16/11/05 SIBU (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has launched more than 300 kinds of technologies for use in the country's oil palm industry.

Its deputy director-general (R & D) Dr. Mohd Basri Wahid said they were either developed for commercial purposes or on joint ventures to upgrade the industry strength in all fields.

He said they were applicable to both the plantation and smallholding cultivation.

"Our research and development division in biotechnology and planting materials, had developed good planting materials (the PS1 to PS8) which have higher yield, shorter and smaller tree trunks. They produce more liquid oil with high vitamins content and are more resistant to disease."

He said this at a seminar for smallholders here Wednesday which was jointly organised by the board and the East Malaysia Planters Association.

Mohd Basri said MPOB study on agronomy and fertilisers had enabled it to formulate balanced fertiliser types (MPOB F1 and MPOB F2) which had been proven to induce growth and high production.

"We have also discovered effective techniques to control the Ganoderma disease and the population growth of the rhinocerous beetles which attack matured trees."

He said the usage of the "metarhizium" fungus was effective in destroying the beetle while injecting the "hexaconazole" chemical into the trunk affected by the ganoderma disease could rehabilitate it and lengthen its life span.

He said in line with the call for greater mechanisation in the industry, the board too had developed prototype machines still on trail in plantations in Peninsular Malaysia.

"We are developing them for the smallholders as well."

He said among them were a mechanical harvester to harvest and pick up fresh fruit bunches which would be operated by a single worker.

He said MPOB too had been entrusted to handle the Seed Assistance Scheme to smallholders in Sabah and Sarawak.

He said this was to ensure they planted the right and high quality seedlings

-- BERNAMA