spellbound and
Dendrobium Chao Praya gem alba. It
produces crinkly flowers with white
sepals and petals, and purple lips. It has
attractive flowers, free flowering habits
and long shelf life.
81
Kagawara Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin is a

cross between Renanthera Nancy Chandler
and Ascocenda Golden Glow. It produces
yellow-orange flowers regularly. The hybrid
was launched on 22 November 2006 in
conjunction with the MAHA exposition.
Vanda Datin Seri Doctor Aishah, a new

hybrid orchid named after the wife of the
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry, was released on 5 December 2010
during the MAHA exposition. The flowers are
light purple with tiny dark purple spots and
are suitable for landscaping.
Mokara Tengku Anis was released on 31
March 2009. This hybrid, a cross between
Mokara Khaw Phaik Suan and Vanda Haad
Song-Khla was initiated in 1991. The
flowers have yellow background, shaded
with red purple towards the edges and are
covered with compact red purple spots. It is
recommended as a cut flower orchid.
82
All the hybrids have been registered with

the International Registration Authority for
Orchid Hybrids in England. The introduction
of these three new hybrids will contribute in
increasing the choice of orchid varieties in
the market for cut flower production, potted
plants and landscaping.
URBAN AGRICULTURE
Urban agriculture can be defined as the
growing of plants within and around cities.
It is integrated into the urban economic and
ecological system which is embedded in
and interacting with the urban ecosystem. It
uses urban residents as labourers, organic
waste as compost and urban wastewater for
irrigation. It has many characteristics such
as direct links with urban consumers, direct
impacts on urban ecology, being part of the
urban food system, competing for land with
other urban functions and being influenced
by urban policies and plans. Malaysian
urban agriculture is one tool for sustainable
development that has potential to provide
food or related services within or on the
edges of urban areas.
Cultivation of temperate crops (brassicas,
tomatoes and melons) in tropical lowland
conditions requires some innovative methods
such as protective structures to ensure
high yield and quality produce. Under this
structure, the crop is protected from major
pests particularly Plutella sp., Hellula sp.
and Spodoptera sp. while soil-borne diseases
such as soft rot and black rot are minimized.
Little or no pesticides are required for their
control, giving vegetable produce low in or
free from pesticide residues.
Fan with water misting is suitable for

netted rainshelter tropical greenhouse,
while exhaust fan with evaporative pad is
for enclosed tropical greenhouse. Both
cooling systems are able to reduce in-house
air temperature and increase humidity at
midday. These systems can significantly
increase production and quality of high
value temperate crops such as cabbage,
cauliflower, broccoli, capsicum, tomatoes and
musk melon.
A prototype fertilizer injector system
developed by MARDI using local material is
comparable to the imported model and is
suitable for use under rainshelter.
A technology for production of selected

temperate crop, including tomato, in lowland
tropics under an environmental control
greenhouse system has been developed.
Under protective structures, fertigation is
one of the ways to feed the crop via irrigation
New development and advances in protective and through this process; the crop is fed with
structures technologies especially controlled soluble fertilizers efficiently.
environment, fertigation systems and growth
media composition encourage growers to
Netted greenhouse is one of the structures
grow vegetables in the lowlands.
that protects the plants from pests and
reduces the need for insecticides. However,
Cooling systems, namely, fan with water
it causes build-up of in-house temperatures
misting and exhaust fan with evaporative pad leading to lower fruit set, decreased auxin
were developed to address high temperature levels in floral buds thus causing flower
and low humidity inside the greenhouse.
abortion and reducing yield and quality.
83
MARDI has established three approaches,

namely, fertigation rate, growth media
composition and pollination technique
for tomato grown under the controlled
environment system. Tomato seedlings
transplanted in a mixture of soilless growth
media comprising 70% coco peat, 30% burnt
paddy husk with 5% perlite at a fertigation
rate of 1.5 drippers/plant/day will give high
inflorescence fruit set and fruit yield. This
combination is also cost saving due to lower
usage of fertilizer and water application.
Spraying of 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid
(CPA) at 20 ppm on tomato inflorescence
cv. Baccarat can induce fruit set and
increase fruit weight of tomatoes grown
in lowland greenhouse. Induction using
plant growth regulators (auxin and Indole
Butyric Acid) also give better fruit set and
weight compared to manual and electrical
vibrations.
Cultivation of lowland cabbage using
fertigation under protective structures is a
way to increase production of the crop locally
to meet increasing domestic needs. Cabbage
is grown on raised soil beds and fertigation
applied at appropriate fertilizer solution
concentration, frequency and duration. High
and quality yields of lowland cabbage at 30
to 35 tons/ha can be obtained.
Fertikit is a specially designed do-it-yourself
(DIY) kit to encourage home owners to
grow vegetables by using drip fertigation
technology. The fertikit frame is made of
ultra-galvanized metal and is adjustable.
Fertilizer and water application are used
effectively and are regulated automatically.
More plants can be planted per unit area
with the several storey tier system used.
84
Fertikit
GOLD
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
SILVER
Fertikit
Mohammad
Abid Ahmad
MTE 2009
Pingat
MEDAL
Perak
Fertikit
Mohammad
Abid Ahmad
ITEX 2009
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
Gangsa
BRONZE
MEDAL
and
Inovative
Product
Award
GreenkitTM is another automatic selfwatering plant container growing system

suitable for vegetables and ulam. The
container is specially designed to separate
water from the planting media in order to
avoid oversaturation of the rhizosphere.
GreenkitTM plays an important role in
promoting the nations Bumi Hijau (Green
Earth) programme and would be very
convenient for home gardening, teaching
gardening in schools, edible landscape
gardens and kitchen use. It would also
create interest in gardening among those
living in non-landed properties such as
apartments, condominiums and flats. It
is also suitable for indoor potted plants in
offices, hotels and business premises.
Greenkit
A selfwatering
container
for home
gardening
Ab. Kahar
Sandrang
Selfwatering
kit for
home
gardening
Ab. Kahar
Sandrang
ITEX 2010
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
SILVER
Award
MEDAL
SIIF 2010
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
data and information. Organic agriculture

combines tradition, innovation and science to
benefit the shared environment and promote
fair relationships and a good quality of life
for all involved. Organic farming is a form
of agriculture that relies on techniques
such as crop rotation, green manure, usage
of compost and biological pest control.
It excludes or strictly limits the use of
synthetic fertilizers, pesticides (herbicides,
insecticides and fungicides), plant growth
regulators, livestock antibiotics, food
additives, genetically modified organisms,
human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials.
The Third National Agriculture Policy
(NAP3) had targeted more than 20,000 ha
of organic farms which were expected to
produce RM800 million worth of output by
the end of the Ninth Malaysia Plan. However,
only 46 farms with a total area of 1,700 ha
were accredited with the Standard Organic
Malaysia (SOM) certification. These farms
produce fruits (durian and dragon fruit),
vegetables (okra, french beans, long beans,
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, radish,
cucumber, spinach, tomato, bitter gourd
and water cress), rice, mushroom and aloe
vera. These are categorized as traditional or
eco-tourism farms. The farmers of the latter
sell their produce directly to consumers at
retail price, while the former sell theirs to
wholesalers at farm price. Most farmers
obtain information regarding organic farming
practices from the media and through field
visits. Farmers are trained and receive
advisory services on organic farming from
local and international bodies.
BRONZE
MEDAL
The consumer perception of organic

products in Malaysia conducted in 2008
ORGANIC FARMING
showed that more than 90% of the
respondents were aware of organic products.
Organic agriculture is a production system
They were of the opinion that these were
that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems
safe and good for the health, of high quality
and people. It relies on ecological processes,
BRONZE
and were environmentally friendly. Organic
biodiversity and cycles adapted to localMEDAL
products purchased were mostly vegetables
conditions, rather than the use of inputs with
followed by fruits and processed ones.
adverse effects. It is important to develop
Drinks, milk products and frozen foods
a model farm for research and technology
were among important processed products
transfer purposes besides generating
purchased. Consumers were willing to buy
SILVER
MEDAL
85
organic products even though they might be as vegetable and fruit wastes, grass, poultry
25% more expensive than conventional ones. and goat manure.
An integrated organic farm in an area of

