Farms In Malaysia Research Articles

First record of Aspergillus caelatus as a pathogen of Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica in Malaysia

Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica become popular in Malaysia as honey producer in the 21st century. Like other bee species, stingless bees can be infected by pathogens. Disease-related population declines may affect honey production, agricultural productivity, and biodiversity. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the health status of stingless bee colonies in selected bee farms in Malaysia. Adults Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica were collected from 79 colonies in 9 farms and screened for known pathogens of honey bees and stingless bees using 15 primer sets. All results were negative, indicating the absence of these pathogens in the bee specimens. During the bee sampling at Infoport Halal Hub UPM, we encountered a collapsed colony of H. itama. A fungal isolate was isolated and confirmed to be Aspergillus caelatus. Virulence tests revealed that A. caelatus exhibited high virulence to both H. itama and G. thoracica. Infected larvae became lethargic after 1–2 day after treatment (DAT) with white mycelium developed on their integument. The fungus caused 100 % larval mortality in both H. itama and G. thoracica after 8 DAT, with LC50 values of 7.58 × 103 conidia/µl and 6.24 × 103 conidia/µl respectively. Yellow-green conidia were observed on the cadavers. A. caelatus demonstrated high virulence towards both H. itama and G. thoracica, leading to severe larval mortality. This study represents the first documented case of a disease infecting stingless bees in Malaysia. Future research is needed to assess the prevalence of A. caelatus in various stingless bee species and other pollinators within the country.

Molecular epidemiology of Megalocytivirus in freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) from Johor, Malaysia.

Malaysia has more than 630 culturists who are involved in the ornamental fish industry and culture 250 species, including local and exotic species. Among these viruses, megalocytiviruses have been associated with severe systemic diseases and economic losses in ornamental fish. The intensity of Megalocytivirus infection in Pterophyllum scalare in Malaysia remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Megalocytivirus while discovering its associated risk factors and the genotypes of its causative agents in an ornamental fish farm in Malaysia. Seven broodstock pairs of P. scalare were used in this study to follow the life stages of fish, from egg to market size. Water samples and other samples, such as mucus swabs, gill swabs, P. scalare eggs, fries, juveniles, snails, snail eggs, live feed (Tubifex worms and Moina spp.), sediment samples, and wild fish, were collected periodically for initial environmental sampling from day 0 to day 60. Nested polymerase chain reaction amplifications were performed for megalocytivirus-related sequences. The phylogenetic tree, including the sampled causative agents of megalocytiviruses, was inferred from the major capsid protein genes of all known Iridoviridae species. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the strength of the correlation between the presence of megalocytiviruses in P. scalare samples and the associated risk factors. A total of 312 out of 935 pooled and individual samples tested positive for the presence of Megalocytivirus-related sequences, except snail eggs and wild fish (Poecilia reticulata). No clinical symptoms were observed in any fish samples. Megalocytivirus-associated viruses detected in water samples indicate horizontal transmission of the virus. All the nucleotide sequences found in this study had high nucleotide identities of 95%-99 % and were closely related to Megalocytivirus genotype I infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus. Risk factors associated with Megalocytivirus include water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and the life stages of P. scalare. High Megalocytivirus infection was detected when the water temperature, DO, and pH were high in P. scalare, high water temperature and nitrate in the water samples, and the same rate of Megalocytivirus infection in P. scalare fry and juveniles. This is the first study to confirm the existence of different possible routes of megalocytivirus distribution in ornamental fish farms in Malaysia. Nevertheless, the connection between the mode of transmission and the risk factors for this virus needs to be explored further to recognize the evolution and potential new host species.

Mycotoxigenic fungal growth inhibition and multi-mycotoxin reduction of potential biological control agents indigenous to grain maize.

