National Durian Vol. 11

“The occurrence of Mealybug is closely related to environmental conditions. Various environmental factors have a direct impact on the growth and development, reproduction, lifespan and number of Mealybugs.— Explained by Sam —” Never ignore the destructive abilities of pests. Pest control has been much of a concern among durian orchard farmers as they leave serious implications on the production of durians. Moreover, farmers face the issue of identifying the culprit since there are a number of insects that cause very similar damages to the trees. Sam, the owner of a 5 acres durian orchard in Jementah, Johor took us on a tour of his orchard to observe a large number of mealybugs. Technically, the 5 - year - old orchard managed by Sam should already be producing fruits by now.…

“The most valuable durian in Thailand is the Kan Yao variety.— Explained by Tan Choon Lim — ” Most durians imported by China are generally from Malaysia and Thailand. Among them, the variety with the highest imports by China is the Thai Golden Pillow (D159). This is followed closely by other well-known Thai durian varieties such as Kan Yao (D158), Chanee (D123) and so on. Interestingly, although it doesn’t hold the first place in terms of Chinese import, the most valuable durian in Thailand is the Kan Yao variety. This variety is known as Kan Yao in Thailand which means ‘fruit with long stems’ in the Thai language. This variety is easily identifiable from its long stems that are attached to the fruits. It’s skin in filled with rows of…

Growing durian is a complex and unpredictable business. There are increasing pressures from climate change and limitation of manpower, and also lack of farm management knowledge among farmers to achieve satisfactory yields. Durian farmers across Southeast Asia are faced with dieback disease. Many factors, including weather, nutrients, pathogens and pests, can predispose the trees to the disease. Only if we can find out the exact cause of infection, we can then combat the diseases on the stems and branches swiftly and effectively. In this issue, we will focus on the effect of durian psyllids on durian trees. Psyllids, also known as plant lice, are tiny, sapsucking insects with very host-specific feeding preferences. Most species of psyllids will feed exclusively on a single type of plant, though some may expand their…

“For many years, insisted to do the myself inspection, arrive at the orchard early morning and leave in the evening. No orchard work is easy, but I do it all by myself. I have achieved today’s benchmark.— Explained by Ko Fok Wah — ” The high yield has prompted this durian farmer to actively tie each durian in his orchard. However, since there were too many durians and if the rope is tied too tightly, this would hinder the growth of these fruits. In view of this, the farmer quickly changed his strategy and using nets to protect the fallen fruits. Unfortunately, there are some fruits fall out of the net and cracked. They have to be discarded which repeat a loss. This high-yield three and a half acres durian…

“Rain water contains high levels of nitrogen and this will promote the growth of young leaves instead of flowers. This means the rate of flowers will be reduced.— Explained by Thai Tzeh Min — ” As long as the durians are exposed to the right climate, referring to sufficient and long-term hot and dry conditions, a sudden heavy rain would prompt the flowering. “Once the flowers on a durian tree successfully bloom, a major concern is continuous heavy rain. Putting aside the fact that insects and animals would also find it challenging to pollinate due to continuous heavy rain, it is heartbreaking to witness budding flowers blown off by strong wind and heavy rain.” said Thai Tzeh Min. Therefore, the question on how to preserve flowers during the rainy season…

In recent years, the use of microorganisms in agriculture has gradually been recognised. The advantages of beneficial microorganisms are numerous. For example, yeasts help with decomposition; nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen in the air into a form that can be absorbed by plants; and Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. help in disease prevention. Each type of microorganism has its own unique function. Microorganisms are part of soil organisms and they are living organisms that are not visible to the naked eye. Before the development of fertilisers and pesticides, they were the main producers of nutrients, producing hormones that promote plant growth and also stimulating plants’ immune system. When soil microbial reaches dynamic equilibrium and remain at a steady state, pests and diseases will be greatly reduced, and plants will be healthier.…