Biological pest suppression techniques using
seven hectares was established which
repellent, companion and trap crops, and
involves crop planting and animal husbandry. biopesticides to control insect pests and
In the system, on-farm inputs such as plant
diseases. Crop cultivation methods such as
and animal waste are used for maintaining
mixed cropping, intercropping, crop rotation
soil fertility and plant growth. Fertilizers
and relay cropping are also practised.
are produced from farm waste in which the
main activity is the production of compost.
AGROFORESTRY
One of the organic practice namely natural
farming (NF), use on-farm materials to
Agroforestry, which involves combined
produce various liquid organic concoctions
agricultural and forestry activities on the
as fertilizers. The concoctions produced are same piece of land, is emerging as an
Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), Fermented
important land use system in the country.
Fruit Juice (FFJ), Fish Amino Acid (FAA), Egg Integrating short-term crops and animal
Calcium Phosphate (CaP) and Bone Calcium rearing with tree crop plantation has
Phosphate (PCa). The liquid concoctions
been shown to be technically feasible
are applied using fertigation system with
and economically viable. This system is
different combinations at specific days after gaining popularity particularly in immature
planting according to the natural farming
rubber and oil palm plantations mainly in
practice. The NF practices significantly
smallholdings. It can improve income and
increase the crop yield and reduce the cost
provide early returns of investment thereby
of production as compared to conventional
sustaining productivity of both agriculture
farming practices. NF practices have
and forest plantations. In view of the
potential ability to improve the soil nutrient
attractive benefits of agroforestry, it has
status compared to conventional farming.
been made as one of the strategic action
plan of the Third National Agriculture Policy.
Cultivation of organic vegetables in a twoAgroforestry systems that can be developed
hectare area under the rainshelter or in the
include direct inter-row integration, block
open plot. Vegetables grown were chinese
planting, perimeter planting and hedge
mustard, kale, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, system. Currently, the planters have been
sweet potatoes, okra, peppers and beans
successful with many agricultural crops
shrubs.
including vegetables, pineapple, maize and
animal rearing such as sheep and cattle.
Cultivation of organic mango, papaya and
Attempts have been made at planting
pineapple in one-hectare plot.
fruit trees and medicinal plants in forest
plantation and at planting timber species in
Organic poultry: Chickens reared in the coop oil palm, rubber and other agricultural land
and left free. They were fed with materials
including pasture.
produced from the production area and other
crop harvest surplus.
Medicinal plants, namely, kacip fatimah
(Labisia pumila), hempedu bumi (Andrographis
Organic Katjang goat in a two-hectare area.
paniculata), misai kucing (Orthosiphon
Goats were allowed to graze freely in the
stamineus) and mengkudu can be planted
open space planted with grass and mulberry. under rubber. The mean value of
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)
Production of organic fertilizers: These
under the canopy of the rubber planted
activities are carried out in the compost
in the 5.5 m x 3.7 m system is about 20%
house. The key components in the making of (with a variation of 14 to 36% seasonally
compost are taken from farm wastes such
86
and diurnally) of the incident radiation in

the open The low light transmission under
rubber canopy is not detrimental to the three
herbs. However kacip fatimah is extremely
photosensitive and suffers from the higher
light transmission during rubber wintering.
Water stress does not affect early vegetative
growth of mengkudu, although prolonged
stress curtails leaf production and reduces
plant height. Training and pruning to ensure
good plant-form are critical to facilitate
harvesting, particularly when mechanically
assisted. The protocol includes early pruning
of the two lower branches and topping the
main stem at 2 m. Round-Up is the best
post-emergence herbicide for weed control
while inter-row planting of lemongrass as a
weed control agent appears promising. The
refugia concept can be successfully applied
to the rubber-mengkudu intercropping for
biological control of arthropod pests of
mengkudu.
MIXED FARMING SYSTEM

The concept of mixed farming system is to
optimize income through maximum use of
land, crop diversity and livestock rearing
by using internal inputs. This system is in
line with the increase of demand for food
crops and livestock. In addition, it can reduce
disease infection on the crop and minimizing
the use of pesticides. Recycling of food
and energy in this system can also reduce
production cost which leads to a sustainable
agriculture.
An aerobic rice-based (MRQ 50 and MRQ 74)

mixed farming system which comprises rice
in the first season followed by tobacco, corn,
ground nut and kenaf in the second season
is developed. Cross-breed goats such as
Boer and Jamnapari are reared in a feedlot
within the system throughout the year. Crop
by-products are used as livestock feed while
food waste and goat manure are used for soil
Major arthropod pests on kacip fatimah, misai conservation.
kucing and mengkudu, except hempedu bumi,
belong to the families Pyralidae, Tortricidae, Another mixed farming system involves
Tingidae, Tephritidae and Coccidae. The
integration of coconut with fruit crops such
natural enemies of these pests are the egg
as pineapple and banana. Crop by-products
and larval parasitoids as well as predators.
are used as silage to feed Jamnapari goat
Mengkudu is highly susceptible to the rootwhile goat manure is used as organic
knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. The
fertilizer.
infestation can be minimised by the use of
nematode-free seedlings and application
of the nematicide, NemacurR, during
transplanting.
Kacip fatimah is slow growing, and yields a
credible fresh total biomass yield of 1.3 t/ha
after6 months. Hempedu bumi produces a
fresh total biomass yield of 1.7 t/ha and 4.6 t/
ha for the 3-month crop and for the 6-month
crop while misai kucing produces a fresh
total biomass of 5.7 t/ha and 9.4 t/ha for
the 3-month crop and for the 6-month crop
respectively. The economic analysis based on
variable costs and yield of mengkudu under
immature rubber in perimeter planting (3
m x 3 m x 2 m x 46 m avenue) for 2 years,
shows that positive cumulative cash starts
in the third year based on a farm price of
RM1.50/kg.
87
88
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
BIOTECHNOLOGY
THE FUTURE AGRICULTURE
89
BIOTECHNOLOGY
THE FUTURE
AGRICULTURE
Globally, biotechnology research has

delivered beyond expectations especially
in terms of revolutionizing agriculture in the
context of scale and speed. At MARDI, the
field of Agrobiotechnology has also expanded
and matured significantly over the past
decade through the adaptation of frontier
biotechnological tools.
90
Biotechnology - The Future Agriculture
Voluminous amounts of databases created

and through data mining from complete
genomes of the major food crops and
livestock available in public databases
are allowing scientist and breeders to
translate this information into agricultural
improvements. Agrobiotechnology has also
enabled us to develop better diagnostic tools
for plant diseases, novel enzymes for use in
food processing and also produce safer and
healthier food.
BIODIAGNOSTIC DETECTS FOOD
CONTAMINANTS
Food safety is one of the main priority areas
in biotechnological research. Research
efforts have been focused on developing
rapid and sensitive diagnostic kits to
address this for detecting contaminants and
pathogens in food (DNA and protein-based
approaches offer the best potential). These

