OPT Project

OPT Projects

Sustainable Replantation of Oil Palm by Adding Value to Oil Palm Trunk through Scientific and Technological Innovation

Oil palm trees are replanted at 25-30 yrs intervals due to the declining fruits production. In general, logged palm trees are abandoned in plantation, and such practices cause the following two global-scale environmental problems.

In this international collaborative research project between Malaysia and Japan, we aim to realize the sustainable oil palm plantation farming by adding value to OPT through scientific and technological innovation.

Failures in replantation and subsequent deforestation of rainforests due to the outbreaks of disease-producing soil bacterium and fungi

The large amount of GHG emission originated from decomposition of oil palm trunk (OPT)

Sustainable Plantation
Farming

  • Preventing further spread of deforestation of rainforests
  • Decrease in the amount of GHG emission from palm plantation
  • Creation of new industries
  • Increase income through certification

General Oil Palm
Plantation Farming

Four main research topics in this project
towards sustainable plantation farming

Increase the value of OPTs as bioresource

  • Promotion of sugar accumulation in logged OPT
  • Clarification of factors which affect on sugar accumulation in logged OPT

Production of the high-value added products

  • OPT sap: Single cell protein, PHA, Liquid fertilizer
  • OPT fiber: High quality pellet, Fiber board

Environmental assessment towards promotion of OPT utilization

  • Diagnosis of soil environment based on genetic approach
  • Measurement of GHG Emissions originated from both decomposition of abandoned OPT and fertilization

Social implementation of utilization technology of OPT towards sustainable oil palm plantation farming

  • Policy evaluation
  • Cooperation with certification organizations
  • Social experiments
  • LCA