Monitoring insect pest infestation via different spectroscopic techniques

Nowadays, monitoring and observing insect pest populations is a major and crucial issue in agriculture, especially for crop protection. Spectroscopic techniques are well recognized for detecting and monitoring insect pests in the field and also the internal quality of fruit. There are several spectroscopic techniques with specific characteristic features, including mass spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear resonance spectroscopy. Nevertheless, limitations and complexity are the constraints of these technologies. In this paper, the spectroscopic and imaging spectroscopic techniques are discussed, compared, and investigated, namely fluorescence light detection and ranging (LIDAR) to study the fluorescence of diverse types of planthopper (Hemiptera) and moth (Lepidoptera), visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy to detect internal insect-infested jujubes, NIR spectroscopy to determine spectral properties of oil palm bagworms, hyperspectral transmittance image for detecting insect-damaged vegetable soybeans, and remote sensing measurement to detect bagworm infestation in oil palm plantations. These techniques are found to be reliable methods for better monitoring of insect pest movement in the harvested plant and in the ground, for the detection of insect-damaged vegetable soybeans and internal insect infestation in jujubes, and for the determination of oil palm bagworm spectral properties

Relationship between job satisfaction and job factors among extension agents in the Malaysia's oil palm industry

This study was conducted to determine the level of job satisfaction and its relationships with job factors among extension agents involved in Malaysia’s oil palm industry. Data were collected by a census method using self-administered questionnaires from a total of 254 respondents. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was used to measure job satisfaction of the respondents. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21.0. The results indicated that the job satisfaction level amongst the extension agents was high. This study also found that there was a significant positive relationship between job satisfaction and job factors, namely salary, promotion opportunities, supervision, co-workers, work environment and the work itself. To ensure continuous job satisfaction amongst extension agents, contributing factors towards job satisfaction should be given attention and maintained by the organisation

Targeted cattle grazing as an alternative to herbicides for controlling weeds in bird-friendly oil palm plantations

The use of agrochemicals is expected to increase with the global expansion of oil palm plantations. In line with environmentally sustainable palm oil certification, targeted grazing can minimize the dependency on herbicides for controlling weeds in plantations. Here, we show for the first time that targeted grazing would control weeds and improve biodiversity of desired animal species. We sampled birds at 45 oil palm plantations in Peninsular Malaysia that were systematically grazed, non-systematically grazed, or herbicide-controlled plantations without cattle grazing. We found that bird species richness increased with size of grazing area, but decreased with number of cattle. Bird abundance was higher in the systematic grazing system, but negatively related to number of cattle. These factors explained 18.41 and 25.34% of the observed variations in bird species richness and abundance, respectively. Our findings suggest that targeted cattle grazing can be instrumental for transforming conventional oil palm agriculture into more biodiversity-friendly agroecosystems. Targeted grazing is likely to be practical under field conditions in major palm oil producing countries. In addition, the use of targeted grazing as a biological control method for weeds would be welcomed by palm oil consumers and encouraged by sustainable palm oil certification bodies such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

Ground based thermographic screening of bagworm (Metisa plana Walker) infestation in oil palm and identification of their growth stages

Bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) are one of the main species of vicious leaf-eating insect pests that affects oil palm plantations in Malaysia. A moderate bagworm attack of 10-50% leaf damage may cause 43% yield loss. In 2020, the economic loss due to the bagworm attack in Malaysia is estimated as RM 180 million. Hence, it is necessary to monitor closely the bagworm outbreak in infested areas. However, precise data collection with accuracy is a challenging task. In this context, we explored the possibility of using thermal infrared (TIR) cameras (T 440) for detection of bagworms and identification of bagworm growth stages at the infested areas for effective monitoring. The reflector method was applied to detect the reflected apparent temperature and emissivity of the bagworms using thermographic measurement techniques. The results have revealed that the bagworms from the 1st to 7th larval instar and pupal stages exhibit emissivity values ranging from 0.88 to 0.89. Two rounds of our observation have shown that the bagworms can be detected during evening and afternoon vision as compared to night, midnight and morning vision, with consideration of emissivity, solar radiation, and snapshot distance at a percentage accuracy of 74 and 85%, respectively. The classification of the larval and pupal stages was carried out by grouping the larval and pupal stages based on their real size; Group I: larval stage 1-3, Group II: larval stage 4-7; and Group III: pupal stage. Identification of the bagworm stages according to the classified group and the object led to differentiation between the larval stages from Gr. I, II, and III, with the per cent detection of 60, 84 and 89%, respectively. The results indicate that the thermographic imaging approach can be applied to detect bagworms, provided all conditions and time observation are taken into consideration. This thermographic technique deserves thorough testing and optimization for detection of bagworms in oil palm plantations

