RICE INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA - AN ANALYSIS (PART 5)

RICE (Oryza sativa) is an important staple food for nearly half the world’s population. In Malaysia, rice and paddy cultivation kickstarted in the early 60s with small-scale farming in which later expanded by leaps and bounds before emerging as the country’s utmost important food crop. Over the decades, Malaysian rice production system has been suffering from various challenges which include extreme weather conditions, poor soil fertility and nutrient management, farmers’ lack of awareness and knowledge, hesitancy against genetically-modified plants (GMO) planting materials and poor deployment of technology. The national rice production and consumption, simply measured as self-sufficiency status staggers in between 67 and 70%. The Southeast Asia region has been an important rice export trader with Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, among the biggest rice-producing nations. Food security, under the context of sustaining international rice trading ties, succumbs to functional fluctuations of global supply chains. During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the containment period during the outbreak led to significant disruptions to the food production chain. During the early phase of the pandemic, Malaysia experienced a volatile rice import trend, facing difficulty to secure a committed rice trading partner. In this review, we discuss the trajectory of the rice and paddy industry in Malaysia since its inception, lab-to-field translated breeding strategies adopted for rice yield improvement, governmental participation and contribution (approaches, policies and programs) and technologies in use for rice production. Further, relevant cutting-edge technologies, agricultural methods and practices catered for modern Malaysian rice farming, with opportunities to improve and enhance crop health and resilience are included. The review findings inform new rice agricultural practices, suggest research directions toward sustainable rice farming and provide a comprehensive knowledge base to accelerate innovation, technology diffusion and technology adoption for a resilient rice production system in Malaysia.  I published more than 100 article on rice industry in my blog for the past 15 years. This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" I want to discuss about an analysis of rice industry in Malaysia related to governance and policies, research trends, technology adoption and resilience for readings.

It was a rare case when Universiti Kebangsaan Malysia (UKM) reported as the first in the country to release cross-breed rice varieties by crossing Oryza sativa (MR219 variety) with the wild rice known as Oryza rufipogon by their scientist. I managed to join the launching of this new variety by Minister of Agriculture at that time in Kedah (See photo above). Please read my article about this launchin g and the variety characteristic for this new paddy variety (Click here) for UKMRC2 and UKMRC8 respectively. This variety both UKMRC2 and UKMRC8 are bred through advanced backcrossing techniques. These high-yielding varieties (12 -14 mt/ha) are resistant to blast and are submergence tolerant. Besides high-quality white rice reported that the UKM had successfully released a superior red rice variety that is marketed as Primera (UKMRC9). This was the result of conventional breeding which involved controlled cross-breeding between cultivar MR219 and wild rice O. rufipogon. UKMRC9 is suitable for the consumption of diabetic patients as it has a low glycemic index and high antioxidants. In addition to the three varieties above reported that the University had released three other rice varieties in years to come. In rice industry the more premium paddy variety available in this country are much better for food security reason.  

Paddy planting are seasonal and short-term crop with has an issur on pest and diseases. Pests and diseases such as the rice blast disease, bacterial leaf blight, tungro and brown plant hopper are constant threats to the rice production systems in Malaysia. In many seasons including in2015, 2025 and 2019 reported that an accounting for 43% of total rice disease incidence. Reported that the Blast Disease as the most predominant disease affecting rice cultivation (See photo above) and it was caused by the Pyricularia oryzae. Other problems with paddy was the attack of fungus thet was categorized into two types based on host preference: First known asa cause the foliar blast affects at the rice seedling stage and also the Panicle Blast in which infects the panicle during the reproductive stage. The report from Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA) did mention that this disease occurrence, distribution and infestation is weather-driven. The first incidence of blast disease in Peninsular Malaysia was reported by DOA in 1945 following a 70% yield loss observed on Jaya, a susceptible rice variety. Reported that the affected variety include Besides Jaya, Sekencang and Setanjung mostly in granary area. The attack panicle blast which reduced grain filling, panicle breakage and subsequent yield loss. In 2011 the case of this problem of this blast resistant MR219 succumbed to panicle blast in MADA granary while in 2017 DOA also reported that a total of 1,453 ha and 957 ha of rice fields were infected by leaf blast and panicle blast in most granary area respectively. The most infected granary was KADA followed by MADA and IADA BLS. MARDI had since then released new variety for fares such as MR253, MR263, MR269 and MR284 with improved disease resistance. Besides these varieties, MR297 also known as Siraj conferred blast resistant, tungro resistant and BPH moderate resistant. Paddy industry in Malaysia is subjected to various disease and pest attack accordingly.

