ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4661-8119
Current Organisation
Universiti Malaya
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Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-09-2018
DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2018.1496064
Abstract: It has only been about 20 years since the first Nobel Prize-winning work on RNA interference (RNAi) in Caenorhabditis elegans was published in the journal Nature. Fast forward to today, and the use of RNA molecules as gene-silencing elements in crops has helped scientists to unveil possible solutions to the global problems of agricultural losses due to pests, viruses, pathogens, and to other abiotic and biotic stresses. The recent proliferation of publications suggests that the technology has gained significant attention and received le funding support. In this article, an attempt has been made to visualize recent trends in Research & Development (R&D) investment in this field by analyzing top cited scholarly articles, patent trends, and commercialization activity. The publication and citation analysis identified that the development of RNAi-based crops conferring resistance against viruses, fungi, and pests are at the forefront of RNAi research and that Chinese and US institutions are the leaders in this field. The patent landscape analysis for RNAi technology over all aspects related to RNAi-derived crops provides an overview of patenting activity from a geographical, organizational, and legal perspective. Such an exercise is pivotal to industry players and public institutions aiming at creating intellectual property that is commercially appealing. An upswing in commercial interests in this technology in recent years is reflected by a consistent number of patent filings in US, European, and Chinese patent offices, with multinational giant firms as the most prolific patent filers. The expanding RNAi commercialization landscape is supported by a series of strategic partnerships, licensing agreements, and acquisitions created between agribusinesses, public research institutions, and startup companies. From key observations, we would like to highlight that such investments have very positive impacts on the development of RNAi technology. Nonetheless, the success of this technology is dependent on several factors, such as financial requirements, the complexity, and timeframe of the entire development process, as well as stringent regulations imposed by the relevant authorities. In most countries, RNAi-based transgenic crops are still considered as a genetically modified (GM) product, which necessitates the crops to undergo rigorous evaluation before approval is granted. Recent advancements in exogenous RNAi-derived biopesticides have provided a nontransgenic alternative to GM crops. However, challenges still remain in the form of technical hurdles and regulatory ambiguities surrounding this emerging technology. Its full potential remains to be realized.
Publisher: Ubiquity Press, Ltd.
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.5334/DSJ-2022-001
Publisher: Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
Date: 12-2022
Abstract: Bananas are one of the most commonly grown fruit crops in Malaysia, but local production has declined in recent years. Through site visits and interviews with 74 smallholder banana farmers, this study sought to know the current situation of the local smallholder banana industry, the challenges faced in commercial banana cultivation, and the use of bio-based technologies to address the challenges. The farmers cited increasing production costs, pests and diseases, and yield uncertainties as major challenges to their plantations’ survival. While they have been using farming techniques, including bio-based technologies, to improve fruit yield, the farmers perceived the current technologies as inadequate in mitigating the impacts of frequent disease outbreaks. The interviews also reveal farmers’ misconceptions on the nature of tissue culture technology, reflecting their poor understanding of how tissue culture works, thus, putting banana farms at risk. Overall, this study’s direct engagements with banana farmers show that correct information and access to technology are a rare privilege for smallholders. Therefore, coordinated efforts to substantially increase support for smallholder farmers is paramount.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-03-2023
DOI: 10.3390/MOLECULES28062700
Abstract: To fulfil the growing needs of the global population, sustainability in food production must be ensured. Insect pests and pathogens are primarily responsible for one-third of food losses and harmful synthetic pesticides have been applied to protect crops from these pests and other pathogens such as viruses and fungi. An alternative pathogen control mechanism that is more “friendly” to the environment can be developed by externally applying double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to suppress gene expression. However, the use of dsRNA sprays in open fields is complicated with respect to variable efficiencies in the dsRNA delivery, and the stability of the dsRNA on and in the plants, and because the mechanisms of gene silencing may differ between plants and between different pathogen targets. Thus, nanocarrier delivery systems have been especially used with the goal of improving the efficacy of dsRNAs. Here, we highlight recent developments in nanoparticle-mediated nanocarriers to deliver dsRNA, including layered double hydroxide, carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, chitosan nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, liposomes, and cell-penetrating peptides, by review of the literature and patent landscape. The effects of nanoparticle size and surface modification on the dsRNA uptake efficiency in plants are also discussed. Finally, we emphasize the overall limitation of dsRNA sprays, the risks associated, and the potential safety concerns for spraying dsRNAs on crops.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-07-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S00299-019-02446-6
Abstract: Recent developments in modern biotechnology such as the use of RNA interference (RNAi) have broadened the scope of crop genetic modification. RNAi strategies have led to significant achievements in crop protection against biotic and abiotic stresses, modification of plant traits, and yield improvement. As RNAi-derived varieties of crops become more useful in the field, it is important to examine the capacity of current regulatory systems to deal with such varieties, and to determine if changes are needed to improve the existing frameworks. We review the biosafety frameworks from the perspective of developing countries that are increasingly involved in modern biotechnology research, including RNAi applications, and make some recommendations. Malaysia and India have approved laws regulating living modified organisms and products thereof, highlighting that the use of any genetically modified step requires regulatory scrutiny. In view of production methods for exogenously applied double-stranded RNAs and potential risks from the resulting double-stranded RNA-based products, we argue that a process-based system may be inappropriate for the non-transformative RNAi technology. We here propose that the current legislation needs rewording to take account of the non-transgenic RNAi technology, and discuss the best alternative for regulatory systems in India and Malaysia in comparison with the existing frameworks in other countries.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AAB.12538
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2023
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.10212
Abstract: Natural history museum collections are the most important sources of information on the present and past bio ersity of our planet. Most of the information is primarily stored in analogue form, and digitization of the collections can provide further open access to the images and specimen data to address the many global challenges. However, many museums do not digitize their collections because of constraints on budgets, human resources, and technologies. To encourage the digitization process, we present a guideline that offers low‐cost and technical knowledge solutions yet balances the quality of the work and outcomes. The guideline describes three phases of digitization, namely preproduction, production, and postproduction. The preproduction phase includes human resource planning and selecting the highest priority collections for digitization. In the preproduction phase, a worksheet is provided for the digitizer to document the metadata, as well as a list of equipment needed to set up a digitizer station to image the specimens and associated labels. In the production phase, we place special emphasis on the light and color calibrations, as well as the guidelines for ISO/shutter speed/aperture to ensure a satisfactory quality of the digitized output. Once the specimen and labels have been imaged in the production phase, we demonstrate an end‐to‐end pipeline that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to transfer the physical text on the labels into a digital form and document it in a worksheet cell. A nationwide capacity workshop is then conducted to impart the guideline, and pre‐ and postcourse surveys were conducted to assess the confidence and skills acquired by the participants. This paper also discusses the challenges and future work that need to be taken forward for proper digital bio ersity data management.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-06-2022
Publisher: Zhejiang University Press
Date: 10-07-2023
No related grants have been discovered for Nurzatil Sharleeza Mat Jalaluddin.