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Lippia alba, commonly known as Bushy Matgrassis a well-known traditional herb. Besides being used as a food supplement, for seasoning and as a drink, this plant species possess several pharmacologi...

Tree decline is a physiological phenomenon resulting from climatic disturbances that involves damage to forest ecosystems. This study examined the effects of tree decline on nutrient concentrations in the leaves, bark, and wood of Persian oak (Quercus brantii) trees. Trees were categorized by decline severity (healthy, slight, moderate, and severe decline). Leaves were collected from the middle and outer parts of the crowns. Bark and wood samples were taken at breast height (1.3 m). The contents of Mg, Ca, P, Fe, K, and Na were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and flame photometry. As decline severity increased, the concentrations of Mg, Ca, P, Fe, K, and Na in the foliage increased. However, the P and K in the bark and the P in the wood were lower in trees in the higher decline classes. Moreover, nutrient contents in the tissues examined varied across the different decline severities. The variations may have been due to defense mechanisms of the trees enhancing tolerance against induced stress. The results suggested that nutrient stoichiometry can reflect uptake in forest ecosystems and plant-environmental stress relationships.

Knowledge of soil physical and chemical properties is vital to the optimal growing performance of agricultural crops, including plantation forest trees. Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been shown to be a tool that enables rapid and low-cost assessment of soils, however its use in forest plantations has been slow to develop. This study shows the development of calibrations for total organic carbon, total nitrogen and soil pH using a handheld NIR spectrometer for soils at three sites in Sabah, Malaysia. Soil samples were collected, dried, milled and scanned after which they were analysed using standard chemical methods to obtain total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN). Partial least squares regression was used to develop calibrations between reference data and NIR spectra and validated using an independent sample set. The calibration of soil pH is made using a subset of samples across A- and B-horizons for samples from two of the three sites. The most effective spectral pre-treatment was the standard normal variate for TOC and TN while the Savitzky-Golay first derivative was the best pre-treatment for predicting soil pH. Principal component analysis was performed on the raw NIR spectra of all samples to confirm that the samples from different sites were able to be used in a single regression analysis. Kennard-Stone selection was used to create calibration sets and validation sets from the combined spectra from all sites and both soil horizons. Calibrations were also developed independently on the A- and B-horizon samples, but there were insufficient sample numbers to utilize an independent validation set. The coefficients of determination for the validation set (r2p) were 0.77 and 53 for TOC and TN respectively while the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 0.44 g 100 g−1for TOC and 0.051 g 100 g−1for TN. In addition, it showcases the application of these calibrations to provide spatial assessment of two differing micro-sites within a single Eucalyptus pellita progeny breeding trial. Combined with the potential to monitor foliar nutrients, the ability to obtain high spatial details of soil composition will assist tree plantation growers and also other agricultural producers, such as oil palm plantation managers, to better manage their soil and fertiliser regimes.

Eucalyptus pellita F. Muell. has become an important tree species in the forest plantations of SE Asia, and in Malaysian Borneo in particular, to replace thousands of hectares of Acacia mangium Willd. which has suffered significant loss caused by Ceratocystis manginecans infection in Sabah, Malaysia. Since its first introduction at a commercial scale in 2012, E. pellita has been planted in many areas in the region. The species replacement requires new silvicultural practices to induce the adaptability of E. pellita to grow in the region and this includes relevant research to optimise such regimes as planting distance, pruning, weeding practices and nutrition regimes. In this present study, the nutritional status of the foliage was investigated with the aim to develop near infrared spectroscopic calibrations that can be used to monitor and quantify nutrient status, particularly total foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the field. Spectra acquired on fresh foliage in situ on the tree could be used to predict N and P with accuracy suitable for operational decision-making regards fertiliser application. If greater accuracy is required, spectra acquired on dry, milled foliage could be used to predict N and P within a relative error of 10% (R2c, r2CV, RMSEP, RPD = 0.77, 0.71, 0.02 g 100 g-1, 1.9 for foliar P and = 0.90, 0.88, 0.21 g 100 g-1, 3.0 for foliar N on dry, milled foliage). The ultimate application of this is in situ nutrient monitoring, particularly to aid longitudinal studies in fertiliser trial plots and forest operations, as the non-destructive nature of NIR spectroscopy would enable regular monitoring of individual leaves over time without the need to destructively sample them. This would aid the temporal and spatial analysis of field data.