The Bacterial Leaf Blight disease (BPH) among serius diseasi in Malaysia and caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is assumed to be the oldest and most important disease in rice history. In my article about this problem was discussed clearly. BPH is characterized with wilting of paddy seedlings and/or yellowing and drying of the leaves. Reported by DOA in which many farmers first encountered BPH in 1980s and until today over the decade there is still no reports of the disease incidence were observed. In the recent years as DOA report, the disease re-emerged and reared its ugly head on at least 12,080 ha of rice fields in Peninsular Malaysia. Similar to blight disease later reported about 30 - 50% potential loss of yield due to bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease infection (See photo above). The most severe leaf blight disease outbreak in the last 30 years occurred in the paddy field of Sekinchan, Selangor for the year 2016 causing estimated about 50 - 70% loss of yield. During the outbreak reported that most farmers had planted the new variety MR284 that was released just a year ago. In 2017 later report on another type of blight, namely Bacterial Panicle Blast (BPB) caused by patogen known as Burkholderia glumae showed up at Sungai Aceh, Penang and a year later in Kelantan. BPB infected rice plants have upright panicles, florets with darker basal portion of the glumes, and reddish-brown border across the florets. According to reacher at MARDI some granaries in various states in Peninsular Malaysia have recorded up to 50% losses due to BPB. As for Sheath Blight Disease (ShB) that was caused by Rhizoctonia solani is the soilborne necrotrophic fungal causative agent that is responsible for yield loss of up to 45%. The symptoms are the formation of lesions on the sheath leading to softness and lodging of the sheath and inhibition of grain filling.

DOA has a monitoring and surveillance system tfor this issue respectively. DOA report that besides blast and blight, the rice plants have always been prone to tungro disease (Penyakit virus merah) that is transmitted by green leafhopper known as Nephotettix virescens. (See aboved photo). The disease results from an infection by two distinct viruses, Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). Although the symptoms of yellow-orange leaf discoloration, plant stunting and reduced yield were recognized since 1934, but its viral nature only came to light in 1965. Despite the significance of tungro disease, very little work has gone into understanding it except for the first genome sequencing of RTBV undertaken in 1999. Annually almost USD1.5 billion is lost worldwide while in Asia about 10% of loss in rice yield had been attributed to this disease). Besides green planthopper, the brown planthopper has been a constant menace. Nilaparvata lugens causes the notorious brown plant hopper (BPH) disease that is touted to cause a loss of 90,000 ton/season which is valued at about RM 72 million. BPH directly feed on rice plants and transmits the grassy stunt disease. As for Brown Spot Disease however the causal agent is known as Bipolaris oryzae or Cochliobolus miyabeanus). It affects direct seeded rice plants and could potentially lead to 90% yield loss if water supply is scarce or limited and there is an inadequate supply of nitrogen. Although brown spot is commonly observed on the leaves and glumes (grain husks) it could also affect other plant parts, namely leaf, coleoptile, sheaths, panicle branches and grain. According to the report later the pathogen causes brown to dark brown lesions on panicle stalk at the joint of flag leaf to stalk. As the disease progresses, the pathogen retards plant growth, forms visible grain discoloration, reduces the number of grains per panicle and grain weight, and increases the number of empty grains. The management approach is cultural practices and use of chemical but often times it fails to combat the disease at the bud. It is imperative to use disease resistant rice varieties as host resistance is the best strategy to cut yield losses and ensure the sustainability of rice and paddy industry. Additionally, the use of certified quality seeds is mandatory to curb yield losses. This article has eight (8) segments for discussion on rice industry in Malaysia related to governance and policies, research trends, technology adoption and resilience for readings. Thanks. Source: NSTP, Anim Agro Technology and frontliners.com respectively.

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(November 2023).

Updated by Dec 2025.