products are comparable to foreign-based
ones.
Mercury poisoning in Malaysian herbal
products has been widely reported. Exposure
of mercury and other dangerous heavy
metals lead to chronic health problems. A
mercury assay using bromelain, a protease,
has been developed to rapidly detect the
presence of mercury in herbal products. It is
an economical, reliable and ideal enzymatic
assay for on-site screening. It is also cost
effective compared to the instrumentation
method by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
(AAS) or Flow Injection Mercury System
(FIMS). Thousands of samples can be
screened while only positive samples
are sent for measurement of mercury
contamination by AAS and FIMS.
91
GOLD
MEDAL
Enzymatic Noor Azlina

assay
Masdor
for the
screening
of mercury
in herbal
products
ITEX
2010
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
Malaysia
Innovative
Product
BRONZE
Award
MEDAL
Biodiagnostic tools can be applied to

comply with regulatory obligations and
fulfil consumer needs. Salmonella bacteria,
normally found in poultry, meat and eggs,
is a major contributor to food-borne
illnesses. Immuno Dot-blot Test Strip was
developed based on polyclonal antibody to
detect Salmonella contamination as low
as 3 Salmonella CFU per 25 g of poultry
products. The new developed test stripGOLD
is
MEDAL
rapid, reliable, cost effective and beneficial
to regulatory agencies and poultry traders
ImmunoDot-blot test
strip: A rapid
diagnostic
kit for the
detection of
Salmonella
Noor Azlina
Masdor
ITEX
2009
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
ImmunoDot-blot test
strip: A rapid
diagnostic
kit for the
detection of
Salmonella
Noor Azlina
Masdor
BioInno
2009
Pingat
BRONZE
MEDAL
GOLD
Emas
ImmunoDot-blot test
strip: A rapid
diagnostic
kit for the
detection of
Salmonella
Noor Azlina
Masdor
MEDAL
MEDAL
and Most
Innovative
Award
SILVER
BIS 2010
MEDAL
Pingat
GOLD
Emas
MEDAL
Double
BRONZE
GoldMEDAL
Award
category
SILVER
MEDAL
innovation
(consumer)
Tetracycline is one of the most popular

antibiotics used as a veterinary antibiotic
BRONZE
in poultry industry. However, extensive
MEDAL
usage of tetracycline may affect human
health through consumption of tetracycline
residues which are carcinogenic and
can induce antibiotic resistance. Hence,
MARDI developed polyclonal antibodies
to detect tetracycline in poultry products.
92
Tetracycline is conjugated with a protein

carrier; Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin
(KLH) to generate immune response.
Application of this polyclonal antibody in
biodiagnostic and biosensor kits will make
available a rapid, sensitive, specific and cost
effective technique for routine screening of
tetracycline residue.
Antibiotic
sensor for
poultry
industry
Dr. Faridah
Salam
ImmunoDr. Faridah
Gold
Salam
biosensor
strip for the
detection of
tetracycline
in poultry
industry
IENA
2011
Pingat
GOLD
MEDAL
Emas
Special
Award Womens
SILVER
Inventor
MEDAL
Association
NOVA
from Bosnia
Herzegovina
ITEX
2011
Pingat
BRONZE
Emas,
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
Brussel
Innova
Award: Price
SILVER
from
CPE
MEDAL
Exhibition
Brussels
Eureka
Competition
& Best Green
Invention
BRONZE
MEDAL2011
Research
Institutes &
Organization
BIOSENSORS DETECT CHEMICAL

RESIDUES
Biosensors play an important role
specifically in quality control and
food safety of agricultural produce.
Biosensor technology is a combination of
microelectronics with biomolecule receptors
such as antibodies, enzymes, microbes
and cellular structures. Changes in the
chemistry or physics of the receptorswould
be translated into electrical signals. The
advantages of biosensor technology are
that it is rapid, cost effective, mobile and
applicable for field work.
An enzyme-based screen-printed
electrode (ESPE) has been developed by
the integration of working, reference and
counter electrodes on a single strip. ESPE
can be used to detect minute levels of
residues from pesticides, antibiotics and
preservatives. The mass production of ESPE
can reduce the cost as low as RM0.72 each
compared to the conventional probes which
cost RM200 each. ESPE is applicable in the
development of disposable biosensors.
Detection of malachite green (MG) and
leuco-malachite green (LMG) has been
developed using ESPE. MG and LMG are
chemicals extensively used as anti-fungal

and anti-parasite agents in the fishery
industry. The lower detection unit (LOD)
was achieved at 0.2 ppb and meets the EU
requirement (2 ppb). Overdose of these
chemicals is hazardous to human health and
environment. Detection of MG and LMG is
essential for quality and safety monitoring of
aquaculture products to meet international
standards and to ensure acceptance by
foreign markets.
GENOMICS AS A PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY

Utilization of frontier biotechnology,
genomics technology has been used
as a core, key or supportive technology
for the identification, characterization
and validation of useful genes from our
biodiversity. Expressed Sequence Tags
(ESTs) are short DNA sequences of 200-800
nucleotide bases in length corresponding
to gene transcripts of specific tissues.
ESTs were generated from the uterus of
Malin sheep to enhance understanding
of indigenous livestock for improving
production traits in breeding programs.
93
Genes, functional groups, biological

pathways and protein domains were
revealed by the ESTs analysis. Binding
and catalytic activity were the two most
common molecular function groups while
the most common biological process group
were related to cellular processes. TheGOLD
most abundant number of genes was MEDAL
found related to DNA, purine and primidine
metabolism pathway while the most
common protein family identified among
the ESTs were involved in the production
SILVER
MEDAL
of energy in the form of adenosine
triphosphate (ATP).
Discovery of
Sew Yun Shin
novel functional
genes in
tropical fruit
crops using
bexpressed
sequence tags
(ESTs)
BIOASIA
2006
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
MOLECULAR MARKER TRACKS IDENTITY

AND TRAITS
Breeding process has become more
sophisticated and selective. Conventional
method using morphological characteristics
for varietal identification has a number of
limitations such as insufficient phenotypic
differentiation between varieties and
interdependence of these characters with
its developmental stage, environment
and farming practices. Hence, DNA
fingerprinting technique utilizes molecular
markers, DNA fragments in a specific
location inside the genome that mark gene
location or specific traits, to differentiate
GOLD
MEDAL
varieties at DNA level for registration with
the plant propriety right protection (PVP).
94
DNA
Fingerprinting
of Malaysian
papaya
varieties
Hayati Ahmad
DNA
Fingerprinting
of Malaysian
papaya
varieties
Hayati Ahmad
MTE
2008
Pingat
Perak
SILVER
BioInno
2009
Pingat
Emas
GOLD
MEDAL
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
SILVER
MEDAL
Papaya is one of the important horticultural

crops in Malaysia. MARDI has developed
three varieties, namely Eksotika, Eksotika
II and Eksotika Hybrid through conventional
breeding. A precise, fast and reliable
identification method is required for
varietal registration. DNA fingerprints for
nine papaya varieties were identified. Four
specific microsatellite markers were found
to effectively distinguish all the nine papaya
varieties that were screened, including
Eksotika, Eksotika II and Eksotika Hybrid.
The identification method developed can
potentially be used as a tool to generate
complementary data for the determination
of distinctness, a requirement needed
for the registration of new variety. This
information is also useful for certification of
papaya seedlings.
Characterization of sweet potato varieties
are based on several traits including vine
type, shoot colour, leaf shape and colour,
storage root shape, size and nutritional
values. These morphological data might
be influenced by environmental conditions
but not the genomic information. Six sweet
potato varieties namely Gendut, Jalomas,
VitAto, Kuala Bikam 2, Japanese and
Indonesian variety can be uniquely identified
by using only one microsatellite marker.
Telong and Ubi Biru showed similar DNA
fingerprint by the same marker but can be
further differentiated by another marker.
Genetic profiles of these sweet potato
varieties can be used to complement other
morphological data sets that are useful for
varietal identification.
Molecular marker is also used for sexing
of X- and Y-chromosomes bearing
spermatozoa after undergoing separation
method. Sexed spermatozoa can then be
used to produce calves of required sex to
enhance the production of cattle for feedlot
or dairy industry. Three molecular markers
associated to X and Y chromosome, zinc
finger protein X (ZFX), sex determining
region Y (SRY) and Y-encoded, testis-specific
protein (TSPY) were identified to determine