Understanding the productivity and physiological status of an organ (rhizome) function can lead into a sustainable production of sympodial bamboo. Nutrient elements and ash content (AC) are among the indicators to indicate the productivity and physiological status of an individual bamboo organ. The present study aimed to (a) determine the concentration of macronutrient elements of

Cancer is a condition in which cells grow uncontrollably and may metastasis to other parts of the body. Despite the recent advances in synthesising new anticancer agents, plant-derived compounds ar...

This study aimed to access different desirable characteristics of nine Hibiscus cannabinus L. accessions based on morphophysiological characteristics and fiber tensile strength for an effective selection of H. cannabinus plant improvement. Four China accessions (FH952, T15, T17, and T19), four Bangladesh accessions (HC2, HC95, V4202, and V4383), and V36 (control) accession were examined in a four-month cultivation period. The experimental design was arranged using randomized complete block design with three replications. Stem diameter was found to be significantly related (p ≤ 0.05) with all morphological and yield characteristics except for leaf dry weight and growth efficiency. Bigger stem diameter was an indicator of fiber yield in attempts to apply crossing and selection to improve performance. Photosynthesis rate also was found to be significantly related (p ≤ 0.05) with stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, instantaneous water use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency. High photosynthesis rate could be an indicator to interpret the pattern of genetic variation of plant assimilation rate and its relation with environmental and agronomic factors. The fiber tensile modulus, however, was found to be inversely correlated with fiber diameter. The present study suggests the selection of control, V4383, HC2, and FH952 accessions for a breeding line as they possess high fiber yield, fiber strength, and photosynthetic efficiency.

Assessing land uses-induced changes in soil properties from natural forests to farmland are indispensable for addressing the complications in terms of agricultural landscape sustainability. A study was conducted in Rehabilitated Forest (RF), Oil Palm (OP), Secondary Forest (SF) and Rubber Plantation (RP) at University Putra Malaysia in order to examine the results of soil densification on soil characteristics and fertility status via soil indices. Soils were sampled at two soil depths. Fall-corn-type soil penetrometer was used to examine Soil compaction. Status of the soil fertility was determined by using Soil Evaluation Factor (SEF) and Soil Fertility Index (SFI). The soil compaction was severe at RP and OP compared to SF and RF. The highest pH, total carbon and cation exchange capacity was recorded at RP site. Soil at OP was found highest organic matter content, nitrogen and available Al. The SFI was comparatively upper than SEF value in case of both depths. The highest SFI value was OP, followed by RP, RF and SF for the surface soil. Therefore, soil fertility were affected by different types of trees such as dipterocarp trees, oil palm trees and rubber trees as well as soil managements and it is required to develop appropriate land use policy, sustainable soil management and cultivation practices to face the recent soil degradation in the study area.

