KUALA LUMPUR: The government, through the Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuklear Malaysia), has allocated RM15.73 million from 2016 to this year to intensify research, development, and innovation for the application of nuclear technology in agriculture.
Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, said that nuclear technology was applied in the development of efficient agricultural management methods involving techniques for characterising soil fertility, fertilisation and water management strategies, and a system for monitoring and predicting the occurrence of plant diseases.
"We have succeeded in producing and commercialising bio-fertiliser and chitosan products that can improve fertiliser efficiency across the agricultural produce chain," he said in reply to a question from Riduan Rubin (BEBAS-Tenom) on the extent to which nuclear technology has been optimally applied in agricultural innovation to improve quality and increase agricultural output.
According to Arthur, Nuklear Malaysia also developed a Gamma Greenhouse (GGH), which is recognised by the International Atomic Energy Agency as an 'IAEA Collaborating Centre' for providing irradiation services for plants and tissue culture materials for breeding and improving plant characteristics that can be used by the country's agricultural sector.
He also said that the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) has developed an Alurtron plant at the Nuklear Malaysia facility to increase technical expertise in irradiation applications.
Arthur said the facility offers irradiation services for quality control of various products such as fruits, medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, food and cosmetics.
"The development of the Stable Isotope Analysis facility enables the classification of natural rice variety models using organic elements and isotope profiles to assist farmers in obtaining recognition for rice products such as the 'Geographical Indication' label and organic products.
"Mosti is committed to advancing and strengthening agricultural research, development, and innovation in order to boost agricultural productivity and support the government's efforts to improve the quality and increase the country's agricultural produce," he said. – Bernama