Seed quality, physical properties and proximate compositions of Adan rice

In the presence study, Adan rice was evaluated for seed quality, some physical and proximate compositions. The seed purity and moisture content and germination was 99.76±0.07%, 10.53 ±0.50% and 91.33±1.29% respectively. Adan rice seed took minimum 4 days to fully germinate. The physical properties of Adan Rice were evaluated at 12.03 ±0.14% moisture content. The length, width, thickness, 1000 grain weight, geometric mean dimension, surface area aspect ratio, and bulk density were 8.60mm, 2.13 mm, 1.67 mm, 15.28 g, 10.22mm, 27.04 24.83%, 0.50±0.01 g/ml respectively. Proximate composition analysis assessment was done using Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method. The moisture content, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate and fibre were 10.43%, 0.50%, 6.30%, 0.22%, 81.49% and 5.61%. Gelatinization temperature was determined by using alkali-digestion test. Adan rice has an intermediate gelatinization temperature

Genomics studies on plantation tree species in Sarawak

Rapid socio-economic changes in the world are having profound impacts on all sectors, including forestry. The increase in global demand for wood requires increase in forest productivity. The alternative is to farm trees in plantations composed of fast-growing species with short rotation cycles (6–8 y). The rationale is that natural forests at the most produce about 3 m3 ha y-1 of commercial timber, whereas plantations can produce annually from 10 m3 ha y-1 of hardwoods to 30 m3 ha-1 of softwoods and thus, decrease the effects of human pressure on our ecosystems while increasing the competitiveness of Sarawak’s forest industry. This is in line with the state government’s aspiration to establish one million hectares of planted forests by year 2020 to meet the increasing demand from both domestic and international markets for raw materials. It is estimated at least 30 million seedlings are required for annual planting or reforestation programmes. In this regard, forest genomics research will help respond to the need to develop adequate tools that enable us to produce quality planting materials that are of faster growth, high yield and high wood quality, and also adapted to local conditions, so that we may achieve economic benefits of great significance. Realizing the need, we have centred our research on the development of tools via biotechnological innovations for tree breeders. Over the years, we have successfully developed: 1) simple sequence repeat (SSR) 173 DNA markers specific for identifying the genetic make-up of two fastgrowing indigenous tree species, i.e. kelampayan and sawih; 2) the ‘Touch-incubate-PCR’ approach for preparing plant tissues for high throughput genotyping, and 3) a kelampayan tree transcriptome database (NcdbEST aka CADAMOMICS) for wood formation. These tools will greatly facilitate the selection of quality planting materials for planted forest development in Sarawak as well as long-term tree improvement activities by integrating genomics into our breeding programme via association mapping. The overall benefit of genomics application to tree improvement programme will be in terms of greater certainty in the outcome of results, specifically the performance of the forest plantations, as well as the savings in time and cost in the production and supply of quality planting materials

Evaluation of the Biodiversity of The Kelabit Highlands, Sarawak

Reported herein are the preliminary results of an evaluation of the biota of Mount Murud, Sarawak’s highest mountain massif within the Kelabit Highlands. Supported by an IRPA grant, inventories, systematic and ecological studies of selected groups of plants and animals were conducted in an attempt to evaluate the biodiversity and compile baseline data of this montane region for the management and conservation of these vital resources. This study reveals several new records of montane endemics and distribution. Several species found are new records for Mt. Murud, being reported in the past only from Mt. Kinabalu, the Crocker Range massifs, Gunung Mulu and G. Api, and in the case of macromoths, Bukit Retak, Brunei. The colubrid snake Stoliczkia borneensi, the scincid lizard Brachymeles apus and the ranoid frogs Meristogenys whiteheadi and Rhacophorus angulirostris are among these new records. Well-known endemics among the butterflies, which are previously only known from Mt. Kinabalu, Mulu and the Crocker range massifs are now also known from the Kelabit Highlands. These are Ptychandra talboti, Parantica crowleyi, Delias ninus parthenia, Kaniska canace maniliana, and Eurema tominia nabalua. All these represent range extensions of over 1,000 km to the south-west. Several new species are reported for the first time for Mt Murud and these include the amphibians and reptiles, Pelophryne sp. 1, Pelophryne sp. 2, Polypedates sp., Megophrys sp. and Sphenomorphus sp., respectively. For scarcity of previous work in Mount Murud, a large number of unidentified specimens remain, including a number of species that do not readily fit into currently recognised species. These include representatives of all the biota. An overall impression of the flora and fauna of Mount Murud as compared to Mt Kinabalu is that it is reminiscent of that of the middle elevations of Mt. Kinabalu