The establishment of an Acacia mangium plantation often alters physicochemical characteristics and nutrient concentrations of soils. We aimed to evaluate the invasive potential of A. mangium forest on the soil in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Peninsular, Malaysia. To achieve the mentioned target, four different regions, namely, the open ground region (OG), Acacia mangium region (AM), transition region (TZ), and native forest region (NF), were selected and each of the regions was divided into six plots. Composite samples were randomly taken from subplots at 0–15 cm depth (topsoil) and 15–30 cm depth (subsoil). Some physicochemical properties such as soil moisture and texture, textural classification, bulk density and particle density, pH, electric conductivity (EC), exchangeable bases (EB) (Ca, Mg and K), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorous (Av. P) were analyzed. The results of our study showed that the soil of the AM region, which was clay loam, contained clay (51%), silt (32%), and sand (16%). The chemical analysis of topsoil showed significant differences in terms of OM%, exchangeable- Ca, Mg, K (molc kg−1), N (%), gravitational water content (GWC), and Avail. P between all four regions. Additionally, the highest pH and OM of topsoil were seen in the AM region with 4.5% and 4.33%, respectively. In the subsoil, there were significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) in terms of EC (ds/m), OM (%), Exchangeable- Ca, Mg and K (cmolc kg−1), GWC, available phosphorus, and N (%) between all four regions. The highest GWC, N (%), and Ca (cmolc kg−1) were observed in the AM region with 16.00, 0.14%, and 0.64 cmolc kg−1, respectively. These results showed that A. mangium changed some soil characteristics due to its invasion potential. In summary, A. mangium showed high adaptability on degraded forest land and high ability to accumulate the soil physicochemical properties to enhance its growth.

Review paper, jointly written by experts from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (Iran), Federal University of Maranhão (Brazil), Central University of Punjab (India), Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity (Russia), De Montfort University (UK), University of Orléans (France) open access article The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the more general global increase in viral diseases, has led researchers to look to the plant kingdom as a potential source for antiviral compounds. Since ancient times, herbal medicines have been extensively applied in the treatment and prevention of various infectious diseases in different traditional systems. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential antiviral activity of plant compounds as effective and reliable agents against viral infections, especially by viruses from the coronavirus group. Various antiviral mechanisms shown by crude plant extracts and plant-derived bioactive compounds are discussed. The understanding of the action mechanisms of complex plant extract and isolated plant-derived compounds will help pave the way towards the combat of this life-threatening disease. Further, molecular docking studies, in silico analyses of extracted compounds, and future prospects are included. The in vitro production of antiviral chemical compounds from plants using molecular pharming is also considered. Notably, hairy root cultures represent a promising and sustainable way to obtain a range of biologically active compounds that may be applied in the development of novel antiviral agents.

Tree decline due to climate change results in physiological weaknesses, attacks by harmful pests and pathogens and threats to forest ecosystem stability. In the work described here, the effects of drought on wood density, tree ring width and variations in vessel morphology are investigated in Persian oak (Quercus brantii) in the forest of the Zagros Mountains, Ilam Province, western Iran. Discs are cut from trunks of declined and healthy trees and woodblocks are cut radially from the sapwood near the bark, at a mid-point between the vascular cambium and the pith (middle) and from wood near the pith. Observations are made on transverse sections from the blocks using microscopy. In trees with decline symptoms, wood density is greater than in healthy trees. Furthermore, declining trees have the narrowest ring width, reduced vessel diameter and area and the highest numbers of vessels and tylose in pith towards the bark. It is concluded that changes in anatomical features are associated with the weakening of trees and are components of declining tree health.

Nanotechnology is a promising tool that has opened the doors of improvement to the quality of human’s lives through its potential in numerous technological aspects. Green chemistry of nanoscale materials (1–100 nm) is as an effective and sustainable strategy to manufacture homogeneous nanoparticles (NPs) with unique properties, thus making the synthesis of green NPs, especially metal nanoparticles (MNPs), the scientist’s core theme. Researchers have tested different organisms to manufacture MNPs and the results of experiments confirmed that plants tend to be the ideal candidate amongst all entities and are suitable to synthesize a wide variety of MNPs. Natural and cultivated Eucalyptus forests are among woody plants used for landscape beautification and as forest products. The present review has been written to reflect the efficacious role of Eucalyptus in the synthesis of MNPs. To better understand this, the route of extracting MNPs from plants, in general, and Eucalyptus, in particular, are discussed. Furthermore, the crucial factors influencing the process of MNP synthesis from Eucalyptus as well as their characterization and recent applications are highlighted. Information gathered in this review is useful to build a basis for new prospective research ideas on how to exploit this woody species in the production of MNPs. Nevertheless, there is a necessity to feed the scientific field with further investigations on wider applications of Eucalyptus-derived MNPs.

