Learn more about Courses and the requirements, fees and other details.
Ask Questions to get an education expert’s advice immediately.
Get the latest information about education news, tips and career opportunities.
Find out information about different Institutions and apply to them directly.
A link will be sent via e-mail to initiate password reset. Please check your inbox.
If you have not received it, Seconds, please click here.
If you have not received it, please click here.
You have reached your password reset limit for today. Please check your spam folder, retry tomorrow or contact us now
A One Time Password (OTP) has been sent to your number at Update Phone Number
Skip Now
Back
Want to change your mobile number? Update Mobile Number
Didn’t get a call from us? Retry now Want to change your mobile number? Update mobile number
Want to change your mobile number? Update mobile number
We have saved your mobile number successfully! You may retry tomorrow.
Your IVR verification call has been initiated.
Visit the International Students section on our website to find out the latest news and everything you need to know about studying in Malaysia.
Published by Afterschool.my on Jul 11, 2017, 04:07 pm
Although the natural world exists in symbiosis, with each of its elements living in mutually beneficial relationships, nature can also be used to combat each other in many instances.
This natural warfare can prove very advantageous to the human world, especially when it is applied to the industrious activities of man. This is because using nature to fight nature is environmentally friendly and could pave the way for a man’s benefits and intentions in his work, especially with regards to agriculture and farming.
This is exactly what Professor Dr Suzana Yusup of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) has taken advantage of in her development of a biopesticide. It all started with a UTP CSR programme and to support the research grant provided towards assisting the surrounding community of farmers who were facing challenging problems such as lower yields and pests.
Currently using chemical based pesticides, the research was predominantly to determine if biopesticides would improve yields while deterring the pests and bugs. In order to do this, a biopesticide had to be formulated. So, concocting a special, confidential neem-based formula and other natural extracts from plants, Suzana and her research team with the support from the Department of Agriculture have indeed successfully proven that biopesticide is definitely an improvement over the currently available chemical version.
This is because not only does it improve yields, it is also a much safer option without any negative chemical effects on the users as well as the paddy plants and the environment as a whole. This then will become the first biopesticide available for paddy and it is expected to have a significant impact on the paddy growing industry. “We are working alongside an international bio-based pesticide company with the support of the Department of Agriculture to improve the formula and make it into a “one-solve-all” biopesticide,” said Suzana.
The synthesised material, which is an activating agent, produced by Suzana and her team can also be alternatively used together with the company's existing products. Meanwhile, lab tests have shown that the formula currently is able to reduce pest thus potentially double the yields of the paddy, notwithstanding the other variables that affect each harvest such as the weather and other uncontrollable factors.
Developed specifically for paddy, she added that it has not been tested on other crops as yet, although technically and practically speaking it should also work with other plants. This is an exciting product in the making because the potential benefits for the paddy, and possibly other crops as well, is manyfold in that it enhances growth, improves yields and keeps bugs and pests away. “We are now ready to test it in a greenhouse environment and this will further add to the evidence of its efficacy and benefits,” Suzana revealed.
She added that UTP has already applied for a patent on the biopesticide formula and is now in discussions with a company to take it to the next level. “The formula will eventually be licensed to a company because we need a lot of other endorsements and have to meet numerous agency requirements before taking it further into the production and commercialisation process.”
An esteemed lecturer in UTP’s chemical engineering department, Suzana has been working on this biopesticide since 2015 as the lead researcher. She also heads a research cluster under UTP Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research. Her project was put forth as a participant in the Elsevier Foundation Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge last year where it emerged second out 500 proposals.
With an award of £25,000 that complemented UTP’s initial grant, the research delved deeper and the result is a formula that is now reaching towards the production stage. As one of the challenge winners, Suzana was called back to present the findings of her research at an international conference organised by the Elsevier Foundation last May.
She was also recognised as a Top Research Scientist Malaysia (TRSM) by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia this year. She was the second UTP lecturer to be inducted into the TRSM hall of fame. A highly respected scientist in her field of biofuel and biomass utilisation and material development, she is passionate about discovering how biomass waste can be used to create energy while also looking into other environmentally friendly applications in her field. “Change must always be for the better and this is what research is all about,” she said.
Would you like to know more about UTP ?
“Shocked, Overjoyed, Surreal!” These are a few emotions that the eight students from Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM) felt upon discovering they are heading to Harvard, Cambridge, and Oxford later this year.There is no right template for students to follow to enrol in prestigious universities, ..
A great win by solving real-world problems with a solid foundation of professional knowledge in computer science and software engineeringA creative prototype of an integrated digital learning app by five members of the Integrated Sustainability & Urban Creativity Centre (ISUC) Student Chapter at..
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney.This famous quote is accurate in every sense of the word and is evident in Lim Qi Shean’s remarkable achievement. The KYUEM student who has dreamt of studying at the University of Cambridge si..
Malaysia is becoming an increasingly friendly environment to part-time and online/distance learning through part time course in Malaysia or part time degree courses in Malaysia, where flexibility and affordability are the keys. The benefits of enrolling in online/distance or part-time studies includ..
Choosing a career can be an utterly confusing task, with numerous factors to take into consideration. Demand is one, with many looking into numerous studies and crystal balls to look up which employers are actively hiring. Another crucial factor is salary, with fresh graduates looking to earn a sati..
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.With forward-thinking and a learner-focused curriculum, Asia Pacific Schools cultivates an atmosphere of innovation and creative thinking that will prepare graduates for the transition into tertiary education. The school builds on its vision of incorporating..
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.Start your New Zealand education journey at Tenby SchoolsThere is an obvious need for graduates to have a credible education as they enter the workforce. And the best global education providers are in beautiful Aotearoa, which means the land of the long..
Sunway University has progressed further in THE Impact Rankings 2022 and is now ranked Top 301+ out of 1,406 international institutions. The University had strong showings across several individual SDGs. The University is now ranked Top 200 in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), where Sunway U..
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 May 2022 — Malaysia PropTech Association (MPA) and Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) signed a historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that will benefit the advancement of technology solutions for Malaysian technology start-ups in the propert..
Have you thought about what to do after getting your SPM results? With results expected to be out in June, most of you would most likely be planning on what to do next. If you have decided to embark on tertiary education, you first have to take a Pre-University course. Pre-university courses ar..
Get the information first
Afterschool.my
Shares
0
Need help?