GOLD
MEDAL
the sex of spermatozoa. Three techniques,

nested multiplex PCR, quantitative PCR and
fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
utilized the developed markers showed
1:1 ratio in X- and Y-chromosome bearing
spermatozoa taken randomly which is
similar with previous findings.
A gene-based molecular marker was also
developed to identify high quality milk trait
in local livestock population. Alpha-casein
protein gene that is linked to milk casein
content , an indication of high quality milk,
was used to identify local goat breeds with
high quality milk. Association with high
quality casein content was observed in
Katjang, Boer, Boer crosses and Jamnapari
goats. Indegenous Katjang goats have
the highest association among the above
mentioned breeds.
CREATING WEALTH FROM
BIOTECHNOLOGY
DNA sequences corresponding to specific
genes can be used to produce biologically
valuable proteins using recombinant
technology. This revolutionary technology
enables mass production of safe, pure and
more effective versions of various useful
proteins. One such useful protein is DNA
polymerase, the key enzyme involved
in replication of genetic material that is
required in polymerase chain reaction
(PCR). Two specific DNA polymerase,
isoform Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu) and
Thermus thermophilus (Tth) were successfully
cloned into bacterial expression vector
to produce functional and high quality
enzymes. Subsequently, a simple, rapid
(1-2 hours) and high yielding method was
also established for the purification of the
functional recombinant Tth and Pfu DNA
polymerase. It is estimated that 1 litre of
culture can produce up to 1,000,000 units
of recombinant Tth DNA polymerase and
100,000 units of Pfu DNA polymerase at
the production cost of RM0.01/100units
and RM1/100 units, respectively. This cost
effective production enables a selling price
of 50% lower than the imported products.
Rapid
production
of high
quality Tth
and Pfu DNA
polymerase
Dr. Norliza Abu

Bakar
Lau Han Yih
Rapid
Dr. Norliza Abu
production of Bakar/ Lau Han
high quality
Yih
recombinant
Tth and
Pfu DNA
Polymerase
ITEX 2010
Pingat
SILVER
Perak
MEDAL
BioInno
2010
Pingat
BRONZE
Gangsa
MEDAL
MEDAL
Another breakthrough in recombinant

technology is the production of
recombinant polyclonal antibody to detect
microorganism. This technology enables
large volume production of polyclonal
antibodies for routine screening. This
approach has been utilized to detect rice
Tungro virus which causes Tungro disease,
one of the most damaging diseases affecting
rice production in many countries especially
in the South East region.
Maspine pineapple is a potential commercial
crop with high yielding capacity, resistant to
bacterial heart rot and suitable for canning.
A large number and continuous supply
of planting materials is required for the
cultivation of Maspine but this cannot be
obtained via traditional techniques. Tissue
culture technique can be used for mass
production of uniform, high quality, true to
type and disease-free planting material.
A new technology for mass propagation of
Maspine pineapple using both solid and
liquid culture media was developed. This
technology increased the propagation of
microshoot to nine fold compared to only
using solid media. This newly derived
solid together with liquid shake culture
technology has the potential to be utilized
in large scale for commercial production of
Maspine planting material.
There is a growing demand for new leads
by the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical
industries with the mounting problem
of pan-antibiotic resistant pathogens
and emerging infectious diseases.
Biotechnology, specifically metabolomics
95
technology, plays a significant role in

the above industries as it offers a highthroughput approach to mine chemical
compounds from the vast biodiversity
present in Malaysia. The technology derived
focuses on the extract of dukung anak
(Phyllanthus sp.) to source for effective
antiviral, anticholesterol and antidiabetic
agents from plant bioactive compounds.
It is found that P. watsonii, P. urinaria and
P. niruri have antiviral and anticholesterol
activities while P. amarus has antidiabetic
activity. The Phyllanthus extract that is
high in ellagitannins and flavonoids is
found to inhibit dengue viral activity by 90%
without causing damage to normal cells.
Phyllanthus extract also when added to the
diet at 500 mg/kg weight of mice, is able
to reduce blood cholesterol by 30% which
was comparable to the drug statin without
inducing liver damage. The discovery has
paved the way for this plant to be potentially
utilized in niche nutraceutical markets.
Malaysia produces 200-250 tons of

broken rice annually. MARDI developed
fermentation technology using Monascus
purpureus fungus to improve the nutritional
content of broken rice to form red
fermented rice (RFR). Lovastatin, bioactive
compound isolated from RFR, is identical
to the potent cholesterol-lowering and antiatherosclerotic drug. RFR supplementation
in layer diets significantly reduced egg
cholesterol content. A more effective RFR
production system has been successfully
established. The contamination-free
tray system shortens the fermentation
period from 21-28 days to only 7-9 days.
This system utilized 65 kg broken rice
as substrate and yielded 30 kg RFR. A
collaboration between MARDI and Aning
Resources Sdn. Bhd. have scaled up the
production system to 125 kg RFR by using
solid state bioreactor to establish an
economically feasible production system
with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
certification. This active ingredient can be
sold directly to pharmaceutical companies
or be incorporated into formulations of
functional beverages and food.
GENETIC MODIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
One of the major challenges facing the
world today is food security including
sufficient supply and food quality. Scientists
are aggressively looking at various
technologies to address these challenges
and one promising application is genetic
modification.
Rice yield, quality and diseases are the main
factors affecting rice production in Malaysia.
Multidisciplinary approach consisting of
both conventional and biotechnological
measures should be applied to reach
optimal levels of rice production.
GM rice research has been targeted for
yield enhancement,improved quality and
disease resistant of local rice variety. A
collaboration work between MARDI, AgroBiotechnology Institute (ABI) and ViaLactia
Bioscience Ltd, New Zealand was carried
96
GOLD
MEDAL

SILVER
MEDAL
out to develop a super high yielding and

drought tolerant Malaysian rice variety.
The commercial rice variety, MR 219 was
incorporated with ryegrass genes obtained
from ViaLactia. Two genes, targeted for
drought tolerance and enhanced yield were
successfully transformed into MR 219 using
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
system. Contained trial assessment on the
potential GM rice lines were conducted until
generation R2. GM rice lines with increased
yield trait exhibited significantly higher
number of panicles (up to 120%), tiller
number (up to 250%), unfilled grain (up to
300%), transpiration and photosynthesis
rate. On the other hand, GM rice lines
with drought tolerant traits were able to
grow in drought conditions with increased
biomass (up to 50%), transpiration and
photosynthetic rate compared to that of the
control rice plant. Further research is being
carried out by ABI to validate the stability
of the gene integration and its expression.
Another significant output derived from
this technology is the establishment
of the process and techniques for rice
transformation.
Discovery of
indigenous
betaglucanase
gene for rice
resistance
against sheath
blight disease
Noriha Mat Amin MTE