A proposed soil quality index named Tropical Soil Quality Index 2 (TSQI2) was developed in this study using statistical analysed data of selected properties (physical, chemical and biological) of composite soil samples collected from natural, secondary and rehabilitated forests of Chikus and Tapah Hill Forest Reserves, Perak, Malaysia. Results of soil evaluation using TSQI2 showed higher values for planted forest in Chikus Forest Reserve compared to those of the rehabilitated forest in Tapah Hill Forest Reserve. Likewise, rehabilitated forest of Tapah Hill Forest Reserve had slightly higher index value compared to that of the secondary forest. The higher index for rehabilitated Chikus Forest Reserve compared to that of the natural forest was due to high MBC/MBN ratio values. The reason for this condition was the lower amount of microbial biomass nitrogen as compared to microbial biomass carbon. Plant growth performance of dominant trees species showed that Shorea leprosula was high in natural forests, followed by rehabilitated forest of Tapah Hill Forest Reserve. The newly proposed TSQI2 (which had been validated using actual data) is suitable for determining the quality of natural and rehabilitated forests in tropical regions.

Micropropagation is a reliable technique in biotechnology and genetic engineering domain, which has been widely applied for rapid mass propagation of plants in vitro condition. Through micropropagation techniques, reproduction of plants can be attained from different explants using organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. Over the decades, micropropagation techniques have offered tremendous potential for forest tree improvement. Eucalyptus is a woody plant species recalcitrant to in vitro culture. In general, the micropropagation of Eucalyptus culture processes and the genotype, environment surroundings, and age of explants in culture media is frequently linked with the occurrence of micropropagation variation. In the current review paper, an update of the most important physiological and molecular phenomena aspects of Eucalyptus micropropagation was linked to the most profound information. To achieve the mentioned target, the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs), nutrients, other adjuvant and environmental features, as well as genetic interaction with morpho- and physiological mechanisms was studied from the induction to plant acclimatisation. On the other hand, important mechanisms behind the organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis of Eucalyptus are discussed. The information of current review paper will help researchers in choosing the optimum condition based on the scenario behind the tissue culture technique of Eucalyptus. However, more studies are required to identify and overcome some of the crucial bottlenecks in this economically important forest species to establish efficient micropropagation protocol at the industrial level.

In tropical climate, huge amount of fertilizer need to be used for the cultivation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) in Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) soil, however this approach is not cost effective and environmental friendly. Therefore, the optimizing of fertilizer rate for BRIS soils and selection of suitable soil amendments are crucial to get a higher yield. In this study, the effects of different combinations of urea, chicken manure and biochar on soil properties, growth performance and physiological characteristics of kenaf cultivated on the BRIS soil were investigated. Eight treatments were conducted namely: control (T1), biochar (T2), chicken manure (T3), urea (T4), chicken manure + urea (T5), biochar + chicken manure (T6), urea + biochar (T7) and biochar + chicken manure + urea (T8). The biomass and physiological characteristics of kenaf were recorded every month, while the soil was analyzed following a standard laboratory procedure. The application of organic and inorganic...

Natural forest, oil palm and rubber plantations are economically and environmentally important for Peninsular Malaysia. The present study analysed four years of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface reflectance data to develop spectral indices of vegetation, water availability and moisture stress for the study area. The indices – the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, the Normalised Difference Water Index and the Moisture Stress Index – were applied to the three different habitats to monitor drought and develop a Malaysia Southwest Monsoon (M-SWM) classification. By integrating indicators of the Southwest Monsoon, the Standard Precipitation Index, mean precipitation and temperature and spectral indices correlation analysis, M-SWM classification showed greater sensitivity to drought conditions than any of the individual indicators alone. The results also found that July is the driest month; it was the only period classified as ‘Very Dry’ based on the M-SWM.