From Conservation To Innovation Building Research Capacity For Planted Forest Development In Sarawak

The increase in global demand for wood requires increase in forest productivity. The alternative is to farm trees in plantations composed of fast-growing species with short rotation cycle (6-8 years). The rationale is that natural forests at the most produce about 3m3/ha/yr of commercial timber, whereas plantations can produce annually from 10m3/ha of hardwoods to 30m3/ha of softwoods and thus, decrease the effects of human pressure on our ecosystems while increasing the competitiveness of Sarawak‘s forest industry. This is in line with State Government‘s aspiration to establish one million hectares of planted forests by year 2020 to meet the increasing demand from both domestic and international markets for raw materials. It is estimated at least 30 million seedlings are required for annual planting or reforestation programmes. In this regard, the forest genomics research will help respond to the need to develop adequate tools that enable us to produce quality planting materials that are of faster growth, high-yield and high wood quality, and also adapted to local conditions, so that we may achieve economic benefits of great significance. Realizing the needs, we have centered our research on the development of tools via biotechnological innovations for tree breeders. We have successfully developed: 1) an array of highly informative and polymorphic DNA markers specific for identifying the genetic makeup of two fast growing indigenous tree species, i.e. Kelampayan and Sawih; 2) the one step ‗Touchincubate- PCR‘ approach for preparing plant tissues for high throughput genotyping, and 3) a genomic resource database, aka CADAMOMICS (10,368 ESTs) for wood formation in Kelampayan via high-throughput DNA sequencing. These tools will greatly facilitate the selection of quality planting materials for planted forest development in Sarawak as well as longterm tree improvement activities by integrating genomics into our breeding programme via association mapping. The overall benefit of genomics application to tree improvement programme will be in terms of greater certainty in the outcome of results, specifically the performance of the forest plantations, as well as the savings in time and cost in the production and supply of quality planting materials

Seed Germination and DNA genotyping of Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Progenies (half-sib family)

Neolamarckia cadamba or locally known as Kelampayan is an economically and ecologically important forest tree species. The species is an indigenous fast growing tree that gives early economic returns, within eight to ten years. Kelampayan has been planted in plantation for commercial purposes due to its wood characteristics that are suitable to produce different products, such as plywood and paper. In the present study, germination test was used to determine the seed viability and to gain more information with respect to field planting value of the Kelampayan seeds. Germination test also can provide results which can be used to compare the value of different seed lots. Fruits of ten mother trees from the Ravens Court, Lawas, Sarawak, were processed and air-dried to collect the seeds. The germination test was conducted on the filter paper under optimum condition and the growth rates between progenies of different mother trees were compared. Progenies from mother tree number 00059, showed the highest germination rate (88%) while progenies from mother tree number 00067 showed the lowest germination rate (14%). The information on germination test can be used to predict the rate of germinating progenies from different mother trees and to determine the planting value of seed lots to provide standardized marketing seed. For DNA genotyping, a total of 139 progenies from the 7 selected mother trees earlier were genotyped using four SSR primers, namely AC03, AC11, AC15 and GTG11. All 4 loci were successfully amplified and a total of 17 alleles were detected. The value for He was highest for NCAC11 (0.7190) and lowest for NCGTG11 (0.3832)

