CROP NUTRITION

Crop nutrition is crucial for sustaining high yields of any crop, including oil palm and coconuts, without depleting soil reserves. Fertiliser recommendations are formulated on scientific and agronomic principles to ensure sufficient amounts of nutrient is supplied to meet plant requirements. To achieve this, many trials have been on-going since the inception of the department in the area of nutrient response studies, nutrient loss quantification, fertiliser evaluation, nursery trials etc.

CROP PROTECTION

Research is focused on the major pests and diseases afflicting our primary crops, namely Ganoderma, bagworm as well as rhinoceros beetle and the red palm weevil. Ganoderma research is focused on the cultural, fungicidal, biological and disease resistance approach to manage the disease. Bagworm and leaf-eating pest control is reliant on integrated pest management and the identification of insecticides which are environmentally friendly. UPRD collaborates with public and private research institutions on a range of crop protection projects.

GEOINFORMATICS

UPRD has embarked on various aspects of geoinformatics since the turn of the millennium. Among such activities are the implementation of the early precision agriculture trial on oil palm in collaboration with MPOB and MACRES. Efforts are also underway in the integration of the classic agronomic activities with the latest GIS technologies, such as the geo-coding of the company’s detailed soil maps and estate maps. At present, the department has a substantial database of the various crop and agronomic information of all its estates which assists in both agronomic and estate management of the crops concerned.

PLANT BREEDING

The primary objective of UPRD’s breeding team is to achieve higher yields by creating planting materials of advanced quality and yield potential. This is carried out through four major pathways for oil palm and coconut breeding: Dura improvement, Pisifera improvement, progeny testing and germplasm conservation for oil palm. For coconut breeding, the Dwarf x Dwarf programmes, Tall x Tall programmes, hybrid evaluation and germplasm conservation programmes are employed. Only the best materials with a broad and proven genetic base for better adaptability, high yield potential and high precocity produced under stringent quality control are sold and distributed for commercial plantings.

Although focused mainly on commercial yield traits, novel characteristics such as long stalk, short height, high unsaturated fatty acid and high carotene in oil palm as well as early bearing, large nut size, aromatic water and milk and high medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut are constantly being explored and improved through systematic breeding programmes.

TISSUE CULTURE LABORATORY

The tissue culture laboratory was purpose-built and launched in 1987 using in-vitro cell culture technology for research and development and mass production of elite planting materials (oil palm, bananas and ornamental plants) with improved agronomic characteristics.

Our research focuses on cloning of elite dura mother palms and clonal pisifera father palms for bi-clonal seed production with the combined advantages of uniform growth and high yield. Beside producing elite parental palms, mass production and planting of superior high yielding tenera clones is also pursued to improve the oil yield and productivity in our plantations.

MOLECULAR LABORATORY

The discovery of the plant genome has led to the use of molecular technologies in crop improvement. Since 2011, United Plantations has embarked on using molecular technologies such as DNA fingerprinting and trait-related markers in their continuous search for new varieties as well as improvement of their planting materials and as a tool for quality assurance in oil palm, coconut and banana.

PLANTING MATERIAL

The seed production unit was set up in the early 1980’s to cater for United Plantation’s demand for planting material. Thereafter it has grown to a production capacity of eight million seeds per year, primarily with the sales of two planting materials: Premier Hybrid DxP and Perdana Biclonal seeds. We are the first in the country to commercially market bi-clonal seeds, launched in conjunction with United Plantation’s centenary in 2006.

United Plantation’s seeds are heavily regulated by both the Malaysian SIRIM Standards for planting material as well as the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. United Plantation’s tissue culture laboratory was amongst the earliest producers of tissue culture banana planting materials in the country and is recognised by growers for our consistent high quality.