2009
Pingat
Gangsa
BRONZE
Discovery of
indigenous
b-glucanase
gene for rice
resistance
against sheath
blight disease
Noriha Mat Amin BioInno

2009
Pingat
SILVER
MEDAL
Perak
MEDAL
GOLD
MEDAL
BRONZE
MEDAL
Eksotika papaya is a high yielding variety

grown for targeting export market. However,
it has poor keeping quality and cannot
withstand long transportation distances due
to its fast ripening characteristic. Hence,
genetic modification technology was applied
to develop delayed ripening of Eksotika
papaya for improved shelf life to enable
export to further destinations through
cheaper means of transportation.
Another genetic modification project

involving MARDI and Agricultural Genetic
Institute, Vietnam was initiated to develop
GM rice variety resistant to Sheath Blight
disease. Four potential soil antagonistic
bacteria for resistance against the rice
Sheath Blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani,
were identified for its antifungal properties
from the screening of the local rice field
soil samples. Bacillus SP 289 exhibited
the highest antifungal activity out of the
bacteria tested. Gene beta glucanase and
ynfF that related to antifungal property has
been successfully identified and validated.
This finding is of utmost important as it
represents a critical step towards both the
development of shealth blight resistant
varieties and for its application in the
production of biopesticide.
97
Several potential GM papaya lines with

delayed ripening characteristic have been
developed. Contained trial assessment
revealed that GM papaya fruits attained up
to 20 days to full maturation compared to
that of the control fruits which reach fruit
maturity only 4 days after harvest. Further
confined field trial assessment on these
papaya lines will be conducted to confirm
the delayed fruit ripening characteristic and
stability of the transgene integration.
ANIMAL IN-VITRO TECHNOLOGY
In-vitro technology is one of the
advancements in Assisted Reproductive
Biotechnology (ART) that increases the
production of good quality embryos. The
produced embryos will be transferred into
recipient cows to obtain offspring. In-vitro
conditions can be manipulated to induce the
production of specific embryos.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an
important assisted reproduction technique
to produce viable embryos in the lab where
a single sperm is used to inseminate a
single oocyte. ICSI technique coupled with
an oocyte activation treatment utilizing
calcium ionophore A23187 either before
or after ICSI enhanced the production of
viable embryos. Upon transfer to recipient
cows, the conception rate was 25% (1/4)
which is acceptable in an embryo transfer
programme.
98
Predetermination of the sex of embryos

prior to transfer to recipient cows has
been the goal of many cattle breeders.
Sex determination can be done based
on cleavage time, the time interval from
insemination to first cleavage, of in-vitro
produced (IVP) bovine embryos. Male
bovine IVP embryos completed the first
cleavage earlier than female embryos.
Approximately 87.5% of the embryos that
cleaved within 24 hours tended to be male.
Thus, the timing of early cleavage offers
a non-invasive assessment of embryo
viability before transfer to recipient cows
or cryopreservation. This technique is a
simple, non-intrusive, enonomical and
has tremendous application in the cattle
industry.
99
100
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
MARDI AGROTECHNOLOGY PARKS:

BRIDGING KNOWLEDGE AND
COMMUNITIES
101
MARDI
AGROTECHNOLOGY
PARKS: BRIDGING
KNOWLEDGE AND
COMMUNITIES
102
MARDI Agrotechnology Parks: Bridging Knowledge and Communities
The concept of global knowledge to local

and local knowledge to the world is proven
to be effective in enhancing rediscovery
of agriculture. Agriculture beyond
R&D is demonstrated in two locations
providing equal opportunities for people
to gain knowledge and appreciate nature
irrespective of boundary and socio-economic
status.
On the legendary island of Langkawi
Geopark lies the MARDI Agrotechnology
Park which was officially launched in
2005. The MARDI Agrotechnology Park in
Cameron Highlands was officially opened
in 2003 and was launched as a one-stop
centre for tourists in 2007. Situated 1,400
meters above sea level it has a pleasant cool
weather (14 24oC) throughout the year.
These two locations provide an excellent
combination of R&D and agrotechnology
facilities where the doors are open to
people eager to break away from the routine
lifestyle and appreciate nature at its best.
MARDI Agrotechnology Parks contribute
towards bridging knowledge and
communities. Within the two R&D entities
exists the opportunity to share agricultural
knowledge with people from all walks of life.
The uniqueness of MARDI Agrotechnology
Parks is that the whole value chain in
agriculture is available at both locations:
103
GAINING KNOWLEDGE
Ongoing research activities provide the
opportunity for visitors to share and interact
with the technology generators in-situ thus
dismissing the thinking that research is
only confined within the walls of the R&D
organization.
Global knowledge on agriculture is brought
to the local community at the MARDI
Agrotechnology Park in Cameron Highlands.
This location has the oldest tea bushes in
Malaysia and displays greenhouses with
vegetables, flowers and strawberries.
Visitors can view R&D activities on
subtropical flowers, fruits and vegetables
research plots such as vegetable production
by fertigation system, the plant nursery,
post-harvest activities and the
mushroom hut.
Local knowledge on agriculture is brought
to the world at the MARDI Agrotechnology
Park in Langkawi which is involved in
commercialization of technologies namely
vegetables under rain shelter and tropical
fruit production. It is also a reference centre
for agriculture on the island. Visitors can
gain knowledge on crop production, pest
and disease management, pruning system
and environment management.
The dissemination of knowledge through
visitors participatory learning at the
two Agrotechnology Parks has gained
recognition from the local authorities. Both
MARDI Agrotechnology Parks are listed on
the respective authoritys tourism map.
APPRECIATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Today people are in a hurry to chase
material gains in order to secure future
life, sometimes at the expense of their
health. The MARDI Agrotechnology Park
approach brings home the fact that one
needs to relax, enjoy and appreciate
nature. This approach has all of the above
104
plus the opportunity to gain knowledge on

agriculture direct from researchers within
an R&D establishment.
This is the opportunity to share and educate
by bringing visitors closer to nature through
activities where they can participate and feel
the pleasure of touring, learning, picking
and savouring fruits picked by their own
hands.

