Journal Of Agrobiotechnology (Journal of UniSZA - Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin)
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Performance of Sweet Potatoes Varieties under Different Organic Matter Levels in BRIS Soil
Get PDFSweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a highly important crop, ranking fifth among tropical food crops and seventh globally. It thrives in BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) soil, which is challenging for most crops to grow in but can be improved with organic matter like chicken dung. This study aimed to determine the growth, yield, and characteristics of four sweet potato varieties on BRIS soil and find the ideal amount of organic matter needed for optimal results. The four varieties, VitAto (V), Anggun 1 (A), Cameron (C), and Lembayung (L), were planted with two levels of organic matter, 5 and 10 tan/ha, for a total of eight treatments. Growth (vine length and tuber number), yield (tuber weight), and physiology (chlorophyll content) were measured using destructive analysis. Minitab software was used for data analysis and correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between growth, yield, and physiology. The study found that the new varieties with 10 tan/ha of organic matter showed better performance compared to the control. Lembayung, Cameron, and Anggun 1 had higher tuber numbers, and Lembayung had the highest tuber weight while Cameron variety exhibited vigorous vegetative growth. The optimum amount of organic matter for fast growth and high yield was found to be 10t/ha. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into improving sweet potato cultivation in BRIS soil.
 
Fruit Set Capabilities and Yield Variability among Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Germplasm Collections
Get PDFIn cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) male and female flowers’ production rate is not the same in every variety, which is the main cause to create variation in fruit set. Though natural pollinators (honeybees and flies) are significant catalysts in fruit settings, but if genetically the female flower production rate is lower then we cannot expect more fruits from that plant. Knowing the female flower-bearing characteristics of selected cucumber plants is important otherwise cannot expect the desired yield from the plant. Considering the overall issues, a study was conducted for the evaluation of performance of five cucumber varieties namely, Timun Putih Besar (TPB), Timun Hijau Manis (THM), Timun Hijau Tanga (THT), Timun Susu Besar (TSB), and Timun Putih (TP). The study was carried out in Nethouse 7 at the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FSA), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Sandakan. Data on plant height (cm), numbers of leaves, days to first male and female flowering, total numbers of male and female flowers, fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), fruit weight (g), total numbers of fruits per plant, total yield (kg), and leaf chlorophyll content were collected and analysed. The result showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) among the varieties for days to first male and female flowering, total numbers of female flowers, fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), fruit weight (g), total number of fruits per plant, total yield (kg) and chlorophyll content, respectively. Overall, Timun Hijau Manis (THM) significantly (p<0.05) exhibited the best performance for days to first female flowering (25.50 days), total numbers of female flowers (21.50), total number of fruits per plant (5.75), and total yield (1.99 kg) compared to other 4 varieties. Therefore, THM variety is highly recommended to farmers for the overall performances and yield followed by TBP, THT, TSB and TP cucumber varieties, respectively
The occurrence of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infection on invasive freshwater fish, the Peacock Bass (Cichla spp.) from Tasik Telabak, Malaysia.
Get PDFPeacock bass (Cichla spp.) is an invasive fish that has established feral population in many freshwater water bodies in Malaysia. Among the negative impact of invasive species are the co-introduction of new parasites, and they also may act as vector to various disease causal agents. The aim of this study was to identify and to measure the prevalence of parasites of Peacock bass from Tasik Telabak, Terengganu, Malaysia. A total of 28 fishes were sampled by line fishing with the help of anglers and examined for parasites by using general parasitological method and microscopic technique. 3 groups of parasites (Protozoa, Digenea and Nematoda) were found infecting Peacock Bass from the lake. 46% of the samples were infected by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, a common protozoan parasite that known as the causal agent for White Spot Disease (WSD) in fishes. However, I. multifiliis is not a common parasite for wild Peacock Bass in their native area, this finding could indicate the potential of parasite spillback phenomena from the freshwater fish cages from aquaculture activities in the same lake. 