Ground based thermographic screening of bagworm (Metisa plana Walker) infestation in oil palm and identification of their growth stages

804-813Bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) are one of the main species of vicious leaf-eating insect pests that affects oil palm plantations in Malaysia. A moderate bagworm attack of 10-50% leaf damage may cause 43% yield loss. In 2020, the economic loss due to the bagworm attack in Malaysia is estimated as RM 180 million. Hence, it is necessary to monitor closely the bagworm outbreak in infested areas. However, precise data collection with accuracy is a challenging task. In this context, we explored the possibility of using thermal infrared (TIR) cameras (T 440) for detection of bagworms and identification of bagworm growth stages at the infested areas for effective monitoring. The reflector method was applied to detect the reflected apparent temperature and emissivity of the bagworms using thermographic measurement techniques. The results have revealed that the bagworms from the 1st to 7th larval instar and pupal stages exhibit emissivity values ranging from 0.88 to 0.89. Two rounds of our observation have shown that the bagworms can be detected during evening and afternoon vision as compared to night, midnight and morning vision, with consideration of emissivity, solar radiation, and snapshot distance at a percentage accuracy of 74 and 85%, respectively. The classification of the larval and pupal stages was carried out by grouping the larval and pupal stages based on their real size; Group I: larval stage 1-3, Group II: larval stage 4-7; and Group III: pupal stage. Identification of the bagworm stages according to the classified group and the object led to differentiation between the larval stages from Gr. I, II, and III, with the per cent detection of 60, 84 and 89%, respectively. The results indicate that the thermographic imaging approach can be applied to detect bagworms, provided all conditions and time observation are taken into consideration. This thermographic technique deserves thorough testing and optimization for detection of bagworms in oil palm plantations

Alley-cropping system increases vegetation heterogeneity and moderates extreme microclimates in oil palm plantations

Forest conversion to oil palm plantation is causing a major loss of biodiversity in Southeast Asia and other tropical regions. Oil palm plantations have less biodiversity because of their simplified vegetation, human disturbances, and extreme microclimate conditions. Alley-cropping system incorporates a secondary crop in the alleys between the main crops. In some cases alley-cropping can result in a greater vegetation structural complexity, thus potentially providing agricultural and ecological benefits, including: buffering against weather extremes, reduction in soil erosion, increased biodiversity, and increased nutrient and water-use efficiency. In this study, we compared vegetation structure (height and cover of vegetation), microclimate (air temperature, relative humidity, light intensity and wind speed), and soil conditions (soil surface temperature, soil pH and soil moisture) across a range of alley-cropping systems and two ages of monoculture oil palm. We found that alley- cropping system had varied structural complexity across different crops when compared to oil palm monoculture system. Careful selection of crops was essential, with black pepper and cacao having the largest impact on improving vegetation heterogeneity and microclimate regulation when incorporated into an alley-cropping system. In particular, we found that systems intercropped with black pepper had air and soil surface temperatures up to 1.3 °C and 2.1 °C cooler than those in oil palm monoculture. In contrast, systems intercropped with bactris and bamboo had increased air temperatures. Our findings show that some alley-cropping systems have great potential as a climate-smart practice in sustainable oil palm agriculture. This study also shows that careful selection of crops is important in the planning and management of future alley-cropping system to optimise the ecosystem benefits that can be gained from this management system