The MARDI Agrotechnology Park in
Cameron Highlands has landscaped
gardens displaying temperate herbs and
flowers such as chrysanthemum, carnation
and roses. Beautiful tulips in many colours
can also be seen at certain time of the
year. Other attractions include the English
House, Rose Garden, the English Garden,
temperate Herbal Garden, the Wild Orchid
Garden and flowering shrubs and trees. It
also has a collection of temperate fruits like
apples, pears and grapes. Visitors can also
view temperate plants like black cherry,
lychee, loquat and persimmons during the
climb to the look-out.
The MARDI Agrotechnology Park in

Langkawi has an array of fascinating
attractions for visitors. More than 51% of its
26.39 hectare land is planted with more than
20 species of seasonal and non-seasonal
tropical fruits and the management takes
pride in the landscape. Visitors travelling
in trams make pit stops to appreciate
the environment, be entertained and feel
the pleasure of touring, learning and
discovering.
The role of imparting knowledge in-situ
and giving visitors the opportunity for live
moments that are as precious as they are
memorable brings satisfaction to MARDI.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Activities such as camping, fishing and
jungle trekking to explore the flora and
fauna of a Malaysian tropical rainforest are
available at MARDI Agrotechnology Park
in Langkawi. These activities may impart
some lifetime experience to visitors where
they are closest to nature discovering
knowledge, feeling relaxed and enjoying
themselves.
CREATING NEW BUSINESSES

Both MARDI Agrotechnology Parks are
also venues for budding entrepreneurs to
gain technical knowledge and establish
themselves in the business world. Technical
expertise is provided in-situ in MARDI
Cameron Highlands. A technology testbed for the production of strawberrybased products such as jams, spreads,
sauces and beverages is provided. A
model farms for semi-commercial scale
production of strawberries is also available
where technologies developed by MARDI
researchers are applied and can result in
real business entities. These technology
transfer tools have been demonstrated
in both locations to be effective and have
resulted in some real businesses.
A short term attachment at MARDI
Agrotechnology Parks strawberry model
farm and the fully equipped technology testbed in Cameron Highlands has resulted in
an entrepreneur venturing into downstream
processing. Three more entrepreneurs
are being given technical guidance at the
location.
105
106
Model farms at the MARDI Agrotechnology

Park in Langkawi have benefited several
entrepreneurs in the production of fruits and
vegetables using fertigation and hydroponic
techniques under the expert guidance of
researchers.
It is anticipated that more businesses
would be developed after the short term
attachment at the technology test-bed
or the model farms provided at the two
Agrotechnology Parks. The technologies
offered would be reviewed over the years
to cater for technology clusters that are
current and in line with customers needs.
Businesses set up after the attachment
would continue to receive technical guidance
from MARDI such as in quality improvement,
product diversification and securing quality
certification from the relevant authorities.
This would eventually lead to the growth
of technology-based ventures that would
provide employment and generate income
to the community. This would eventually
translate into increased production, more
import substituted products and increase in
foreign exchange for the country.
LONG TERM SIGNIFICANCE
MARDI aims to share knowledge generated
from R&D with visitors to its Agrotechnology
Parks, regardless of socio-economic
background or origin. It is fervently hoped
that they can sustain life long experiences
through their participation at the two
Agrotechnology Parks. Knowledge learnt
would make them more knowledgeable
persons and nature travel would contribute
to healthy living. The participation would
also enhance their appreciation of
agriculture, the green technology and the
environment.
Both local and international visitors and

entrepreneurs have benefited from the
activities implemented. The number of
visitors to the two locations has increased
significantly as promotion was intensified
and words of mouth about the activities
have interested people from near and
the far corners of the world. The MARDI
Agrotechnology Parks in Cameron
Highlands and Langkawi recorded more
than 200,000 and 60,000 visitors respectively
in 2009. Visitors include school children,
students from institutions of higher
learning, farmers, smallholders and people
from all walks of life. It is noteworthy to
mention that about 93% of visitors to the
MARDI Agrotechnology Park in Langkawi
are foreigners.
The MARDI Agrotechnology Park approach
in Langkawi and Cameron Highlands is
demonstrated to have succeeded in bringing
global knowledge to the local community
and local knowledge to the world. The
management has recorded an increase
in the number of visitors over the years.
The two Agrotechnology Parks would
continuously upgrade their facilities in order
to accommodate the anticipated growth in
number of visitors in the coming years.
The sharing of agricultural knowledge
through participatory learning with local and
international communities is demonstrated
to be successfully implemented in Langkawi
and Cameron Highlands. Since the
bridging of knowledge and communities
has truly been proven to be effective it is
envisaged that MARDI will replicate the
Agrotechnology Park concept in some
other locations in the future to provide
equal opportunities to more local and
international communities.
107
108
Feeding The Nation
MARDI ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 2010
OUR DELIVERY SYSTEMS

109
OUR DELIVERY
SYSTEMS
Other than carrying out research in
specified areas of concern, MARDI also
provides consultancy and technical services
to support the development of food and
agriculture industries and offer licensing
arrangements for the commercialization of
research results. Appropriate technologies
generated by the Institutes researchers are
transferred to specified target groups which
comprised of smallholders and traditional
producers, agro-based small and medium
enterprises (SMEs), the private sector and
relevant government departments and
ministries.
The strategies undertaken to facilitate
the implementation of the technology
transfer and commercialization plan are
technical support services; industrial
linkages and technology promotion;
technology development, transfer and
commercialization; business development
and entrepreneur development programme
(EDP).
TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES
The first step in the technology transfer
process is the dissemination of technologies
generated by MARDI through various
channels. MARDI produces a total of 40 to 50
technical and general publications annually
including journals, books, manuals, reports,
proceedings, pamphlets and brochures, with
an average of 400 articles.
110
In addition to the above, MARDI

also produced 30 technology
manuals in the Ninth Malaysia
Plan to facilitate the process
of technology transfer. The
knowledge contained in
these manuals has greatly
benefited entrepreneurs and
has facilitated in the running
of all Ministry of Agriculture
Incorporated (MOA Inc.)
projects.
MARDIs technical training was certified as
a core process under MS ISO 9001:2008.
A total of 949 technical courses were
conducted from 2006 to 2010. In the early
years of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, especially
in 2006 and 2007, recorded the highest
number of technical courses conducted in
MARDI where a total of 120 and 123 courses
were successfully implemented in the
respective years.
Advanced training courses for clusters such
as HACCP, GMP, packaging and labelling
as well as Halal foods were found to be
popular followed by food processing. The
number of technical courses conducted
according to category were 463 (48.7%)
on food processing, 267 (28.1%) advanced
courses, 153 (16.1%) on food crops and 64
(6.7%) on livestock. Two hands-on training
were conducted in 2010 to meet the request
of target groups.
A total of 13,278 participants attended the
technical courses conducted. The majority
of participants comprised of entrepreneurs
(50.8%) and extension personnel from
relevant government agencies (40.5%).
The remainder consisted of interested
individuals and participants from the
private sector.
Research laboratories in MARDI are capable

of rendering sponsored research projects
to the food and agro-based industry.
These laboratories has been engaged in
research in the field of animal breeding,
biochemistry, food science, phytochemistry,
crop physiology and all that is related to
agriculture.Routine laboratories on the
other hand plays an important part in the
much needed analytical services, assisting
entrepreneur in quality, nutritional needs
and food safetyanalysis oftheir agro-based
products. Laboratory services on soil, plant,
fertilizer, animal feed, pesticide residue,
essential oilsand food samples rendered
averaged 350 clients with 2,500 samples and
30,000analyses per year.
INDUSTRIAL LINKAGES AND TECHNOLOGY
PROMOTION
MARDI has established bilateral
cooperation/industrial linkages with 18
major federal and state agriculture and
development agencies. Regular meetings
were conducted to discuss the technology
requirements and to identify joint projects
and activities under the Technical Working
Group (TWG) mechanism. Initially projects
were implemented as models and later
replicated and expanded as common
practice. Currently, there are 28 TWGs
actively implementing more than 60 projects
throughout the country.
111
Technology promotion is a tool in

dissemination of research knowledge.
Promotion relating to MARDIs activities
and research findings were carried out
during seminars, expositions and carnivals
participated around the country. Technical
presentations, advisory services and
brochures have been the main media for
technology transfer. MARDI has organized
and participated in 129 expositions and
conducted 39 scientific conferences where
a total of 4911 participants have benefited
from these events.
Other promotional activities include
publicity through mass media and the
establishment of 21 Technology Information
Centres (TIC) in major stations located
throughout the country. An activity organized
to facilitate researchers and clientele
interaction was the meet the client (Hari
Bersama Pelanggan) sessions whereby the
public, particularly the entrepreneurs, were
given the opportunity to visit major research
stations and meet technology generators/
advisers in-situ.
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, TRANSFER
AND COMMERCIALIZATION
Pilot projects on various key technologies
are carried out to promote technology
uptake and upscaling. These activities
are conducted to validate the commercial
viability of MARDIs new products such as
new varieties of rice, fruits, vegetables,
livestock as well as new food processing
technologies. Establishment of model
farms at several stations operated by
SMEs or private sectors is another mode of
technology promotional activities.
The impacts of MARDIs upscaling and pilot
projects on rice can be demonstrated by the
launching of high yielding varieties. As a
result, the nation is able to maintain about
65 to 75% rice self-sufficiency through
these productivity improvement projects.
The national average yield has improved
from 3 tons/ha to almost 4.5 tons/ha in
112
most granaries. In downstream activities,