Food reserve composition in sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) and influence of cluster age on survivability at the nursery stage

Sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) can be propagated by suckers which are normally nursed either using rafting or poly-bag system for at least three to four months before planting them in the field. With the establishment of sago plantation in Sarawak, suckers were harvested at rapid rate to fulfil the high demand for planting material. All available suckers were harvested regardless maturity and this resulting in high mortality rate during nursery stage experienced by the plantation. The objectives of the study were to determine the importance of food reserve in the rhizome and sago sucker maturity which influence the sucker survivability during nursery stage. Sucker survivability was recorded from the observation and monitoring nursed suckers using poly-bag system for six months. Sucker’s crude fibre, sugar and starch content were determined using Maynard procedure, Anthrone and Somogyi-Nelson method respectively. The result showed that sucker derived from mature sago clusters have higher survival rate (82.5%) than those from immature sago cluster (45%) during nursery stage. The moisture, crude fibre, starch and sugar contents in the fibrous upper part of both suckers were statistically similar, however significantly different percentage of moisture, crude fibre, starch and sugar content were observed in the rhizome of sucker from both types. High starch (29.21%) and sugar (4.38%) with low moisture (74.62%) and crude fibre (9.20%) in the rhizome of matured sucker indicate more food reserve and this enabled the sucker to survive when separated from the mother palm compared to sucker derived from immature sago clusters. Results showed that rhizome is one of the vital parts for survivability where food reserve was stored. Food reserve is also essential for the development of new roots and leaves to enable these parts to synthesize energy through the absorption of nutrients and photosynthesis activities. The findings of this study suggest that sucker from mature sago clusters can be used to produce planting material especially due to their high survival rate during nursery stage

Traditional natural farming system in the production of Bario rice (Adan rice) by Lun Bawang community in the highland of Borneo, Sarawak, East Malaysia and potential for using biochar, paddy straw and buffalo dung bokashi

The famous Adan Rice or popularly known as Bario Rice is grown mainly in Bario and Ba’Kelalan (Sarawak) and Krayan (Indonesia) at elevation range from 450 m a.s.l to 1100 m a.s.l. Paddy cultivation system in these areas is based on rainfed and utilizing low fertilizer input which resemble nature farming. This is a signature rice for Sarawak and it is a must as a souvenir among local tourists visiting the Highlands. Traditional or nature farming system practices do not use any machineries and cultivation is done manually with the help of buffaloes. Tillage and manuring is accomplished with buffaloes grazing within the paddy field and kept to fallow 4-5 months before the next planting season. The objectives of this study are to determine the yield and soil health status of the paddy field in Ba’kelalan and the potential of increasing rice yield by utilizing locally available resources with minimal application of NPK fertilizer. Total of 30 paddy fields had been randomly selected where soil samples and yield were measured by having 3 plots of 1m2 quadrats in each paddy field. Fertilizer effectiveness trial was done insitu to determine the response of the Adan Halus towards fertilizer. In adopting this method, the average Total Carbon (TC) before the planting season were 5.36 % (at 0-15cm depth) and 4.79% (at 15-30cm depth), with Organic Matter (OM) of 15.75% (0-15cm depth) and 14.20% (at 15-30cm depth). The average pHKCl was 3.85 to 4.09 for the paddy fields and CEC value range from 10 cmol kg-1 to 19.35 cmol kg-1. The yield of paddy harvested ranged from 0.5 t to 9 t ha-1 and aboveground biomass (paddy straw) at an average of 17.07 t ha-1 (fresh weight). Preliminary agronomic yield improvement study conducted in Ba’kelalan showed that the Adan Halus has the potential to produce up to 6 t ha-1 of paddy per season with 36.67 t ha-1 of paddy straw. Application of NPK 17.5:15.5:10 at 240 kg ha-1 and biochar at 5 t ha-1 effectively increased the yield of Adan Halus to 6 t ha-1