The present work investigated the potential of fungal species from grain maize farms in Malaysia as antagonists against the indigenous mycotoxigenic fungal species and their subsequent mycotoxin production. Dual-culture assay was conducted on grain maize agar (GMA) with 12 strains of potential fungal antagonists namely Bjerkandra adusta, Penicillium janthinellum, Schizophyllum commune, Trametes cubensis, Trichoderma asperelloides, Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma harzianum, and Trichoderma yunnanense against seven mycotoxigenic strains namely Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium verticillioides, and Fusarium proliferatum producing aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and fumonisins, respectively. Based on fungal growth inhibition, Trichoderma spp. showed the highest inhibitory activity (73-100% PIRG, Percentage Inhibition of Radial Growth; 28/0 ID, Index of Dominance) against the tested mycotoxigenic strains. Besides, B. adusta and Tra. cubensis showed inhibitory activity against some of the tested mycotoxigenic strains. All fungal antagonists showed varying degrees of mycotoxin reduction. Aflatoxin B1 produced by A. flavus was mainly reduced by P. janthinellum, Tra. cubensis, and B. adusta to 0ng/g. Ochratoxin A produced by A. niger was mainly reduced by Tri. harzianum and Tri. asperellum to 0ng/g. Fumonisin B1 and FB2 produced by F. verticillioides was mainly reduced by Tri. harzianum, Tri. asperelloides, and Tri. asperellum to 59.4 and 0µg/g, respectively. Fumonisin B1 and FB2 produced by F. proliferatum were mainly reduced by Tri. asperelloides and Tri. harzianum to 244.2 and 0µg/g, respectively. This is the first study that reports on the efficacy of Tri. asperelloides against FB1, FB2, and OTA, P. janthinellum against AFB1, and Tra. cubensis against AFB1.

Molecular Detection and Antibiogram of ESBL-Producing and Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli from Rabbit, Swine, and Poultry in Malaysia

The emergence of multidrug-resistance Enterobacteriaceae such as extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and carbapenem-resistant E. coli (CREC) has become an urgent veterinary and public health threat. These multidrug-resistant microorganisms are frequently associated with diseases that have high mortality with limited treatment options. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of ESBL producing E. coli and CREC from the rabbit, swine, and poultry and to determine the antibiogram profile of these E. coli isolates. In this study, 400 fecal swab samples were collected from rabbits, swine, and poultry from several selected animal farms in Malaysia. After incubation and isolation processes, suspected E. coli isolates were subjected to a PCR test to confirm the identity of the bacteria. The antibiogram of the E. coli isolates was determined via the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. A total of 212 (53%) E. coli isolates were isolated from rabbits (51 isolates), poultry (110 isolates), and swine (51 isolates). Screening of antimicrobial resistance genes revealed twelve ESBL producing E. coli (3%; 12/400). Two ESBL producing E. coli were also carrying carbapenemase gene (BlaNDM), indicating ESBL producing and carbapenem-resistant E. coli (ESBL-CREC) in poultry fecal swab samples. The bacteria isolates were found to show resistance against nine antibiotics, including ertapenem, ampicillin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate. A total of 3.3% (7/212) of the E. coli isolates were found to be multidrug-resistance. This study demonstrated the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli and ESBL-producing CREC from poultry fecal swabs in Malaysia.

Detection of PirA/B Toxin Genes for Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Penaeus vannamei Culture from Major White Shrimp Producing Farms in Malaysia

The acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) epidemic from 2010 to 2013 significantly affected white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) production in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the status of AHPND in P. vannamei culture from detecting PirA/B toxin genes in hepatopancreas tissues and isolation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus for identification of pathogenic strain from major white shrimp producing farms in Malaysia. Bacteria from the hepatopancreas organ were cultured on tryptic soy agar and identified using API® 20 NE (bioMérieux, France) for Vibrio species. Confirmation of PirA/B toxin genes in hepatopancreas and V. parahaemolyticus isolates were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-three V. parahaemolyticus isolates were identified from 7.7% of the analysed samples. Fourteen (14) (4.7%) were detected with PirA/B toxin genes from districts of Johor such as Batu Pahat (1) and Kota Tinggi (8), Alor Setar, Kedah (3), Tawau, Sabah (1), and Kuching, Sarawak (1). In contrast, the other nine isolates (3%) contained only the plasmid. Genomic and phylogenetic tree analysis of four V. parahaemolyticus isolates carrying PirA/B toxin genes from this study showed that only one strain (Vp14) harbours the PirA/B complete genes in addition to displaying full sequence homology and coverage to the pVA1 plasmid. In contrast, other strains (AAT22, IKK3, and PK3) displayed partial sequence homology of plasmid harbouring key genes associated with conjugative transfer function but not the plasmid segments containing PirA/B toxin genes. Hence, this study showed that six farms were negative from AHPND. In contrast, four farms were positive with PirA/B toxin genes in juveniles from Pekan, Pahang (26.7%), Kuching and Sarikei, Sarawak (10% respectively), and Alor Setar, Kedah (3.3%).