MARDI is renowned for its postharvest and
food processing technologies especially the
development of indigenous processed foods.
MARDI was entrusted with the production of
foundation rice seeds and planting materials
of MARDI-released crop varieties and those
endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Agro-based Industry. Production was carried
out at MARDI stations in Serdang, Jalan
Kebun and Tanjung Karang in Selangor,
Seberang Prai in Penang, Pontian in Johor,
Parit and Kuala Kangsar in Perak, Jerangau
in Terengganu, Bukit Tangga in Kedah and
Jelebu in Negeri Sembilan.
A total of 1,062 tons of foundation rice seeds
has been produced on 136 acres of land at
MARDI stations Seberang Perai, Tanjung
Karang and Parit and on 20 acres of contract
farmers land in Seberang Perai. The
varieties involved were MR 219, MR 220, MR
232, MR 263, MR 220CL1 and MR 220CL2.
MR 220CL1 and MR 220CL2 were the most
recently released varieties, together with
MR 253 and MR 263. MR 253 and MR 263
have good tolerance to major rice diseases
and perform better on marginal rice fields.
The CL or Clearfield lines were bred in
collabouration with BASF for the purpose
of controlling the problem of weedy rice
infestation.
Open-pollinated, as opposed to assisted
pollinated, seed production was carried out
for rice, vegetable seeds (chilli varieties
MC11 and Semerah), brinjal variety MT1,
ladies finger variety KB1, tomato variety
MT1, cucumber variety MT1, groundnut
variety Margenta and the sweet corn variety
Mas Madu.
Hybrid seeds combine the superior qualities
of the male and female parents, besides
providing hybrid vigour. F1 hybrid seeds
of Eksotika II were produced through
an assisted pollination of previously
emasculated Line 19 hermaphrodite
flowers, with pollens from mature,
unopened flowers of the Line 20 parents.
Seeds of the sweet corn variety, Hibrimas,

were produced through collabouration with
Green World Genetics Sdn Bhd.
our efforts are mainly directed towards

commercialization of MARDIs research
findings.
Production of clonally propagated planting

materials of various fruit trees such as
durian varieties (D24, D101, MDUR 78,
MDUR 79, MDUR 88), mango varieties
(Chokanan and Harumanis), rambutan
varieties (Anak Sekolah and Jarum Mas)
were produced through budgrafting and
wedge grafting. Whereas, banana plantlets
were produced through tissue culture.
Field crop planting materials of cassava
and sweet potato varieties were produced
through cuttings.
The vision in MARDIs business development

activities is to lead and spearhead the
development of businesses based on
agriculture and food products with a
mission to create business opportunities
for MARDIs research findings and
technologies. Activities are categorized into
three main thrust areas namely screening,
evaluation and packaging of technology,
pre-commercialization of technology and
marketing and sale of packaged technology.
In the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a seed

laboratory has been set up in MARDI
headquarters in Serdang. Seed testing
and quality assurance has been carried
out including field inspection, covering 280
acres of seed production areas and seed
testing of all seeds produced by MARDI.
Procedures subscribed were mainly those of
the International Seed Testing Association
(ISTA). SIRIMs standards were used for
rice seeds. MARDI has also been working
with SIRIM and other related agencies in
developing standards for other important
crops. Quality assurance was also given
emphasis. Seed and planting material
production systems for rice and fruit
trees, pineapple and papaya continued to
be certified with MS ISO 9001:2008. The
production of banana plantlets through
tissue culture has been added to this
certification scheme in 2008.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The most critical aspect about marketing
and selling of new technology is getting
or ensuring that it produces the expected
output in a business environment. This
task involves developing MARDIs research
findings into value propositions and
ultimately to market or commercialize these
findings. It is important to note that R&D
findings will remain intangible as long as
they are not commercialized. Therefore,
R&D and innovation assume a key role

in advancing S&T in a knowledge-based
and innovation-driven economy. New and
improved technologies create new products/
services that enhance wealth creation and
societal well-being for nations.
TechnoFund, the bridging fund for
Agriculture R & D is a competitive funding
to undertake development of new and
improved technologies in four sub-clusters
namely livestock, crops, food and agrobased industry and marine/aquatic. The
process involves activities right from the
development of laboratory scale prototype
up to the pre-commercialization stage that
concerns upscaling of commercially ready
prototype/pilot plant, upscale production
unit and field trials for demonstration and
testing purposes. Thus TechnoFund serves
as a bridging fund to address the funding
gap that exists between the earlier basic
research stage and the commercialization
stage. From 2008 to 2010, 29 TechnoFund
projects (list the projects, and add picture
if necessary) worth approximately RM74
million were managed by MARDI.
Technology incubator is one of the
approaches undertaken by MARDI
to transfer technology generated
from laboratory scale to large scale
production as a means of accelerating the
commercialization of R&D results. This
system provides four types of services in the
113
following areas namely technical services;

physical infrastructure, pilot plant and
office services; legal assistance and IPR
management services as well as business,
marketing development and networking
services.
MARDI technology incubators are developed
with a view to facilitate and provide services
to nurture SME entrepreneurs and focus
is given to leading edge technologies.
Four technology incubators for different
technologies have been set up in four
MARDI stations to facilitate the uptake of
technology through technology and business
innovations. The focus technologies at the
technology incubators are essential oil
extraction technology and essential oilbased products, fruit-based products (candy
and vacuum fried), extruded rice-based
snacks and VitAto-based bakery products.
Technological development is guided

by two forces namely demand-pull and
supply-push. In the case of demandpull, the needs of marketplace create the
demand for a technology. The impetus for
development of supply-push comes from the
scientist who generates new and valuable
technology which can be introduced into the
marketplace. Nevertheless, both forces can
produce useful technologies provided the
technology generation process (system) is
well in place and effectively managed.
Under direct commercialization, MARDI has
given out 17 licenses to various companies
for 23 technologies encompassing
livestock and feed production, agricultural
machineries and equipment, plant varieties,
food processing and fertilizer production.
Out of the 23 technologies, MARDI has
collected about RM 1,675,000 from
technology disclosure fees (TDF), technology
licensing fees (TLF) and management fees
(MF). MARDI has also received about RM
774,320 in royalty payments from these
technology licensing. About 16 technologies
are still under way of negotiation stage.
MARDITech Corporation Sdn. Bhd., the
business arm of MARDI, facilitates the
commercialization of MARDIs technologies
through activities such as venture capital
investment-equity participation in JV
companies, licensing-technology licensing
of intellectual property rights (IPR),
consultancy technology commercialization
and project management servicesprocurement of outstanding services/
privatization of projects.
ENTREPRENEUR DEVELOPMENT
Malaysia is progressing towards a developed
nation status by 2020 with per capita
income to be elevated from USD7,000 to
USD15,000. In order to achieve this status,
the government has plans to highlight the
potential of SMEs to be more competitive
and sustainable with the ability to compete
in domestic and international markets.
114
Efforts are also geared towards creating

