TT No. 553: Process Optimisation for Rapid Composting of Oil Palm Biomass

One of the issues associated with the bio-conversion of oil palm biomass into bio-compost is the long maturation time of composting. Since the palm oil mills operate continuously at least six days a week generating large quantities of biomass and POME, rapid composting is very crucial in order to make composting projects efficient and effective in clearing the accumulated biomass. Rapid composting is largely … Read more

TT No. 552: Production of Powdered Palm Kernel Shell using a Nanomass Plant

The production of crude palm oil (CPO) in the mill generates a huge amount of biomass such as palm kernel shells (PKS), press fibres and empty fruit bunches (EFB). Press fibres are widely used as fuel in the mill boiler together with small quantities of PKS. With the current scenario where biogas from palm oil mill effluent (POME) is captured, and the use … Read more

TT No. 551: Removable Peeler Lathe for Palmwood Veneer Production

One of the solutions to the log shortage problem in plywood mills is undoubtedly the sourcing of logs from oil palm plantations. However, an acceptable and more efficient mechanism of log supply has to be worked out. This is to facilitate the log flow from the plantations to plywood mills so that the manufacturers will have enough logs for processing at a fair … Read more

TT No. 548: SureSawitTM Shell – A Diagnostic Assay to Predict Oil Palm Fruit Forms

The oil palm has three naturally occurring fruit forms, varying in shell thickness: i) thick shell dura, ii) thin shell tenera, and iii) shell-less pisifera (Figure 1). Teneras are hybrids between the dura and pisifera, and the preferred commercial planting material. Oil yield of tenera is up to 30% higher than the dura, while pisifera is female sterile and does not usually produce matured bunches.  Main Research: Dr Rajinder Sing

TT No. 547: Production of High Quality Kenaf Fodder for Intensive Livestock Integration with Oil Palm

Feed is one of the major success factors in livestock enterprise for intensive production system. Intensive production system relies ultimately on a good feed supply in term of quantity and quality. Feed quality has direct impact on livestock performance especially on body conformation, breeding efficiency and milk production. With intensive livestock integration in place, therefore it is important to have a good fodder supply … Read more

TT No. 545: GanoCareTM – Reducing Risk of Ganoderma Infection in Oil Palm

Basal stem rot (BSR) disease caused by the Ganoderma species is a serious problem to the oil palm industry (Idris,2012). MPOB has introduced the integrated Ganoderma Management (IGM) to find solution to the disease (Idris, 2011). Plant nutrients are primary components of disease control in many crops (Sharma, 2006; Mcmahon, 2012). Nutrients are inorganic elements that have been essential … Read more

TT No. 544: EMBIOTM actinoPLUS for Biological Control of Ganoderma Disease

MPOB has introduced the Integrated Ganoderma Management (IGM) which incorporates biological control by using micro-organism antagonist against basal stem rot (BSR) or Ganoderma disease (Idris,2011). Studies by several researchers have shown that many species of beneficial microorganisms including actinomycetes, bacteria and fungi have the ability to effectively suppress plant diseases. Actinomycetes are a group of microorganisms which produce secondary … Read more