Soil fertility (both physical and chemical) is one of the important factors limiting plant growth. So, the fertility of the soils should be determined before growing crops and after the establishment of forest rehabilitation. A study was conducted to determine the fertility status of soils at rehabilitated degraded land in Universiti Putra Malaysia. The main objective was to compare the fertility of soils planted forest and pasture. Three sites studied were pines plantation (Pinus caribaea), mahogany plantation (Swietenia macrophylla) and pasture area. At each site, three squares of 20×20 m were selected and two depths of soil sample were collected, topsoil (0-20 cm) and subsoil (20-40 cm), from six points within the squares. The physical properties of the soils analyzed were bulk density, soil texture and moisture content, while the chemical properties were pH, total C and N, cation exchangeable capacity and exchangeable cations (Al, Ca, Mg, K and Na). The mean annual increment of height, diameter and volume of planted forest were also taken. The increment of height, diameter at breast height and volume of P. caribaea and S. macrophylla did not show any comparative difference for the cause of the similarity in the increment of patterns catalysed at the same location and climatic condition. P. caribaea showed higher SFI value compared to the other study plots, especially for the topsoil. In contrast, pasture plot had higher SEF, followed by P. caribaea and S. macrophylla plantation plots. P. caribaea showed the highest SFI value, while pasture plot had highest SEF, followed by P. caribaea and S. macrophylla plantation plots. Further study on bigger forest plantation having different types of plant species and land topography needs to be conducted to allow individuals and bodies in the field of forest plantation to gain the opportunity and implement the right approaches to establish forest plantation with good planting establishment practices.

This study was designed to assess variation of possible phytochemical compounds in the ethanolic extracts of Gigantochloa scortechinii rhizome. Destructive sampling was done by using selective random sampling method on four consecutive rhizomes from healthy clumps and was conducted at two natural forests and one secondary forest (planted). Homogenized sample were extracted using solvent extraction (70% ethanol) method. Ethanolic extracts of G. scortechinii rhizome were qualitatively analyzed using GC/MS GC2010 Plus, Shimadzu to determine the composition of phytochemical compounds and identified using FFNSC 1.3, NIST11, PMW_tox2, and Wiley229 spectral library. A qualitative variation was observed with a total of 56 compounds were identified and differentiated between study site and rhizome age. Results revealed that G. scortechinii rhizome contains various phytochemical compounds with potential as a plant of phytopharmaceutical importance. This is the first finding on the spatial and age-related effects of phytochemical compounds in a consecutive rhizome and of G. scortechinii rhizome specifically.

Heavy metal pollution of the soil environment has become a major source of concern and continues to pose serious health problems to both humans and ecological systems worldwide. Phytoremediation is a biological treatment whereby plants are used to remove pollutant from the environment. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of Melastoma malabathricum as a phytoremediator to absorb heavy metals from soil contaminated with sewage sludge. Melastoma malabathricum seedlings were planted on six different growth media: T0 - Control (100 % soil), T1 (80 % soil + 20 % sewage sludge), T2 (60 % soil + 40 % sewage sludge), T3 (40 % soil + 60 % sewage sludge), T4 (20 % soil + 80 % sewage sludge) and T5 (100 % sludge). There were differences found in both growth parameters and plant biomass. The highest growth performance such as plant height and number of leaves was found in T3. Iron was highly accumulated in the roots, Cu in the stems in T3, while Pb was accumulated in leaves in T5. The results showed the lowest Translocation Factor (TF) and highest Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) values in relation to the following elements: Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn. Melastoma malabathricum roots are able to uptake and translocate the elements into the plant's shoots. Therefore, it can be considered a good accumulator plant due to its capability of concentrating contaminants in aerial tissue. Melastoma malabathricum were thus found to be suitable for absorbing heavy metals in contaminated soils, and this species can also be considered an effective phtyoremediator of contaminated soil and mitigator of soil pollution.