Alley-cropping system can boost arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is among the fastest expanding crops, due to high global demand for vegetable oils. Large areas of forest are converted into oil palm plantation to meet the market demand in producing countries which causes rapid decline in tropical biodiversity, including arthropods. The alley-cropping system has the potential to promote faunal biodiversity, related ecosystem services and food security in agricultural landscapes. In alley-cropping, a main crop is intercropped with a secondary crop (often a food crop), secondary crops are cultivated in the alleys in between the main crop. We compared arthropod taxonomic richness, arthropod predators and decomposers between five alley-cropping treatments (pineapple, bamboo, black pepper, cacao, bactris), where oil palm is intercropped with another species. In addition, we sampled two control treatments: monoculture oil palm, aged seven and 15 years old. A total of 50,155 arthropod individuals were recorded using pitfall trap sampling, representing 19 orders and 28 families. Fourteen orders belonging to sub-phylum Insecta, three orders from Arachnida (Araneae; Acarinae; Scorpiones) and two orders from Myriapoda (Chordeumatida; Geophilomorpha). We detected an increase in beta-diversity of oil palm production landscape. Specifically, we found that the number of arthropod orders, families and abundance were significantly greater in alley-cropping farming plots than those in monoculture plots. In addition, alley-cropping treatments contained larger numbers of predators and decomposers. Our findings suggest that the alley-cropping system can become a key management strategy to improve biodiversity and ecosystem functions within oil palm production landscapes

Systematic Literature Review on the Social and Economic Impacts of Palm Oil Certification on Smallholders

Enhancing smallholder compliance to palm oil certification standards helps in achieving the global sustainability agenda. Oil palm smallholders are one of the vital parts of the global certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) supply chain. However, little is known about on the importance of palm oil certification for the social and economic development of smallholders. This present study aims to systematically review the social and economic benefits received by smallholders in implementing palm oil certification. The review was conducted in accordance with the published standard, namely the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses). The articles of this study were chosen from two major databases, namely Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). The results show that smallholders gained both immediate and long-term social (livelihood, social network and agricultural practices) and economic (financial management, income, price and production) benefits through palm oil certification. If these benefits can be extended to all smallholders, it will help to boost the participation of smallholders in certification. The current progress, impacts and challenges faced by oil palm smallholders in palm oil certification implementation were discussed comprehensively. Future research and suggestions on the contributions of oil palm smallholders in successful certification were summarised. This eventually leading to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for benefits of the whole supply chain of Malaysian palm oil industry

Bunch moth, Tirathaba rufivena (lepidoptera: pyralidae) infestation census from oil palm plantation on peat soil in Sarawak

Tirathaba rufivena is the major pest in oil palm plantation planted in peat soil in Sarawak. High infestation was reported in Miri, Mukah and Sibu. Censuses on the infestation of T. rufivena were conducted at three different locations, i.e. in Miri (young palm), Mukah (mature palm) and Sibu (ablation samples). Samples for census were taken from infested bunches, female and male inflorescences. The census was done by chopping the bunches and the female inflorescences while for the male inflorescences, the bottom of spikelets were cut to determine the number of live larvae and pupae. The census reveiled that in Sibu, a high infestation of T. rufivena was found on male inflorescences compared to bunches of female inflorescences. The mean number of live larvae found in male inflorescences for the first and second day of census recorded 35.3 ± 15.7 and 14.0 ± 7.3, respectively. The highest number of live larvae recorded from male inflorescences was 207 and 65, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean number of live larvae from infested bunches and female inflorescences on the first day were 9.9 ± 3.5 and 19.4 ± 4.4, respectively. On the second day of census, the mean number of live larvae recorded on bunches and female inflorescences were 4.8 ± 1.5 and 12.7 ± 2.8, respectively. Census on infested area in Miri from three different stages of female inflorescence and bunches recorded 8.0 ± 1.9 and 4.8 ± 0.6 highest number of live larvae. Post anthesis female inflorescences recorded the highest mean number of live larvae compared to pre anthesis and anthesising female inflorescences. Population study at Mukah on highly infested area recorded 60 live larvae from young bunches and 50 live larvae from matured female inflorescences. Based on the samples, bunch moth larvae or pupae were absent in 10% of infested female inflorescences and 11.7% of infested bunches (males and females inflorescences)