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Centre for Innovation & Consultation

Tissue Culture of Different Fig Cultivars in Malaysia: From the Lab to The Farm and Table

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chew Bee Lynn

The fig (Ficus carica) is well known in Malaysia by its Arabic name of ‘Buah Tin’. It is mainly grown in the Mediterranean and western Asia for its highly nutritious fruits packed with iron, calcium, phosphorus, and fibre. It is introduced as a Superfruit in Malaysia and is gaining popularity in agriculture as a high value crop.

Problem Statement

  • Current conventional methods for the propagation of plant stocks are inefficient yielding low rates of success and survival due to poor rooting.
  • Plant stocks propagated via conventional methods are slow growing and can often go into dormancy resulting in low fruiting capacity.
  • The low plant multiplication rate of novel fig cultivars also hampers the standardization of fruit quality for commercialization and food production purposes.

Novelty and Inventiveness

  • This invention is a highly effective alternative in the mass production of disease-free plant stocks via plant tissue culture technology.
  • The project involves the establishment of optimal methods and media in culture to mass propagate fig plantlets of selected novel cultivars that are known to produce high quality fruits in the tropical climate.
  • Technology is also supported with DNA polymorphism analysis for mutation screening and for quality assurance.
  • The efficiency rate of the technology allows standardization in cultivar type and farming methods, enabling consistency in fruit harvest and fruit quality suitable for the local market consumption.

Applicability and Benefits

Propagated plants can be grown in the local fields in a consistent manner with standard cultivation practices and consistent quality of fruits can be harvested for commercial sale in the local supermarkets or for the production of other commercial food products.

Research Achievement

  • ISI & Scopus (8) publications.
  • Financial assistance: Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia Grant and the USM Innovation Seed Fund.
  • Talent development: 1 PhD and 3 MSc.
  • Model project in the IM-TGT University Network Strategic Action Plan Project Development Workshop 2016.

Commercialization Potential And Industrial Partner

Technology enables production of healthy plant stocks for mass cultivation and the standardization of fig cultivars for commercialization in the ASEAN region (Thailand and Indonesia). Highly productive cultivars are able to fruit all year-round yielding fruits at a high harvesting rate (approximately 1.5 kg fruits/plant/month) to cater for the demand of fresh fig fruits from the supermarket and from food processing industries.

  • Fig Direct Sdn. Bhd.
  • C&O Plants Sdn. Bhd.
  • Netlin Infinite Sdn. Bhd.

Intellectual Property Status

1 Patent is owned by Universiti Sains Malaysia under trade secret (TS/IO/209/033).

Status of Invention

Technology Readiness Level 7 (Technology is ready for commercial scale production).

Impact of Innovation

  • Enable the supply disease free novel fig plant stocks for the establishment of commercial fruit farms in Malaysia.
  • Create opportunities in farming and the establishment of new crops in Malaysia, indirectly ensuring nutritional security.
  • Create new job opportunities, increase income generation of local growers and encourage entrepreneurs into new product development.
  • Encourage efficient farming and improvement in harvest quality and.
  • Support sustainable farming practices while ensuring profitability and environmental health.
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