SCIENCE RESEARCH AT UUM: STIMULANT FOR PRODUCTIVE PADDY FARMING

Stimulant for productive paddy farming

Stimulant for productive paddy farming The growing popularity of organic farming has inspired a group of researchers from UUM to come up with a plant growth stimulant or fertiliser, which they have dubbed ‘soul of soil’ to reflect its organic composition. The stimulant was invented through a simple production process that can be emulated in the backyard of any house. Soul of soil is a concoction of raw materials derived from nature such as bamboo shoots, banana stumps, various types of plants and animal excretion.

 “We came up with soul of soil in response to the increasing awareness among consumers on the importance of health and environmental responsibility,” says Dr Siti Norezam Othman who is leading the research team from the Special Research Interest Group in Agro Business under the School of Technology Management and Logistics, College of Business. “Consumers today want safe products that are free of toxins and other harmful chemicals.” Soul of soil is available in both granule and liquid form, which is also known as foliar. Working in collaboration with the Kedah Regional Development Authority (KEDA) and the Community in Kampung Lintang Belantik, in Sik, Kedah, the stimulant is being tested at an experimental organic paddy farm called Sri Lovely at the village.

According to Dr Siti Norezam, use of soul of soil on the farm has yielded positive results. The stimulant has been shown to improve soil pH, which increases the fertility level of the soil resulting in healthier plants. Other benefi ts include increasing the crop’s resistance to diseases and greater root growth. In a nutshell, soul of soil has upgraded the productivity level of paddy farming at Sri Lovely.

“The farmers have said that paddy yield has actually improved with use of soul of soil, compared to conventional fertilisers,” enthuses Dr Siti Norezam. She also points out that some organic fertilisers available in the market are not completely free of chemicals, which is why she believes that soul of soil will do well if it was more widely available. Her team is currently in discussion with the collaborative parties on the prospect of patenting, commercialising and mass producing the organic stimulant in the future by initially testing soul of soil with the Department of Agriculture before making a foray into the larger market.