The term bio-fertiliser or ‘microbial inoculants’ is defined as a preparation containing live or latent cells of efficient strains of nitrogen fixing, phosphate solubilising or cellulolytic microorganisms used for application on soil or composting areas with the objective of increasing the number of such microorganisms and accelerate certain microbial process to augment the extent of […]

Trichoderma species are considered as soil fungi that colonise superficially on plant root surfaces, forming a symbiotic relationship. Recent studies have reported that Trichoderma species are also capable of colonising the internal tissues of plants and characterised as having an endophytic relationship (Brotman et al., 2013). Main Researcher: Dr Shamala SundramEmail: shamala@mpob.gov.my

Fatty acids are one of the main basic oleochemicals that have a wide range of chemical and physical properties. In 2015, export of fatty acids increased by 3% or 24 094 t to 930 610 t compared to 906 516 t as recorded in 2014 (Figure 1) (MPOB, 2016). Fatty acids contributed about 33% of […]

Palm-based fatty acids are derivatives from crude palm oil (CPO) and crude palm kernel oil (CPKO). Among them are caprylic-capric (C8-C10) acids mixture and oleic acid (C18:1), used in the production of food and non-food products. The use of pesticides in oil palm plantations has resulted in a growing concern for the presence and danger […]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a group of chemicals which compose of two or more fused aromatic rings (Figure 1). PAH are ubiquitous in environment. PAH are also commonly used as intermediate in the production of plastics and plasticiser, dyes and pesticides. The increasing demand for manufactured goods from fossil fuels that contained compounds may […]