Effect of Phytase Supplementation on the Performance of Babcock-380 Layer Hens

In order to examine the effect of phytase supplementation in the diet of laying hen this experiment was conducted with 30 commercial hybrid Babcock-380 layers of 73 weeks of age. The hens were grouped into 3 treatment groups and given microbial phytase (Rena Phytase 400) at levels 2.5, 1.5 and 0 (control) g/kg feed in addition to their basal diet (110 g commercial pellet/day). Records on egg production/group/day, egg mass weight/day, body weight of hens at the end of experimental period were taken and analysed. Results revealed that hen house egg production (HHEP) and egg weight (EW) varied (p<0.05) among the treatment groups but level of phytase did not affect (p<0.05) body weight of hens. Both HHEP and EW were in order of 2.5>1.5>0 g/kg feed phytase group and all the means were significantly (p<0.05) different from each other within treatment groups. Microbial phytase supplementation in layer ration proved to be beneficial in terms of egg production and egg size even after 72 weeks of age of hens. Layer farms in Malaysia can use this technology to earn more profit.

Physicochemical analysis and adulteration detection in Malaysia stingless bee honey using a handheld near‐infrared spectrometer

Stingless bee honey is a type of popular honey in Malaysia. In this study, a total of 30 stingless bee honey samples were exclusively collected from the beekeepers, honeybee suppliers, and honeybee farms in Malaysia. The quality of stingless bee honey is evaluated against the standard, while the near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technique is implemented for detecting adulterated honey. One out of thirty (30) honey samples does not fulfill the requirements of moisture content and hydroxymethylfurfural content, according to Standard of Malaysia, whereas only five (5) honey samples fulfill the requirement of the pH value. Furthermore, the NIR spectra data interpretation using principal component analysis (PCA) combined with logistic regression shows that the accuracy of above 98% is obtained for both train dataset and test dataset. This high accuracy of honey adulteration identification using the NIR spectrometer shows its promising immediate application for rapid nondestructive fraud detection in honey. Novelty impact statement There are two main contributions from this research: firstly, the result of physicochemical analysis that one out of thirty (30) kelulut honey samples does not fulfill the requirements of moisture content and hydroxymethylfurfural content, according to Standard of Malaysia, whereas only five (5) honey samples fulfill the requirement of the pH value; secondly, the implementation of the NIR scanning using a handheld device, which is considerably new and promising for in situ application in the future of honey authentication particularly in Malaysia.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ASEPTIC CULTURES AND MULTIPLE SHOOT INDUCTION OF OLIVE (Olea europaea) cv.1

Olea europaea or the olive plant is from the family of Oleaceae and has been cultivated for its fruits that are highly nutritious, capable of reducing risks of cardiovascular diseases and to prevent cancer. The current propagation technique of olive plants in Malaysia relies on conventional methods that are less efficient in producing good quality plant stocks. Plant tissue culture offers an alternative to multiply plants from novel mother plants and is commonly applied in the propagation of various crops. This study aims to establish sterile cultures and to induce multiple shoots from Olea europaea cv.1 as a preliminary study to micropropagate olive plants for commercial farms in Malaysia. Nodal explants were surfaced sterilised with ethanol and Clorox© at different durations followed by treatments in MS media supplemented with different concentrations of Zeatin and BAP. Nodal explants surface sterilised with 70% (v/v) ethanol for 2 min and 30% (v/v) Clorox© for 8 min produced sterile explants with the survival rate of 85%. MS media supplemented 5.0 mg/L BAP was optimal for shoot induction (2.10 ± 0.31 shoots per explant) and shoot elongation (6.50 ± 1.17 mm). The current study serves as preliminary assessment for the establishment of local olive cultures.

Molecular characterisation and antibiotic sensitivity profile of Pasteurella multocida isolated from poultry farms in Malaysia

Fowl cholera has caused significant economic losses in many poultry producing countries worldwide. In Malaysia, outbreaks of fowl cholera are frequently reported and encountered in different types of poultry productions. The objective of this study was to characterise 13 avian Pasteurella multocida, isolated from fowl cholera outbreaks in Central Peninsular Malaysia in the period between 2000 and 2018. The isolates were subjected to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for capsular serotyping, disc diffusion method for antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and molecular genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The capsular serotyping showed all 13 Pasteurella multocida isolates belonging to capsular serotype A. The antimicrobial susceptibility showed several multidrug resistance strains among the P. multocida isolates. All the isolates were resistant to erythromycin (100%), streptomycin (68%), tetracycline (37%), enrofloxacin (37%), florfenicol (23%), penicillin G (14%), gentamicin (14%), and amoxicillin (14%). The PFGE analysis clustered the isolates into three clones. Group A included isolates with a similarity of 87% from the year 2000, 2013, and 2018. Three sequence types were identified using MLST typing namely, ST129, ST231, and ST355. The ST355 was assigned for the first time in the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) database. Besides, ST129 has been reported in India, China, and Sri Lanka, which highlights the possibility of transmission between Asian countries. This study provides an insight into epidemiological information of Pasteurella multocida that causes fowl cholera outbreaks in the central region of Peninsular Malaysia.

