MARDI’s Realstrong N Bio booster fertiliser increased rice yields by up to 120%

PASIR MAS (March 11): The Realstrong N Bio Booster fertiliser, a Malaysian Agricultural Research & Development Institute (MARDI) innovation, has helped farmers increase their yields from 10% to 120% per season.

Agriculture & Food Industries Deputy Minister (II), Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi, said at its launch in Bendang Lipan today that its efficiency was demonstrated when 22,000 farmers in seven West Malaysia States — with a crop covering 52,000ha — reaped the benefits.

“Among the benefits were more seedlings per clump (from 23 to 35), a strong stem and good resistance to diseases and pests.

“It increased grain quantity and quality while reducing the use of subsidised fertiliser by 10-30%,” he said, adding that soil pH, nutrients and microbes increased, too.

At the launch, Che Abdullah also handed out recognition awards to the top six participants of the ‘Mentor Mentee Baja Realstrong N Bio Booster’ programme who managed to increase their rice yield from 26% to 120%.

Che Abdullah said Realstrong N Bio Booster is included in the biofertiliser subsidy and Paddy Production Incentive Scheme (SIPP) for 2020-2021.

He said the technology transfer had a significant impact on the target group.

He said the fertiliser increased yield in two main rice production areas: Bendang Kuntan, Tumpat under the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA) by 162% and Sungai Besar under the northwest Selangor Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) by 57.9%.

The Realstrong N Bio Booster technology was developed with All Cosmos Industries Sdn Bhd using a strain of Bacillus subtilis and cost-effective MARDI growth medium with a microbe count of up to 100 million per millilitre.

Source: TheEdgeMarkets