Tropical forests support core biological, hydrological and socioeconomic functions essential to life on earth. An assessment based on the Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production (HANPP) could help reduce exploitation of these forests, increasing their adaptive capacity and lessening their vulnerability to losses of Net Primary Productivity (NPP). Here we apply HANPP to the study area, based on Land Use Impact variability between the forest and contiguous roads and plantations by application of Geographical Information Systems of Protected Area Tools. We used the human activity index and biomass extraction from forest to study the effects of population pressure. The final land use impact map showed that the largest area of forest land (37 %) is now in urban and agricultural use, and that these areas are located within 0–3 km of the forest land. NPP with human intervention showed, total NPP of the forest decreased by 7.4 %, from 104.4 to 96.6 gCm−2 month−1. This study developed a new HANPP model and enhanced the usefulness of HANPP indicators by demonstrating the impact of human activity inside the forest. Because NPP changes most in higher–productivity areas, suitable policies should be enforced to avoid further human interference in the area.

Effects of soil chemical properties on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) symbiosis with wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis L. Crantz) were examined for study the rates of root colonization at three forest sites: Kheiroud, Lalis, and Takrin in northern Iran. Soil characteristics including pH, available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), organic matter, total nitrogen, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, CaCO3, spore density (SD) and AMF colonization of soil and root samples were analyzed. The study sites were investigated in spring and autumn to highlight the effects of soil chemical properties on AMF statues for better nurseries and reforestation management of this rare tree species in forests. Changes in soil pH, P, K, organic matter, total nitrogen, acid and alkaline phosphatase, CaCO3, SD, and AMF colonization of soil and root samples were analyzed at the study sites. K, pH, root colonization, SD and acid phosphatase activity showed no significant differences among sites in spring and autumn, while total nitrogen, P, organic matter and alkaline phosphatase activities showed significant differences among sites and seasons. AMF colonization rates were more than 51% and 32% of roots in spring and autumn, respectively. No correlation between root colonization and soil chemical parameters in spring and autumn were detected. There was no correlation between percentage of AM root colonization and SD nor other soil parameters in spring and autumn. SD and CaCO3 were significantly negatively correlated in spring and autumn. Despite differences in soil characteristics, the results showed that SD and root colonization were not significantly different among the sites. They also showed that wild service trees had strong symbiosis with AMF, while soil properties might not have a significant effect on this symbiosis. Therefore, colonized seedlings can be considered as an appropriated method for reforestation and conservation of this rare tree species.

Carbon storage in forest ecosystems involves inordinate components including plant biomass carbon and soil carbon. Sequestration of carbon along with other aggressive conservation efforts helps to reduce the increasing negative impact of global warming on the environment and mangroves as the coastal forest. The objective of this study was to assess the soil carbon storage of dominant plant species of Awat-Awat Mangrove Forest, Sarawak, Malaysia. A total of 32 soil samples of mangrove forest were collected in nine different plots with different species using a peat auger at a soil depth of 0 to 50 cm. The total C in the soil samples was analyzed using CHNS analyzer (TruSpec Micro Elemental Analyzer (NCHS), LECO, USA). Soil carbon content of mangrove forest was found varies in each plot. The highest soil carbon content in Awat-Awat Mangrove Forest was found for soil under dominance of Rhizophora mucronata (6.24%) whereas the lowest (1.73%) was found for soil under dominated by Sonneratia alba. The soil carbon content of Awat-Awat Mangrove Forest was found to be influenced by the difference in species dominance. Key words: Soil carbon storage, soil carbon, species dominance, mangrove forest, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Kenaf is an industrial crop with high potential for cultivation in a tropical climate. It is a source of raw material for fiber-based industries and paper production. Considerable research has been conducted to explore its adaptability and utilization in Malaysia since 2000, under the supervision of governmental and private organizations. A number of technologies and expertise among researchers have been developed to enhance kenaf production in Malaysia. However, international documentation of the research is limited, which is important for rectification to provide a comprehensive knowledge base for all tropical and subtropical countries. The main objective of this review is to provide an overview of the results of Malaysian research on kenaf. In addition, the past, present and likely future trends in kenaf research in Malaysia as a representative tropical region are summarized. Key words: Industrial crop, tropical, agronomy, Kenaf

The effect of initial planting density (500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 trees per ha) on tree growth, wood density, and wood anatomical properties was studied in a 9-year-old Heave brasiliens...