Morphological Characterization and Determination of Aflatoxigenic and Non-Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus Isolated from Sweet Corn Kernels and Soil in Malaysia

This study aimed to morphologically characterize and determine the aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus isolates. Forty isolates of A. flavus were obtained from sweet corn kernels and soil samples collected from Kampong Raja, Rose Valley, Kea, and Klebang farms in Malaysia. They were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA), dichloran rose-bengal chloramphenicol (DRBC), Aspergillusflavus and Aspergillus parasiticus agar (AFPA), and coconut cream agar (CCA). Macromorphological characteristics were determined by observing the colony color and texture, while the micromorphological characteristics were determined by examining the spore color, size, structure, conidiophore structure, and vesicle shape. The production of aflatoxin was determined by direct visualization of the UV fluorescence of A. flavus colonies on CCA. Aflatoxin was qualitatively detected in 18 (45%) isolates of A. flavus using UV fluorescence screening while the remaining 22 (55%) isolates did not exhibit any aflatoxin production. The highest incidence of A. flavus (30%) and aflatoxin production (15%) was recorded in samples from Kampong Raja. On the other hand, isolates from Rose Valley (17%) and Kea (12%) were non-aflatoxigenic. Klebang recorded a 25% incidence of A. flavus in which 15% were aflatoxigenic while 10% were non-aflatoxigenic. The occurrence of aflatoxin-producing A. flavus emphasizes the need for the measure to eradicate their presence in food crops. A biological control treatment utilizing the non-aflatoxigenic strains to compete with the aflatoxigenic ones is underway. Validation of aflatoxin production through high performance liquid chromatography is also ongoing.

A Comparison of Strawberry Cultivation: Case Study of Selected Farms in Malaysia and Japan

Strawberries are non-climate crops that can be planted both in temperate and seasonal climate regions and are popular among consumers worldwide. The variety cultivated depends on the region of planting as the effects of temperature, photoperiod and humidity are the main requirements for strawberry growth. Japan is among the top producers of strawberries with noticeable quality. Malaysia plants strawberries in the highland regions but only for local consumption. Thus, the intended study was done to compare the cultivation and post-harvest practice of strawberries between selected farms in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia and Nagano, Japan. A case study approach was used in this study through questionnaires and informal interviews to obtain the required information on demographics, cultivation practices and technology used by farmers of the selected farms. Based on the obtained information, all four farms in Nagano cultivated strawberries in greenhouses with elevated bed system and irrigation techniques, whereas three of the farms from Cameron Highlands cultivated strawberries by planting in an open area covered with rain shelters. The market value of strawberries from Nagano was also higher compared to Cameron Highlands, despite the minimal differences in farm areas.

Thermal analysis of a portable DSSC mini greenhouse for botanical drugs cultivation

Photovoltaic farms in Malaysia are being developed tremendously as a form of supporting fossil fuel setbacks in Malaysia power generation. An important parameter of the PV installation is the power (Watts) accumulated over sunlight retrieval. Considerable losses may arise from the conversion, where the efficiency is typically 15% to 23%, with the remainder becoming losses in the form of accumulated heat under the PV array or panel installations. PV heat dissipation is dependent on solar radiation, air convection and PV cell conduction. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) has been applied as a greenhouse shading element, having the ability of enabling specified spectrum of light color penetration during electric accumulation. Furthermore, only light of wavelength between 400 and 700 nm (PAR) is absorbed by the greenhouse plants which is essential for their growth and photosynthesis. A Portable DSSC Mini Greenhouse (PDMG) can provide simple, effective and suitable light source for botanical drugs. Light which is associated with increasing temperature and heat is critical to be measured. A measurement of average heat gain flowing into a building through building envelope (OTTV- Overall Thermal Transfer Value) is a well-known method adopted in green building design. In this paper, the OTTV approach is applied to calculate heat transfer properties, from outdoor surroundings to the PDMG structure, giving justification of the PDMG thermal conditions.

Assessing the comparative advantage of integrated farming and feedlot production system of the ruminant sector in Malaysia: A policy analysis matrix approach

Costly operation contributed by land availability and feed cost hurt the production capacity which has been demonstrated by Malaysia’s low self-sufficiently level. The objective of this study is to investigate the competitiveness and efficiency of ruminant farms in Malaysia based on its production system particularly on the aspect of cost rationalization of feed. A total of 29 cattle farms operated under the scheme of Permanent Food Production Park have been surveyed and analysed based on the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) approach. The analysis reveals that the integrated farms were more competitive and efficient as compared to feedlot farms indicated by the ratio value of Domestic Resource Cost and Social Profitability.

