Ahmad Tarmizi Hashim

Loss of Karma transposon methylation underlies the mantled somaclonal variant of oil palm

Somaclonal variation arises in plants and animals when differentiated somatic cells are induced into a pluripotent state, but the resulting clones differ from each other and from their parents. In agriculture, somaclonal variation has hindered the micropropagation of elite hybrids and genetically modified crops, but the mechanism responsible remains unknown. The oil palm fruit ‘mantled’ abnormality is a somaclonal variant arising from tissue culture that drastically reduces yield, and has largely halted efforts to clone elite hybrids for oil production. Widely regarded as an epigenetic phenomenon, ‘mantling’ has defied explanation, but here we identify the MANTLED locus using epigenome-wide association studies of the African oil palm Elaeis guineensis. DNA hypomethylation of a LINE retrotransposon related to rice Karma, in the intron of the homeotic gene DEFICIENS, is common to all mantled clones and is associated with alternative splicing and premature termination. Dense methylation near the Karma splice site (termed the Good Karma epiallele) predicts normal fruit set, whereas hypomethylation (the Bad Karma epiallele) predicts homeotic transformation, parthenocarpy and marked loss of yield. Loss of Karma methylation and of small RNA in tissue culture contributes to the origin of mantled, while restoration in spontaneous revertants accounts for non-Mendelian inheritance. The ability to predict and cull mantling at the plantlet stage will facilitate the introduction of higher performing clones and optimize environmentally sensitive land resources.

Real Time Monitoring Critical Parameters in Tissue Culture Growth Room with SMS Alert System

Real-time monitoring critical parameter is enhanced with email and short messaging system (SMS) for alert system. This system consists of four subsystems which include data acquisition, website monitoring, email protocol and SMS system. The aim of the integrated system is to remotely monitor critical parameter in tissue culture growth room. Research has shown that factors such as temperature, humidity, liquid, phase and gas compositions are critical in producing quality clonal materials using tissue culture process. Consequently, sensors are required to monitor and record the data in growth room. All sensors will monitor critical parameters that will be linked to the database and analysis software for storing and analyzing the monitored data. For the purpose of remotely monitor critical parameter, website and SMS enquiry are developed. The system would monitor via telemetry system and provide automatically email or short message (SMS) notifications upon identification of a disturbance module.

Smart RFID system for oil palm bio-laboratory

The tissue culture laboratory provides the oil palm industry with innovations for the production of improved planting materials and information on the molecular biology of tissue culture processes. Research has shown that factors such as temperature, humidity, liquid, phase and gas compositions, are critical in producing quality clonal materials using tissue culture process. Therefore, it is necessary to provide good physical and chemical conditions for production of quality products. Consequently, sensors are required to monitor and record the data in growth room. All sensors will monitor critical parameters that focus on temperature, humidity, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene and also an optical sensor for liquid phase and composition that will be linked to the database and analysis software for storing and analyzing the monitored data. The integrated sensors are low cost because it used local products and low power consumption and fabricated to suit the biological laboratory environment. The purpose of these integrated biotechnology sensors system is to serve as an interface among user, as the disturbance analysis program and an expert system in identifying the disturbance. The system would monitor via a smart RFID telemetry system and provide automatically email or short message (SMS) notifications upon identification of a disturbance module. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic wireless identification method using radio waves, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data from integrated sensors using devices called RFID tags or transponders. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader which make easier for data transportation. For the best communication path, active RFID tags will be equipped with autonomous networking; which greatly improves the utility of the device. Eventually, this smart RFID technology system could improve the efficiency of inventory tracking and management for oil palm tissue culture growth.

Tissue Culture and Genetic Engineering of Oil Palm

Publisher Summary Due to the limitations of conventional breeding, biotechnology, mainly tissue culture and genetic engineering, was chosen as an additional means to improve the yield and quality of the important monocot oil bearing tree oil palm. Using tissue culture method, regenerants carrying the same genetic material as their originator could be theoretically produced. It allows a large scale duplication of highly productive palms not achieved via conventional breeding. With the increase in world population, the demand for palm oil has also increased and it is hoped that the planting of clonal palms would increase the oil yield without the need to increase the arable land area. On the other hand, using genetic engineering, specific genes of interest can be directly introduced into a genome without any time spent in growing the plant and then crossing it. This chapter discusses the work and progress made mainly by Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) on their tissue culture and genetic engineering efforts on oil palm. Transgenic oil palms are being produced for niche market, such as the oleochemical industry, lubrication, and nutraceuticals.

Smart Integrated Sensors in Real Time Monitoring Critical Parameters in Tissue Culture Growth Room of Oil Palm

Real-time monitoring critical parameters can be enhanced by extending the alert system via email and short messaging system (SMS) technology. The aim of the smart integrated sensors is to remotely monitor critical parameter in tissue culture growth room. The tissue culture laboratory provides the oil palm industry with innovations for the production of improved planting materials and information on the molecular biology of tissue culture processes. Research has shown that factors such as temperature, humidity, liquid, phase and gas compositions are critical in producing quality clonal materials using tissue culture process. Therefore, it is necessary to provide good physical and chemical conditions for production of quality products. Consequently, sensors are required to monitor and record the data in growth room. SHT11 sensors are used to monitor parameters of temperature and humidity along with an optical sensor system for liquid phase and composition monitoring. In support to monitor gaseous in the vessels, sensors of oxygen, carbon dioxide and ethylene are utilized in the tissue culture growth room. Thus, a smart integrated sensors system is developed to monitor all influenced parameters in the culture growth room linked to the database and analysis software.

Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Somatic Embryogenesis

The effectiveness of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) breeding from seed remains the basis for long term genetic improvement. However, there is still considerable unexploited genetic variability within selected crosses, thus inducing interest in vegetative propagation via tissue culture. This method enables true-to-type reproduction of the best genotypes. Through this, further oil yield improvements can be expected, amongst other advantages. The success in producing oil palm clones has spurred oil palm organizations to set up their own tissue culture laboratories. The average estimated projection of 20% yield increase from clones compared to commercial seedlings makes planting with clones a potentially good investment. This chapter includes accounts of detailed in vitro propagation protocols using solid and liquid culture systems, nursery practices and quality control measures using physical and molecular screening tools.