The demand for kenaf in the world increases rapidly by the years. Cultivation of the crop in Malaysia is a challenging task, especially when kenaf is grown on sandy soils with low fertility, such as the BRIS S oils (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales). A pot stud y was conducted in a glasshouse at Universiti Putra Malaysia to evaluate the potential of inorganic and organic fertilizers or their combination for growi ng kenaf on very sandy BRIS Soils, using variety V36. There were altogether sixteen treatments: (T 1)-control (100% BRIS soil), (T 2)-NPK (chemical fertilizer), (T 3)-CM (chicken manure), (T 4)-B (biochar), (T 5)-Z (zeolite), (T 6)-NPK+CM, (T 7)-NPK+B, (T 8)-NPK+Z, (T 9)-CM+B, (T 10 )-CM+Z, (T 11 )-B+Z, (T 12 )-NPK+CM+B, (T 13 )-NPK+CM+Z, (T 14 )-CM+B+Z, (T 15 )-NPK+B+Z and (T 16 )- NPK+CM+B+Z. Results showed that application of inorganic material or organic fertil izer in combination with chemical fertilizer (T 2 and T 16 ) improved soil fertility, which are reflected by the increase inexchangeable K, Ca and Mg, CEC, total N, total C and available P. The highest kenaf growth w as observed in T 15 treatment.Application of biochar, zeolite or chicken manure alone on the soils did no t result in better kenaf growth compared to the con trol. Zeolite and biochar should be applied with other fe rtilizers or organic substrate to obtain a positive yield of crop and increase the soil properties. In addition, more studies on the application of chicken manure at different ratios should be conducted to obtain the best yield. Combination treatment, T 15 (NPK + biochar + zeolite) can be suggested to the farmers especially cultivation of kenaf on sandy BRIS soil in order t o obtain the best kenaf growth performance and indirectly re duce excessive use of chemical fertilizers.

Increase in human population has resulted in an eno rmous growth in the volume of wastewater. The conventional methods of sewage sludge disposal, tha t is the by-product of wastewater treatment, are co stly and not environment-friendly. An ideal way for sewa ge sludge management is by using it as a soil amendment in agricultural land due to sewage sludge ’s high organic matter content. However, sewage sludge contains high levels of heavy metals that ca n be harmful to both plants and the environment. He nce, these metals need to be removed before the sewage s ludge is to be used as a soil amendment. The object ive of this study was to assess the potential of Aquilaria malaccensis to uptake and translocate heavy metals found in sewage sludge. A.malaccensis seedlings were planted on six different planting m edia: T0/Control (100% soil), T1 (80% soil and 20% sewage sludge), T2 (60% soil and 40% sewage sludge), T3 (40% soil and 60% sewage sludge), T4 (20% soil and 80% sewage sludge) and T5 (100% sewage sludge) for the duration of 16 weeks. The growth performance of height and basal diameter was measured using diameter tape and venier caliper every two weeks, respective ly. The average dry weight biomass of A.malaccensis was measured using destructive sampling at 16 weeks after planting. Plant samples were collected after harvest and soil samples were collected before plan ting and after harvesting. Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the planting media and the plant parts (leaves, stem and roots). The h ighest growth of A.malaccensis was recorded for the T5 growth media. The highest concentration of Fe in th e roots of the A.malaccensis plant was in the T5 growth media (2770.75 ppm). The highest accumulation of Zn (95.62 ppm) was recorded in the roots of A.malaccensis in the T5 growth media, whereas the stem of the A.malaccensis in T5 recorded the highest Cd accumulation (3.75 ppm). The highest Pb uptake was recorded in the roots of A.malaccensis in T5 (39.79 ppm), while the lowest accumulation of Pb was noted in the leaves of the A.malaccensis in control (16.08 ppm). The highest Translocation Factor (TF) (2.00) for Cd was recorded in T5. The lowest Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) for Cu was recorded at T5 (0.18). The highest TF for Pb was recorded in control (1.50), while the lowest was in T5 (1.23). The BCF for Zn was lowest in T5 (0.64). The A.malaccensis plant was found to be suitable for taking up heavy metals from sewage sludge especially Cd and Cu. The roots of A.malaccensis are ideal in uptaking and storing Fe, while the ste m of the A.malaccensis plant is ideal for the uptake and accumulation of C d. More studies need to be conducted, especially in field conditions, to optimize the pot ential of the A.malaccensis plant as a phytoremediator.