The impacts of trade and self‐sufficiency policies on heterogeneous rice farms in Malaysia

AbstractThis paper develops a farm household model of heterogeneous Malaysian rice farmers. The model determines the domestic price of milled rice in equilibrium. The model is simulated to analyze the effects of free trade, self‐sufficiency achieved through trade policy, and the impact of free trade and self‐sufficiency when rice productivity expands. The ex ante results for free trade predict that total rice supply rises as the increase in imports offsets the decrease in domestic production, causing the domestic price of milled rice to fall by 15.8 percent. While this price decrease generates negative income effects for rice farmers, it leads to an expansion of consumption of milled rice by both the farm and urban populations. The results for self‐sufficiency through heightened tariffs predict that production for domestic rice farmers increases. However, with fewer imports, total rice supply falls, causing the domestic price of rice to increase by 41.5 percent. Because free trade is politically unfeasible and trade‐driven self‐sufficiency policies contract total rice consumption, boosting rice production through research and development is an effective way for Malaysia to increase the total supply of rice while limiting its dependence on imports.

Review: Challenges and opportunities of implementing mass productivity scale (MPS) at date farms in Malaysia

The study aimed to review the challenges and opportunities of mass productivity scale (MPS) for the dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) farm in Malaysia. The review on site and document was done to drill the issues faced by dates palm farmers. The common issues affecting dates farm in Malaysia are insect pest attack, import permit, lack of expertise, and climate and soil requirements. In a united response, the government should form the National Dates Palm Centre (NDPC) which will explore opportunities to address issues faced by the dates palm sector in Malaysia.

Marek's disease herpesvirus serotype 1 in broiler breeder and layer chickens in Malaysia.

Aim:This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Marek’s disease (MD) in five poultry farms in Malaysia using postmortem examination, histopathology, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Materials and Methods:Tissue samples were collected from 24 broiler breeder chickens from four commercial broiler breeder farms and six layer chickens from one layer farm. Gross and histopathological examinations and PCR amplification of the gene encoding for avian MD herpesvirus (MDV-1) were conducted.Results:Gross pathological changes including hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphomatous lesion at the mesentery, oviduct atrophy, and follicular atresia with lymphomatous were observed, whereas diffuse multifocal whitish infiltration of the spleen, neoplastic infiltration in the liver, intrafollicular lymphoid infiltration of the bursa of Fabricius, and lymphomatous tumor at the mesentery were seen on histopathological examinations. Confirmation by PCR showed that a total of 16 (53.33%) samples were positive for avian MDV-1. Although the outbreak involved a much larger number of birds in the respective farms, our investigation was limited based on resource and time frame allocated for the study.Conclusion:The findings from this study help in emphasizing the potential threats of MDV to the poultry industry globally, in general, and in Malaysia, in particular. As the scope of the current study is limited, future studies focusing on MDV pathogenesis, typing, and causes of vaccine failures are recommended.

Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Efficiency Status of Poultry Layer Farms in Malaysia

Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Efficiency Status of Poultry Layer Farms in Malaysia

P&G launches new sustainability goals

Procter & Gamble has unveiled Ambition 2030, its set of sustainability goals for the next decade. P&G intends to make the packaging for its top 20 brands—including Head & Shoulders shampoo, Tide detergent, and Pampers diapers—100% recyclable or reusable. It plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half at its manufacturing sites. It also aims to convert entirely to renewable electricity at its plants and source 5 billion L of water from circular sources. In its supply chain, the company plans to help small farms in Malaysia boost output of palm kernel oil, which it uses to make detergents. P&G, the world’s largest consumer products company, says it has achieved many of its sustainability goals for 2020, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 16%, reducing water use by 27%, and no longer sending waste to landfills at 80% of its factories. Unilever, a P&G rival, also has a strong focus

Correction to: Seroprevalence of orf infection based on IgM antibody detection in sheep and goats from selected small ruminant farms in Malaysia

There were errors in the original version of this article. First is the affiliation and spelling of one of the authors, Ashwaq Ahmed Abdullah. And the other is in the affiliation 1. Corrected data are presented here.

Sero-epidemiology of Contagious Ecthyma Based on Detection of IgG Antibody in Selected Sheep and Goats Farms in Malaysia

Sero-epidemiology of Contagious Ecthyma Based on Detection of IgG Antibody in Selected Sheep and Goats Farms in Malaysia