TITLE: Excursion Trip to Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) Venue: Institute Penyelidikan Perhutanan Malaysia (FRIM), 52109

Kepong, Selangor. Division: II. Forestry Biotechnology Division Date of Visit: 23rd August 2013 INTRODUCTION The first time we had ever gone to a field trip was the most excitable event for us; it was held on the 23rd of August, Friday. For about 39 of us students, and 4 lecturers accompanied us in the trip. The place that we had been to was a wonderful forestry research centre the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)located in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. FRIM is a statutory agency of the Government of Malaysia,the place was very natural and full of lush of greenery; there were blocks of building in the forest which separates the sections of FRIM. FRIM is the organization that encourages sustainable management and optimal use of forest resources in Malaysia by spawning knowledge and technology through research, development and application in tropical forestry. It came as a great surprise to know that what the countrys lowlands were once which was covered by large tracts of virgin forest was turned into a research centre as we saw on the day of our excursion. The research centre was established even before World War II, and the institution was named as Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), by the EX-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Bin Muhammad when he visited FRIM on June 11, 1984 (Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 2013). The aim of this excursion is to provide students like us to see and learn how in real life or in working environment does the scientific concepts helps to research, it serves as a platform for us to have more knowledge on research field which is related to the field of Biotechnology. We went on the excursion to enhance our understanding as well as to gain more interest towards the forestry research and development in Malaysia, to enable ourselves to further learn and to have social skill development, we had a chance to view with our own eyes as to how the theories and techniques that we study in lectures can be applied in real life practices. This as a great opportunity for us to develop deeper understanding about each concepts and that learning is not only concealed in lecture classes. The whole team of our Biotechnology students arrived at University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) at about 5.55 a.m. early in the morning, we finally departed from the university at 6.30 a.m. after our lecturers have taken the attendance and counted in the number of students in the whole team. Fortunately UTAR had provided us the bus service to reach the place for our first excursion. Our journey to reach the research centre took about 2 hours and 45 minutes long drive. We finally reached the place at 10 a.m. in the morning.

By the time we went there, it was drizzling a bit and we found staffs that were doing gotong royong on that very day. The place was very beautiful, refreshing and so lively.After we reached, the lecturers sorted out groups for us, we were divided into two groups of about 18 people, we were the first group to enter the Genetics laboratory, secondly we entered the Seed laboratory and finally we visited the Tissue culture laboratory. At our arrival in the research centre, we were accompanied by a guide, Ms Tan who showed us around the laboratory areas. We were given a short briefing about what happens and what was done and what type of processes are carried out in the Genetics laboratory by Ms Tan. At the Genetics lab, they routinely perform DNA/RNA extraction, DNA sequencing, microsatellite genotyping and genetics transformation. These techniques have been used to generate information utilized by biologists to help manage species of concern and to produce quality planting materials for forest plantation. Using the highly efficient rapid-capture technique, they have been successful in isolating microsatellite markers from numerous plant species that have effectively been used in population studies, timber tracking and for individual identification. By using particle bombardment technique, they have produced transgenic teak with desired characteristics for forest plantation. Equipped with high-end molecular facilities and know how, We had the chance to take a peek at the laboratory area in the Genetics sections; we saw a machine called the growth chamber at which plants that grows in the area were studied at. The growth chamber allows controlling the temperature, level of carbon dioxide and light intensity. It is useful in the study of plants and how they react to a controlled environment. It compares how a plant reacts to different temperature, since the hot topic now among the researchers is the climate change, this machine helps us to study and identify the influence of climate change upon plants from different species and altitude. Secondly, we had the chance to explore in the Seed Technology laboratory where they study about seeds. We marvelled at the different types of seeds that were mostly comprised out of tropical non Dipterocarp and Dipterocarp seeds (that mostly had wings) that were well preserved like mummies under the cover of air tight seal and protected from dusts in the laboratory.The studies and researches performed in this lab were mainly focusing on the tropical seeds which are from Dipterocarp species and some of the important timber woods species that comes under the same species. Among the several activities that were performed in the lab phenology comes as the main topic of discussion. It is a field of study focusing on the monitoring of physical changes in a tree to know its flowering and fruiting season so that it could be helpful for researchers to be provided with information about the plant and when is the optimum time to obtain a trees seed. Further after seed collection, they do seed quality testing, measuring how well the seeds are in terms of germination capacity which helps to identify good mother tree. Other than that, they conduct moisture content test in a seed, testing how many seeds could contain in a kilogram are among the quality testing of seeds. These tests are done to collect information on seeds for research and to promote the seed product to customers for sale. They also perform studies on hard wood tree (Dipterocarp) seeds which are made into buildings, how the seeds can be stored under which optimum condition and how well can they be