Physicochemical Properties of Morinda Citrifolia Fruits and Leaves Produced by Oven and Freeze Drying
Get PDFMorinda citrifolia, also known as Noni, is a nutritional plant that contains beneficial characteristics and has been explored in both the pharmaceutical and food industrial fields. This study was carried out to compare the physicochemical properties of Noni fruits and leaves powder produced by freeze-drying and oven drying methods. Oven drying was carried out at different temperatures (50 °C, 60 °C, and 70 °C) while the freeze-drying method was carried out at constant temperature (-50 °C) and time (40 hours). The physicochemical properties (antioxidant, moisture content, water activity, density, water solubility, and color) of the fruits and leaves powder were analyzed. Freeze-drying produced the lowest moisture content and water activity of Noni fruit and leaf powder. The study revealed that increased in oven drying temperature decreased the color properties (L*, a*, b*), moisture content and water solubility of both Noni fruit and leaves powder. Bulk and tapped density showed slightly changes with an increase in drying temperature. Oven dried Noni fruit and leaf powder at 50 °C had the highest percentage of DPPH radical scavenging activity. Besides, freeze-drying proved to have better physicochemical properties in Noni fruits and leaves. The results obtained indicate a significant difference between the physicochemical properties of freeze dried Noni fruits and leaves powder in terms of water activity, color, and DPPH radical scavenging activity
Detection, Isolation and Antibiogram of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from Keropok Lekor in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
No full textVibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium that is found in the marine environment and causes acute gastroenteritis in humans. V. parahaemolyticus is an important foodborne pathogen found to contaminate fish and fish products. Thus, this study aims to detect and characterize V. parahaemolyticus isolated from frozen keropok lekor in Terengganu. A total of 120 keropok lekor samples in Terengganu were examined for the presence of V. parahaemolyticus using the conventional plating method on Thiosulfate-Citrate Bile-salt Sucrose (TCBS) agar and Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (mPCR) assay for detection of toxR, tdh and trh gene. The V. parahaemolyticus isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using the disc diffusion method against 12 types of antibiotics and the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index was determined. The prevalence of V. parahaemolyticus in keropok lekor was 64.3% in Kuala Besut, 19% in Kuala Nerus and 0% in Setiu, respectively. All the isolates possess the trh gene but not the tdh gene. MAR index of V. parahaemolyticus isolates was between 0.25 and 0.58. This study proved that the frozen keropok lekor were contaminated with multiple antibiotic resistant V. parahaemolyticus
Response of Auxins and Cytokinins on Citrus suhuiensis Adventitious Shoot Culture Initiation and Growth
Get PDFBacterial and viral diseases are the common problems hampering vast majority of citrus plant which resulted in the decrease of citrus trees development and production yield. While the usage of chemicals to eliminate internal pathogens is harmful to the ecosystem, plant tissue culture is another alternative to develop disease-free plants based on the defined physical and chemical conditions under aseptic environment. This study aimed to initiate Citrus suhuiensis (C. suhuiensis) adventitious shoot culture specifically in response towards different types of plant growth regulators (PGRs). The effect of explants and PGRs were evaluated on the shoot growth within 35 days. C. suhuiensis shoot cultures were induced from three different explants which are leaf, callus and seeds on the solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different combinations of PGR which are auxins i.e. 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA) or indole butyric acid (IBA) at 0.5 mg/L, respectively with cytokinins i.e. 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) or kinetin (KN) at various concentrations (0.5 - 4.0 mg/L). Based on the results, the earliest shoot emergence from the cotyledon can be observed after 8th day of inoculation for PGRs combination of 0.5 mg/L IBA with 2.0 mg/L, 3.0 mg/L KN and 3.0 mg/L BAP, respectively. Meanwhile, based on the ANOVA analysis (p-value < 0.05), the most significant PGRs combination for the establishment of C. suhuiensis shoot culture is IBA and KN followed by the treatment of NAA and KN. The findings of this study can serve as a basis for future investigation of micropropagation of shoot culture and cultivation of C. suhuiensis plant
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Pisang Berangan (Musa paradisiaca) Pulp and Peel Extracts