Sewage sludge or biosolids is the solid waste that has been left after wastewater is treated in a dome stic wastewater treatment facility. The most common way of sludge disposal is to dispose it on the land, se a or air (incineration). However, these methods are not envi ronment-friendly, costly and time consuming that re quires expertise and knowledge. An ideal way to manage sewage sludge is to use it as a soil amendment in agri cultural land due to it’s high organic matter and other base cations. Sewage sludge contains high levels of hea vy metals such as lead, cadmium and zinc that can be harmful to both plants and the environment. Hence, these me tals need to be removed before the sewage sludge is used as a soil amendment. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of Dipterocarpus verrucosus to uptake and translocate heavy metals from sewage sludge contaminated soil. The D.verrucosus seedlings were planted on six different planting me dia; Control (100% soil), T1 (80% soil and 20% sewage sludge), T2 (60% soil and 40% sewage sludge), T3 (40% soil and 60% sewage sludge), T4 (20% soil and 80% sewage sludge) and T5 (100% sewage sludge) for the duration of 16 weeks. The growth performance, of height of D.verrucosus was measured using diameter tape, while the basal d iameter was measured using a venier caliper for every two weeks for a period of 16 weeks. The plant biomass was de termined using a destructive sampling method. Plant samples were collected after harvest and soil samples were collected before and after planting. The Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the planting media and the plant parts (leaves, stem and roots). The highest plant biomass was recorded in the T1 growth media of 20% sewage sludge and 80% soil. D.verrucosus plant was able to remove heavy metals of Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn effectively. The highest concentration of heavy metal in the roots of the D.verrucosus plant was Fe, recorded in the T5 growth media (1879.75 ppm). The highest accumulation of Zn (68.47 ppm) in D.verrucosus was recorded in the stem of D.verrucosus in the T5 growth media whereas the stem of the D.verrucosus in T3 recorded the highest Cd accumulation (2.85 pp m). The highest Pb uptake was recorded in the roots of D.verrucosus in T5 (37.3 ppm), while the lowest accumulation of Pb was noted in the stem of the D.verrucosus in Control (23.49 ppm). For Cd, the highest translo cation factor (TF) (4.01) was recorded in T1. The lowest Bioconcentrat ion Factor (BCF) for Cu was recorded at T5 (0.22). The highest TF for Lead was recorded in control (2. 22) while the lowest was in T1 (1.64). The BCF for Zn was lowest at T3 treatment (0.16). The D.verrucosus plant was found to be suitable for taking up heavy metals from sewage sludge especially Cd, Zn, Cu and Pb. The roots of D.verrucosus are ideal in removing and storing Fe, while the stem of the D.verrucosus plant is ideal for the uptake and accumulation of Z n. However, more studies need to be conducted, especially in field conditions, in order to optimize the potential of the D.verrucosus plant as a phytoremediator.