FRIM offering tissue culture
training services to entrepreneurs
KUALA LUMPUR: To increase u n d e r s t a n d - ing, t h e Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) is o f f e r i n g basic tissue culture training a n d consulting services to entre- p r e n e u r s especially.
FRIM Forest Biotechnology Division b i o t e c h n o l o g y p r o g r a m m e chief, Dr Nor Hasnida Hassan, said tissue culture is gain- ing m o r e notice in t h e p r o p a g a t i o n of ho- m o g e n o u s , disease-free a n d high-quality p l a n t material for t h e mass p r o d u c t i o n of plants.
"The technology involves the g r o w t h of whole plants in a laboratory u s i n g a small piece of p l a n t tissue f r o m a leaf, b r a n c h or shoot cultured in a n u t r i e n t m e d i u m , in a sterile a n d c o n t r o l l e d e n v i r o n m e n t , " she said in a statement.
She said t h e t e c h n i q u e p r o d u c e s exact duplicates of t h e p a r e n t p l a n t in a short time, and quality is g u a r a n t e e d .
FRIM, a g o v e r n m e n t agency, actively ; c o n d u c t s research a n d studies related to j tissue culture technology, while at the 1 same time is c o m m i t t e d to conservation, ! training, innovation, R&D a n d t h e c o m - ! mercialisation of plant material.
It developed the first tissue culture lab- j oratory in December 1984 before e x p a n d - ; ing into t h e c o m m e r c i a l p r o d u c t i o n of • forest species t h r o u g h t h e f o r m a t i o n of j the Tissue Culture Unit in the early 90s.
During its inception, the tissue culture ' laboratory was the best way to overcome ; the difficulty of o b t a i n i n g tree seeds for a : reforestation p r o g r a m m e .
Besides this, FRIM c o n d u c t e d work- j shops to educate a b o u t t h e p r o c e d u r e for >
p l a n t tissue culture, as well as c o m p r e h e n - j sive training t h a t included t h e acclimati- j sation of y o u n g plants in a nursery.
It was Lhe best p l a t f o r m to raise aware- i ness a b o u t tissue culture in terms of tech- j nique, c o m m e r c i a l a p p l i c a t i o n a n d business potential.
Nor Hasnida said tissue c u l t u r e tech- nology is o n e of best m e t h o d s to get a 1 y o u n g plant that is similar to t h e p a r e n t I plant, a n d is used in agriculture, floricul- | t u r e as well as the conservation of tree ; species facing extinction.
However, it requires a laboratory wilh • specialised e q u i p m e n t . Bernama Headline FRIM offering tissue culture training services to entrepreneurs MediaTitle Daily Express (KK)
Date 10 Sep 2021 Color Black/white
Section Nation Circulation 25,055
Page No 6 Readership 75,165
Language English ArticleSize 153 cm²
Journalist Bernama AdValue RM 325
Frequency Daily (EM) PR Value RM 975