Get PDFBanana is a tropical fruit that has a diverse range of species belongings to the genus Musa and Musaceae family. Pisang Berangan or known as Musa paradisiaca is frequently sliced and fried and sold as popular street food in Malaysia. This produced banana waste from the banana peel that was not fully utilized, however, the peel and pulp of bananas are reported to have dominant antioxidant properties and organic materials. The study was carried out to determine the extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of banana Pisang Berangan (Musa paradisiaca) pulp and peel extracted using different extraction solvents; ethanol and methanol at 70 % and 90 % concentrations. The antimicrobial properties were determined using the disc diffusion method (DDM), Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) assays. The highest extraction yield was from banana pulp (28.3 %) extracted using 90 % ethanol, followed by methanol 90 % (27.8 %). The total phenolic content (TPC) of alcoholic-extracted pulp and peel was in the range of 15.1 to 17.7 mg GAE/g. Among both pulp and peel extracts, the ethanol (90 % of solvent) extraction exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity that has been analysed using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to determine the IC50. The largest inhibition zone was observed for the ethanol extract of banana peel against Salmonella typhi at a concentration of 500 mg/mL. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus exhibited the highest value of MIC and MBC while Salmonella typhi was the lowest of MIC and MBC value against banana pulp and peel alcoholic extracts. In general, the greater properties of pulp and peel extracts were obtained by using 90 % ethanol. The present study revealed that both ethanol and methanol extracts of the Musa spp. contain constituents with significant phenolic, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties for food processing explorations and sustainability
Microbiological and Physicochemical Analysis of Keropok lekor at Three Storage Temperatures
Get PDFKeropok lekor is a one of a popular traditional food in east coast of peninsular Malaysia specifically in Terengganu. However, it is known to be highly perishable when stored at ambient temperature. This study aimed to investigate the microbiological and physicochemical quality of keropok lekor stored at ambient and refrigerated temperature. Samples of keropok lekor were collected from a local premise located in Besut, Terengganu and were packaged either ordinary sealed or vacuumed. The samples were stored at ambient (25℃-28℃), and refrigeration temperature (0℃-4℃) for up to 7 days. Microbiological analysis was performed using spread plate method and physicochemical analysis such as moisture, colour, pH and texture. The keropok lekor stored at ambient temperature showed significant increase in microbial count after one day for both vacuum and ordinary sealed pack at 6.18 log cfu/g and 7.85 log cfu/g, respectively. Refrigerated samples also showed significant increase after 7 days. The samples did not exhibit significant changes with regards to moisture, colour and hardness but pH was significant decrease during the storage which shows sign of spoilage. However, the keropok lekor chewiness significantly increased during storage. In conclusion, ambient temperature shows rapid spoilage of keropok lekor regardless of the packaging and refrigerated condition can extent the shelf life to 2 days for ordinary sealed samples and 3 days for vacuum samples
Effect of Tapioca and Potato Starch on the Physical Properties of Boiled Keropok Lekor
Get PDFKeropok lekor is a traditional Malay snack that originated from Terengganu, Malaysia. Fish and sago starch are the two main ingredients in the production of keropok lekor that greatly affect the texture and taste of keropok lekor. In this study, the impact of incorporating tapioca starch (TS), potato starch (PS) and a mixture of tapioca and potato starch (TS:PS) into the formulation was investigated with regards to the physical properties of boiled keropok lekor. The physical properties evaluated including colour, moisture content, water holding capacity, linear expansion, cooking yield and texture of the boiled keropok lekor. The addition of tapioca and/or potato starch had no impact on colour of keropok lekor. However, their usage caused a significant reduction in moisture content and cooking yield as compared to the control keropok lekor (made with only sago starch). Potato starch substantially enhanced water holding, while a mixture of tapioca and potato starch led to a decrease in the linear expansion of boiled keropok lekor. This study demonstrates that application of these starches influences the quality of boiled keropok lekor and their impact is expected to be more pronounces when frying the boiled keropok lekor
Evaluation of Abiotic Stress Response in In Vitro Culture of Hylocereus undatus
Get PDFHylocereus undatus or white dragon fruit is a vine-like cactus that is commonly grown as both an ornamental plant and a fruit crop. However, their response to various abiotic stresses is understudied. Once transferred to the soil, the plants are exposed to different abiotic stresses caused by extreme salinity, drought, pH changes, and oxidative responses. This will either affect its growth or fruit production. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of various abiotic stress which are common in agricultural areas in vitro. The seeds of white dragon fruit were germinated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with of 2.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.5 mg/L 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) before the shoots formed were induced in MS with different abiotic stress which were drought, salinity, pH and oxidative stress. The shoot and the root length were recorded at the fourth week of culture. Interestingly, slight drought stress with 20 g/L polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 induced shoot growth but further increase of PEG 8000 reduced shoot length significantly. Shoot length was the most inhibited at 200 mM NaCl and root failed to grow at this concentration. Shoot and root growth under pH stress was the lowest at pH 8. The length of shoot and root under oxidative stress were seen to decrease gradually with increase of H2O2 concentration but this was only significant in roots. In conclusion, roots were more vulnerable to some abiotic stresses than shoots were. A greater magnitude of stressors can be tested for further information of H. undatus tolerance to abiotic stresses.