AgroTech- Food Science, Technology and Environment

Effects of Indigenous Microorganisms on Rice Straw Degradation

2024-01-20T08:07:35+00:00

The use of indigenous microorganisms (IMO) has been known to improve soil fertility and crop production. This study was carried out to observe the effect of indigenous microorganisms on rice straw composting, consist of different carbon to nitrogen ratio. Composting was carried out for 35 days and was turned manually every week. The results show that carbon and nitrogen ratio decreased during composting period and temperature was observed in compost treatment mixture consist of rice straw, goat manure, rice bran and IMO (T4) compared to rice straw only (T1). Compost treated with IMO showed further decrease of carbon to nitrogen ratio at 9.5 upon maturation state on the 35th day. Analysis of microorganisms showed compost treatment with IMO has higher diversity of microorganisms with 3.16 × 109 CFU g-1 for mesophilic bacteria and 7.9 × 108 CFU g-1 for thermophilic bacteria. In conclusion, compost treated with IMO with combination of goat dung, paddy straw and rice bran contain high diversity of microorganisms in compost systems and thus, undergo early maturation phase of composting process.

Essential Oil Composition and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity of Magnolia alba (Magnoliaceae) Leaves from Malaysia

2024-03-08T01:28:05+00:00

This study aims to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil of Magnolia alba from Malaysia as well as acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The hydrodistillation process was used to produce the essential oil, and gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to analyse it. In total, 20 chemical components were identified in the leaf oil, accounting for 99.4%. The major components of the essential oil were linalool (65.4%), β-caryophyllene (6.7%), (E)-nerolidol (5.2%), and β-elemene (4.4%). Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity was evaluated using the Ellman method, respectively, in which the essential oil showed moderate inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (I%: 73.5%). Thus, the findings may be helpful for identifying the medicinal and therapeutic uses of the essential oil from the Magnolia genus.

Impact of Selected Pesticides on the Population of Leaf Miners on Chinese Celery, Apium graveolens var. secalinum

2024-05-28T08:15:33+00:00

In Malaysia, leaf miners, primarily from the Diptera order and Agromyzidae family, are significant agricultural pests that cause extensive damage to a wide range of crops. This study evaluates the efficacy of two insecticides, deltamethrin and cyromazine, in managing leaf miner populations on Chinese celery, Apium graveolens var. secalinum, in the Cameron Highlands. Utilizing a completely randomized design (CRD) approach, the research measured the impact of these pesticides on the pests' larval and pupal development stages. The field trials were conducted on an experimental plot in Habu, Ringlet, where treatments included three concentrations of cyromazine and a standard concentration of deltamethrin, with water serving as a control. Data collection methods combined direct and indirect observational techniques, including the use of Yellow Sticky Traps (YST) for adult activity and detailed leaf examinations for larval and pupal stages. Statistical analysis was performed using the Henderson-Tilton formula to assess the reduction in pest populations. Results indicated that deltamethrin significantly reduced leaf miner activity, demonstrating a 35.2% decrease in leaf mining and a 47.5% reduction in pupal emergence, confirming its immediate effectiveness. Conversely, cyromazine showed a gradual impact, significantly disrupting larval to pupal transition, with the highest dose achieving a 17.9% reduction in pupal emergence. This study highlights the differential impacts of these pesticides and contributes valuable insights into effective pest management strategies in tropical agriculture.

A Comparative Study of Blue and Yellow Sticky Traps for Insect Monitoring on Tomato Organic Farm in Mardi Cameron Highlands

2024-05-23T07:25:46+00:00

Sticky traps are widely used tools in insect monitoring and pest management strategies. These traps are useful tools for monitoring insect populations and eradicating pests because they use a sticky adhesive surface to capture and immobilize insects upon contact, especially flying insects. This study focuses on investigating insect preferences in a tomato plot regarding their attraction to either blue or yellow sticky traps. The research was conducted over three sampling periods from October to November 2022. A total of 12 sticky traps were deployed in the tomato plot for each sampling time, with six blue and six yellow sticky traps. Results of t test indicated a significant difference between the insects captured using Yellow Sticky Traps (YST) and Blue Sticky Traps (BST) with p value < 0.05 (t value = 2.94). The data indicated that YST was better at capturing a greater variety of insects, enhancing diversity coverage. On the other hand, BST demonstrated its significance in monitoring thrips and aphids, pests crucial to tomatoes, making it valuable for insect surveillance. In conclusion, YST demonstrated higher overall insect capture rates, BST remained valuable for specific insects like thrips and aphids. The findings from this study provide valuable insights for optimizing insect trapping methods in tomato cultivation and potentially in other agricultural settings.

