Minutes of
FNCA 2014 Workshop on Biofertilizer Project

Opening Session
Dr. Muhd Noor Muhd Yunus, Deputy Director of Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia), FNCA Coordinator of Malaysia, delivered remarks and expressed warm welcome to all participants. In addition, Dr. Sueo Machi, FNCA Coordinator of Japan, gave speeches and thanked to Malaysian Nuclear Agency for their hospitality and great effort to this workshop. Then Dr. Khairuddin Bin Abdul Rahim, Project Leader (PL) of Malaysia introduced all participants of the workshop. At last, Dr. Khairuddin and Ms. Julieta A. Anarna, PL of the Philippines, were selected as rapporteurs of this workshop.

As a keynote speech, Dr. Machi gave a presentation for overview and progress of FNCA activities in 2013-2014. He reviewed 10 FNCA projects and their main achievement. Then Prof. Tadashi Yokoyama, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), PL of Japan, presented summary of activity on FNCA Biofertilizer Project and major issues of this workshop.

Open Seminar
An Open Seminar on Biofertilizer was held on the second day of the workshop, 25 November 2014. Nearly 100 participants attended the half-day seminar, including representatives from research institutions, agricultural authorities, universities, plantation industries, bioproduct companies as well as farmers and amateur farming enthusiasts. The Open Seminar was officiated by Dr. Muhd Yunus. Four presentations were delivered, firstly by Dr. Machi, on "Nuclear Technology for Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture", and secondly a paper on "From Academia to the Agroindustry Market - Adopting Nuclear Technology along the way -" by Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Haji Shamsuddin of University Putra Malaysia and also the Technical Consultant for a biofertilizer company, Phytogold Sdn. Bhd. The third paper was delivered by Mr. Mohd Sidek Othman, Director of Irradiation facilities, Nuclear Malaysia, on "Strategizing the use of Nuclear Malaysia's Irradiation Facilities for R&D and Commercialization"; the last presentation was delivered by Ms. Salwa Md. Hashim, on "Commercialization and Acceptance of Biofertilizer in Malaysian Agroindustry". This was followed by a Panel Discussion session, with panelists comprising Projects Leaders from Japan (Prof. Yokoyama), Thailand (Dr. Phatchayaphon Meunchang), Indonesia (Prof. Iswandi Anas), the Philippines (Ms. Anarna) and Vietnam (Dr. Pham Van Toan) and chaired by Dr. Khairuddin. The discussion revolved in the areas of quality biofertilizer products, radiation sterilization, ways of introducing biofertilizers to the farmers and plantation industries and the way forward to advance biofertilizer projects through research and development.

Session 1 Country Report
Eight countries reported progress and research summaries for 2012-2014 respectively. The summaries of reports are attached as Annex 3.

Session 2 Application of Radiation Sterilization of Carrier for Production of Better Quality Commercial Biofertilizer
FNCA countries presented a positive effect of radiation on carrier to improve survival of some biofertilizer microbes. However, the information is still not clear at all. The experiments for evaluation of efficiency on selected plant have to extend for next experiment. The results can be used to writing the biofertilizer guideline for the next year.

Session 3 Development of Multifunctional Biofertilizer and Strategy for Extension to Farmers
Multifunctional Biofertilizer means that mixing of selected beneficial microbes that has different beneficial effects on plant growth and yield. Compatibility of the beneficial microbes has to be tested before using them as multifunctional biofertilizer. This is done to avoid one strain inhibit the growth of the others. On the other hand multi-function might be possible from one beneficial microbe which it has different funtions such as function to P-solubilizing less soluble phosphate and at the same time it has also funtion as a potassium solubilizing ability. The other possibility to find multi-fuctional strain might be through "mutagenesis technique".
Strategy for extention of use biofertilizer to the farmers are through (1) demonstration plots at the farmers field to convince farmers, (2) to convice also policy maker, (3) to collaborate with the private companies to produce and promote biofertilizers.

Session 4 Evaluation of Results of Experiment for Synergistic Effect of Biofertilizer and Irradiated Oligochitosan, Plant Growth Promoter, in 2014 and Future Prospects
Concerning synergistic effects among biofertilizers and oligochitosan, we investigate two targets; 1) disease control intensities and 2) plant growth promotion activities. A total 6 countries reported synergistic effects among biofertilizer microorganisms and irradiated oligochitosan using plant growth parameters and disease control intensities. It is well known that oligochitosan related materials induce plant defense mechanisms to several plant pathogens. Data of Vietnam only showed synergistic effect using disease control intensity; in this case synergistic effect between biofertilizer and oligochitosan is clearly positive. However, concerning synergistic effect using plant growth parameters, there are very difficult to distinguish efficacy of oligochitosan to plant growth from those of biofertilizer tested. To evaluate contributions of biofertilizer in synergistic effect among oligochitosan and biofertilizers using plant growth parameter, we develop a method to distinguish efficacy of oligochitosan to plant growth from those of biofertilizer tested.

Session 5 Development of FNCA Guideline Vol.2 Production of Biofertilizer Carrier Using Radiation
Procedure to edit "the FNCA guideline Vol. 2, Production of biofertilizer carrier using radiation" is discussed. Based on the draft made by Malaysian colleagues, we agreed to add good examples of selection and preparation of carriers. Responsible person for each chapter to modify and schedule for preparation were agreed. The modification will be completed by the end of January 2015. The group plans to publish it before the end of March 2015.

Session 6 Evaluation and Plan of Project Activity for Next Phase
One of the plans of the project is on Application of Radiation Sterilization of Carriers and Challenges, and Dr. Machi proposed to the group: 1) to compile data of beneficial effects on irradiation carriers to keep biofertilizer organisms in comparison to autoclave carriers, and 2) to have publication on benefits of irradiated carriers in comparison with autoclaved carriers.
How to disseminate use of irradiated carriers in biofertilizer producers in several member countries also one of the plans included. Also all members will continue to study on combination of microbes to develop a multi-functional biofertilizer. Evaluation of experiment for synergistic effect of biofertilizer and irradiated oligochitosan will be continued. Parameters to be gathered and protocols on application will be provided by Dr. Yokoyama.

Session 7 Minutes and Conclusions
The minutes and Conclusion and Recommendation were discussed and agreed by all participants. It will be reported at the 16th Coordinators Meeting to be held in 2015, in Japan. The next workshop may be held in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Conclusion and Recommendation is Annex 4.

Closing Session
Dr. Muhd Yunus delivered a closing remarks and Dr. Machi expressed much appreciation to warm hospitality from Malaysia.

2) Technical visit
On November 25, participants visited MAHA at MAEPS, Serdang, Selangor. MAHA is an agro expo held every two years in Malaysia. Technical tour was guided by Ministry of Agriculture and Agrobased Industries (MOA) and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). The participants visited various agro show cases in agriculture, plantation, fisheries, veterinary and agro food production.

3) Annex
Annex 1 Program of FNCA 2013 Workshop on Biofertilizer
Annex 2 Participants List of FNCA 2013 Workshop on Biofertilizer
Annex 3 Summary of Session 1 Country Report
Annex 4 Conclusion and Recommendation

Program of
FNCA 2014 Workshop on Biofertilizer Project