- Exploration to collect germplasm
Rice represents the most important food crop grown in Malaysia. Genetic resources activities on the crop started with the sudden recognition of possible genetic erosion taking place in 1960s when double cropping was introduced and coupled with the rapid adoption of modern high yielding varieties. Exploration was initiated then by the Department of Agriculture to collect traditional varieties from the rice farms. This activity continued until 1969.
Subsequently, with the formation of MARDI in 1970, all germplasm materials were handed over to MARDI for safe keeping at MARDI Seberang Perai research station. The initial step in genetic conservation of rice by MARDI researchers commences with the collection of traditional rice varieties and landraces from farm fields and storage bins and some wild
relatives of rice from wild habitats. A thorough survey on the distribution of wild relatives of rice throughout the country started in 1980s. Four species of rice, namely Oryza rufipogon, O.
officinalis, O. meyeriana and O. ridleyi were surveyed. During the collection trip in 1989, 29 populations of O. rufipogon, one population of O. officinalis and one population of O.
meyeriana were found. Oryza rufipogon is noticed to be abundant and most common in Kelantan, Seberang Prai and south Kedah. Seeds were also collected from Perak, Seberang Prai, Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah. The seeds and living plants maintained at MARDI Seberang Prai station were characterized and evaluated.
Surveys on the distribution of traditional fruits, traditional vegetables and herbs including medicinal plants in the home gardens and orchards throughout the country were carried out. The distribution and diversity of the underutilized species of fruits and these herbs were established. Sites for in-situ conservation for different underutilized fruit species in the country can therefore be identified. Garcinia atroviridis and G. foetida are abundant in Pahang and Terengganu, while Nephelium ramboutan-ake trees are concentrated in Johore. However a working relationship with tangible benefits for the farmers has to be established to make it successful.
- Seed genebank
The only seed genebank in Peninsular Malaysia is located at MARDI research station at Bertam, Seberang Perai, Penang. To date, the rice genebank consists of a total of 11,470 accessions of O. sativa, and 136 accessions of wild rice accessions (Table 1), of which 67%
are of local origin. Besides the traditional varieties and the wild rice species, other accessions include pure line varieties, modern high yielding varieties, elite breeding lines and special types (mutants and anther derived plants). Many of the traditional varieties or landraces are no longer kept by the farmers or found in the rice farmland in the country and this situation shows clearly the cause of genetic erosion.
The seed genebank facility was financed jointly by MARDI and IPGRI (formerly known as IBPGR) and became operational in 1989. In addition to providing cold rooms for short-term, medium-term and long-term seed storage, the facility is also equipped with office space, laboratory, seed processing room, drying room and computer room.
Long-term storage: Seeds which are dried to 6-7% moisture are vacuum-sealed in aluminum foil packets each containing 18-20g seeds and stored in a deep freezer at -20oC.
Expected seed longevity is 30 years.
Medium-term storage: About 180-200g seeds dried to 8-9% moisture are vacuum-sealed in aluminum foil packets and kept in a cold room at 3-5oC and relative humidity of 35-40%. The expected seed longevity is 15 years.
Short-term storage: Seeds with the moisture level of 10-12% are kept in brown paper envelopes and stored in a cold room at 12-15oC and relative humidity of 40-45%.
Expected longevity is 3-5 years.
The seed genebank has the capacity to store 25,000-30,000 accessions of seeds.
However, the traditional vegetable seeds and ulam (or salad-equivalent vegetable) seeds are stored in the seed genebank. Currently about 130 accessions of traditional vegetables mainly of brinjal, Luffa, spinach, and chili, as well as 100 accessions of ulam are kept in the medium-term storage (see Table 2).
In addition the seed genebank at the Agriculture Research Centre (ARC) in Tuaran, Sabah maintain 941 accessions and 18 varieties of rice as well as 38 species of vegetables (Wong, 2006). A further 1,651 accessions of rice and 29 species of vegetables are also being maintained at various research centres in Sarawak (Table 2) (Chai, 2006).
Table 2. Germplasm collection conserved at seed genebank
No. Crops Location No. of accessions
MARDI Seberang Perai,. West Malaysia 11,470
DOA Tuaran, Sabah 941*
1 Rice
Various Centres, Sarawak 1,651
MARDI Seberang Perai 130
Specific MARDI stations 50**
DOA Tuaran, Sabah 38***
2 Traditional vegetables
Various Centres, Sarawak 646****
3 Ulam MARDI Seberang Seberang Perai 100
* 18 varieties of rice are also conserved
** total for chilli and tomato (non-traditional vegetables)
*** number of species
**** encompassing 29 species
- Field genebank
Conservation of tropical fruits has been given special emphasis. A sizeable germplasm collection of fruits are being maintained in MARDI as well as in other agencies (Table 3).
Other field genebank collections involving coconut, coffee, root and tubers, medicinal plants, spices and beverages and ulam are also being established in MARDI research stations (Table 4).
Table 3. Ex-situ conservation of indigenous fruit species maintained at various institutions in Malaysia (Field genebanks/arboretum)
Institutions Location (Field
genebank/arboretum) No. of species No. of accessions
MARDI Various stations 165 3,757*
DOA, Pen. Serdang 17 1,000
Malaysia Hulu Paka 110 235
DOA, Sabah Various Agriculture
Research Stations 204 n.a
DOA, Sarawak Bintulu Agriculture Park 48 60
DOA, Sarawak Betong Layar Station 54 n.a.
FRIM Kepong 100 816
UPM Serdang 36 239
UKM Bangi 38 na
UM Rimba Ilmu Petaling Jaya 71 207
*: Inclusive of over 1,000 accessions of traditional cultivar and land races involving 14 major fruit species
Table 4: Germplasm collection conserved in MARDI field genebank
No. Crops Location (Research Station) No. of accessions
1 Coconut Hilir Perak 45
2 Coffee Kluang 425
3 Roots and tubers Serdang 800*
4 Medicinal plants Cameron Highlands
Jerangau 62
3,377
5 Spices and beverages Kluang 300
6 Ulam Jerangau
Seberang Perai 78
* Estimates 60
As in the above tables illustrated, collections of fruits accessions are more prominent in terms of the number of accessions collected with the next substantial collections involves medicinal plants. The collection of medicinal plants in MARDI which currently encompasses 275 species and other herbs are expected to expand further in the future with more importance being placed to it. Already the Dept. of Agriculture Sarawak has recently
established over 200 accessions of live herbal plant collections (Chai, 2006).