Sociological Factors Influencing Paddy Yield Production in Malaysia's Granary Area

2024-06-19T00:22:27+00:00

The paddy industry is one of the main industries concentrated in the national plan, which aims to reach a production level of 3.62 million tons by 2030. The industry's ability to reach production levels depends on the ability of farmers to produce sufficient production by 2030. The level of production is still low and it is necessary to understand why this is happening from a sociological point of view. A sociological perspective by Paulus Wirutomo of Model of Structure, Process and Culture was used to understand the differences in daily paddy activities that affect yield production. The study was conducted in all granary areas in Malaysia with a total of 618 respondents over main and off seasons during the period of RMK11. The structural part explains to what is provided by the authority and law that was the guideline for them to follow the need for the necessary conditions for successful cultivation. With all the necessary prerequisites, the farmers' agricultural practices (process section) must be carried out accordingly, such as regular inspections of the granary and good management of the agricultural practices to be fully carried out. Fulfilling both the structural and the process section, it also indirectly benefits the culture section, which is created when the impact of the trainings attended and trusted sources of information allow farmers to carry out their agricultural activities well and meet expectations of environmental factors sites and good agricultural practices also have an indirect impact on achieving good yields. Therefore, the structural section, provided by the government through its agency, enables the process to be conducted successfully with the impact on the farmers that have created the cultural benefits needed from the perspective of the farmers. But to ensure how structure-process-culture benefits farmers by producing higher yields, all the prose must be done with full commitment from farmers.

The used 1H NMR for Screening on Streptomyces spp. and Identification of Metabolites Involved in Both Antifungal and Non-antifungal Producer for Colletotrichum gleosporioides

2024-06-19T00:23:22+00:00

Streptomyces spp. had been well known for their antimicrobial activities. These activities were due to the presence of certain metabolites in the Streptomyces spp. In this study, Streptomyces spp. with the ability to produce antimicrobial activity and those without activity were grown in Starch Casein Broth (SCB) for 3 days before the metabolites were extracted using the liquid-liquid partition method. The obtained extracts were then subjected to 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis to obtain the metabolites presence in both antifungal producing and non-antifungal producing Streptomyces spp. From the analysis, it was observed that valine, isoleucine, leucine, asparagine, α-glucose, and fructose were present in antifungal producing Streptomyces spp., while only fatty acid and lactic acid were observed for non-antifungal producing Streptomyces spp. The use of 1H NMR does not only help in identifying Streptomyces spp. with potential antifungal ability but can also help in identifying the Streptomyces spp.

The potential of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as a biological control for the house fly, Musca domestica

2024-06-05T00:38:37+00:00

The presence of black soldier fly (BSF) in livestock farms has been shown to reduce house fly populations. It is believed caused by the interspecific interaction between these two species. The objective of this project is to evaluate the potential of BSF larvae as biological control agents for house flies in livestock farms. In the bioassay treatment of the effects of repelling house fly oviposition, the effectiveness of each treatment was measured by the number of hatching house fly larvae in each treated chicken manure samples. The less the number of house fly larvae the higher the effectiveness of the treatment. The bioassay’s results show that there were significant differences in the number of house fly larvae hatched between controls treatment with 40 BSF treatment (F = 170.93, df = 3, P < 0.01) and 80 BSF treatment (F = 529.99, df = 3, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between treatments with 20 BSF (F = 4.19, df = 3, P < 0.05). The reduction of the house fly population regarding to the increasing of BSF larvae number in the treatment suggested the density-dependant factor alongside with the depletion of the nutrient in the treated manure for house fly larvae to growth.

Rhizobacteria Induce Growth Promotion and Fusarium Wilt Disease Suppression in Watermelon

2024-05-23T07:27:04+00:00

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cultivation is important for Malaysia's agricultural sector, accounting for approximately 8.8% of tropical fresh fruit production in 2021, primarily concentrated in Kelantan, Pahang, Johor, and Terengganu. Production dropped from 2016 to 2021, but showed resilience recently, bouncing back to 136 kilotonnes in 2022. Watermelon serves as a key export commodity, reaching markets in Singapore, China, and the Middle East. However, Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum (Fon), poses significant challenges, resulting in yield losses ranging from 30% to 80%. The disease thrives in warm, moist climates and can persist in soil for years, posing a long-term threat to cultivation. Management strategies like using resistant crop varieties, rotating crops, and cultural practices are used, but chemical control is limited by environmental concerns and other restrictions. Continuous watermelon cultivation depletes soil nutrients and increases pathogen buildup due to the crop exhausting essential nutrients and promoting disease-causing organisms, thereby reducing soil health and crop yield. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) show promise in enhancing plant growth, suppressing pathogens, and improving soil sustainability. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of selected rhizobacteria species in promoting watermelon growth and suppressing Fusarium wilt in vitro. The tested rhizobacteria were identified as Pseudomonas atagonensis, P. resinovorans, P. germanica, P. alcaligenes, and P. glycinae. The production of fluorescence pigments was assessed using King's B medium and were detected in P. atagonensis and P. glycinae. The bacteria were further evaluated for their plant growth-promoting abilities, revealing that P. atagonensis, P. resinovorans, P. germanica, and P. glycinae exhibit nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and potassium solubilization activities. Fusarium wilt disease suppression was assessed via dual culture techniques by measuring the inhibition zone. Results indicated that P. atagonensis exhibited the highest inhibition zone (10 mm), followed by P. glycinae (5.3 mm) and P. alcaligenes (4 mm) compared to the control. Overall, this study suggests that Pseudomonas species can induce growth promotion and suppress Fusarium wilt disease in watermelon.