SMEs that are capable of being national
champions in the regional and global food
and agriculture sector with high growth
through branding, increased productivity
and certification.
The objectives of the entrepreneur
development programme (EDP) are to
enhance and accelerate the application
of new technologies by target groups, to
develop technology-based SMEs in the food
and agriculture sector who are competitive
and are sustainable in local and global
markets as well as to accelerate the
technology commercialization process.
Developing champion SMEs would involve
a series of activities namely knowledge
and skill development, technical support,
comprehensive advisory services coupled
with continuous expert guidance.
Knowledge and skill development is an
important asset that entrepreneurs need to
possess. As such entrepreneurs selected
under various projects under the EDP were
given technical training in their respective
areas at MARDI or at their establishments
in order to equip themselves with the
necessary tools to succeed in their ventures.
From 2006 until 2010 more than 6,000
participants have attended and benefited
from the 244 training courses conducted
under EDP. As a result, knowledge and
skills of SMEs have been upgraded and
applied into practical use. Extension officers
from relevant government agencies have
also gained technical knowledge from
this programme and were then able to
disseminate the knowledge learned to their
own target groups.
nutrition labelling, 607 technical talks to

target groups all over the country and 300
promotional activities.
The EDP involves comprehensive advisory
services given to target groups relating to
efficient production, quality improvement,
production system improvement, branding
and market development, entrepreneurship
development and product diversification.
Since the past four decades concerted
and comprehensive guidance services
were rendered by multidisciplinary MARDI
technology generators and technology
transfer specialists in various aspects of
food including processing technologies,
quality control, conformance to regulatory
requirements, hygiene and sanitation,
packaging and labelling, use of appropriate
machineries, factory layout, system
development and certification.
MARDIs EDP has benefited more than
12,000 selected food entrepreneurs in
Malaysia via various technical extension
services and expert guidance rendered.
More than 1,000 technical advisory and
trouble-shooting services were provided
by MARDI researchers to selected SMEs
all over the country and more than 11,000
laboratory analyses have been performed on
1,494 food samples.
In an effort to facilitate the implementation
of EDP, specifically the commercialization
of food products, nine technology testbeds based on 13 food clusters have been
established throughout the country as in the
following table.
Entrepreneur support services in the

form of technical information have
been disseminated to more than 11,000
entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Other oneoff services provided under this category
are the analyses of 378 food samples
from entrepreneurs premises for the
purpose of product improvement and
115
Table: Location of MARDIs Technology

Test-Beds and Product Clusters
116
Location
Product Clusters
Food Technology
Research Centre,
MARDI
Headquarters,
Serdang, Selangor
Sauces, beverages and

pasta
MARDI Bukit Raya,

Kedah
Rice-based traditional
snacks
MARDI Seberang
Perai, Penang
Cookies
MARDI Johore
Bahru, Johore
Fruit-based beverages,
sauces, snacks, jams and
spreads
MARDI Cameron
Highlands, Pahang
Strawberry-based jams,
spreads, sauces and
beverages
MARDI Pasir Puteh,

Kelantan
Traditional cakes, sauces,

fermented products and
beverages
MARDI Kuala
Terengganu,
Terengganu
Fish-based products
MARDI Kuching,
Sarawak
Convenience foods,
beverages, bakery products,
fish-based products
MARDI Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah
Bakery products, fish-based

products, beverages, fruit
snacks and traditional cakes
Each technology test-bed is equipped with

specialized equipment and facilities for
the processing of the products under the
cluster(s) identified. Entrepreneurs selected
to undergo attachment training at these
technology test-beds had the opportunity
to improve the quality of their existing
products, develop new products for market
testing, operate machinery and equipment
and familiarize themselves with the
production system prior to establishing their
own factory. Preference for participation at
technology test-beds is given to selected
SMEs under MARDIs guidance programme
and adoption scheme. A total of 5,415
existing and potential food entrepreneurs
have benefitted from this programme. Other
activities conducted in the technology testbeds include technology demonstrations,
practical training and technical courses.
117
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
Dato Dr. Sharif Haron
Nur Aishah Ariffin
Ahmad Shokri Hj Othman
Maheswary N. Vellupillai
Rosiah Hamzah
Dr. Mazidah Mat
Engku Hasmah Engku Abdullah
Dr. Teoh Chin Chuang
Khairul Fithri Abdul Rashid
Dr. Mohamed Rani Mat Yusoh
Khairatul Azmah Mohamed
Dr. Wee Chien Yeong
Suria Mohd Saad
Dr. Rahman @ Abd Rahman Milan
Illias Mohd Khir
Dr. Zaulia Othman
Noor Azizah Ahmad
Dr. Faridah Hussin
Wan Zairi Wan Abdul Manaf
Dr. Ainu Husna M S Suhaimi
Azizi Ahmad Azmin
Mohd Syauqi Nazmi
Tapsir Serin
Dr. Rozhan Abu Dardak
Roslina Ali
118
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Committee on 9th Malaysia Plan Technical Report
would like to extend appreciation and thanks to:

Director General of MARDI

Deputy Director Generals
Directors of R&D and Technology Transfer and Commercialization
Heads of Units
Technology generators
and other individuals who have contributed

to the publication of this report.
119

MARDI - Five Excellent Years of Innovation in Agriculture

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MARDI - Five Excellent Years of Innovation in Agriculture

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FIVE

Technical Report (20062010)

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute 2014

Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia

FIVE EXCELLENT YEARS of INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE

Graphic by: Tengku Ahmad Fakrul Adli Engku Mat

Feeding The Nation

Message from the Secretary General

viii Message from the Director General

MARDI Achievements 20062010

Feeding the Nation

Fruits and Vegetables, Our Export Earner

Livestock and Feed Production Sustainability

Reaping Benefits from Industrial Crops

Value Adding Means Business

Natural Resources for Sustainable Farming

Agrobiodiversity, Our Heritage

Green Initiatives in Agriculture

Biotechnology The Future Agriculture

MARDI Agrotechnology Parks: Bridging

Our Delivery Systems

Technical Committee Members

Message from the

competitiveness, and to ensure that the

Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Bin Abdullah

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

Message from the

genetic resources. Significant research

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Feeding The Nation

FEEDING THE NATION

Rice is the most important staple food crop

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Feeding The Nation

Shortage of land for rice cultivation and the

MR 232 rice variety, developed from a cross

For planting on marginal soil of riverine

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

Demand for coloured rice for the past few

AEROBIC RICE FOR NON-GRANARY

Extreme climate and limited rainfall

Appropriate fertilizer management is

Technical Report (2006-2010)

WAR AGAINST WEEDS AND PESTS

Weedy rice, locally known as padi angin, is

Feeding The Nation

Information and Communication Technology

Other than weeds, infestations of major

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

principal components namely post-harvest

Managing wastes and creating

CREST-DSS: ICT application

CREST Package for yield

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Feeding The Nation

To meet the challenge in labour shortage

SENSORING TECHNOLOGYA NEW FRONTIER

Rapid and accurate information on rice

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

Technical Report (2006-2010)

Feeding The Nation