preserved using cryopreservation (liquid nitrogen) method also for conservative purpose. The lab also preserves seed of rare and near extinct species of trees. Since trees under the Dipterocarp species have irregular pattern of fruiting season, they are researching on producing artificial seeds since the seeds are very few and also difficult to obtain. The third and final laboratory that we were able to visit was the Plant Tissue Culture laboratory, we were thoroughly briefed about the laboratory and the conduct of experiments and their purposes of using plant tissue culture techniques, the presentation were done by a staff in tissue culture. The basic theory for plant tissue culture was postulated by Gottlieb Haberlandt in 1902 on his experiments on the culture of single cell. The Plant Tissue Culture lab performs basic technique of culturing tissues in the lab based on the theories by Gautheret. Since the 1960s, tissue and cell culture has ever more been used as a device by plant scientists and biotechnologists. Plant tissue culture as mentioned is the sterile culture of plant cells, tissues or organs under controlled conditions which lead to cell multiplication or regeneration of organs or whole plants. This technique relies mainly on the ability of totipotency (potential of a plant cell to regenerate into a complete organism); this technique is used to produce bacterial and virus free planting materials, to achieve uniformity of growth in tissue culture derived planting materials, helps mass production of desirable genotypes and clones, it also facilitate genetic transformation work, and it helps in vitro conservation of germplasm. We were further briefed on stages of plant tissue culture, where the first important step is the selection of mother plant and explant, mainly about the choices of selecting seeds. Secondly surface sterilization of explants and culture initiation, which shows how to do pretreatment steps for the explant, such as using fungicide or antibiotic to eliminate fungus or bacteria, ethanol or sodium hypochlorite. Thirdly shoots induction and multiplication, where nutrient media which is made up of macronutrients, micronutrients, sugars, amino acids, cytokinase in kinetin, gelling agents and vitamins is needed to support growth of tissues. Fourthly rooting and acclimatization which focuses on how in vitro shoots must be rooted to be able to take up nutrients from soil, for the complete plant the transfer it to the weaning chamber for acclimatization for a month before they transfer the plant to the bench. Finally nursing (preparation for field plantation), plants are carefully nurtured for 6 to 12 months and the plants are ready to be transferred to field or plantation. The current R&D activities in the lab is mass production of timber species, medicine and ornaments, in vitro induction of polyploidy, somatic embryogenesis studies, studies on hairy root culture and up-scaling the production of hairy root culture using bioreactor technology, and also other studies on callus, cells and adventitious root culture. The excursion ended at about 11 a.m., we had a great time viewing the type of labs, lab equipment and processes that are carried in each laboratories and knowing its importance and purpose. We departed from FRIM and headed out to One Utama Mall for our lunch, about 3.30 p.m. we travelled back to UTAR and reached the university by 5 p.m. in the evening.

CONCLUSION Through this event we had observed many laboratories which are relevant to researches, such as the Genetics lab, Seed Technology lab and Tissue Culture lab. In the Seed Technology lab we learnt the importance of knowing plants, their reactions to different environments, the type of trees that yields best wood, they type of seeds that are used to make furniture and house. We were able to get a basic knowledge of how quality tests are done upon collected seeds, why seed collection is important and can we do with seeds. Meanwhile in the Genetics lab, we were briefed on how tissue culture are done upon plants, why tissue culture is done, what is the purpose of doing so and a briefing about mass production of plants. The brief visit had given us an input on how the techniques that we study are carried out in the mass production of plants, cloning of plants, plants preservation and so on. The trip has given us an understanding on how topics such as genetics, tissue culture, sterilization, preservation are made use in research. We obtained a deeper understanding on the basis of how product can be developed, what and why researches are performed and how they are carried out in detail. This was such a good opportunity for us to know and learn the importance of the theories and the relevance of our field of study in researches.

References Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 2013. [Online] July 3, 2013. Available at: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Research_Institute_Malaysia]. Accessed on: [25th August 2013]. Basics of Plant Tissue Culture, 2013. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, [Online]. Available at: [http://amrita.vlab.co.in/?sub=3&brch=187&sim=1100&cnt=1]. Accessed on: [27th August 2013].

MAP AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF FRIM

FASILATOR OF THE EXCURSION

GENETIK LAB

SEED TECHNOLOGY LAB

PLANT TISSUE CULTUTE LAB

PLACES THAT WE VISIT

OUR GROUP

1 UTAMA MALL

BACK TO UTAR