Summary
The fluctuating and low paddy yields in Malaysia’s Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) at Kerian prompted a government-backed initiative to test new agricultural solutions. Serba Wangi Sdn. Bhd., through the Smart Sawah Berskala Besar (Smart SBB) program, trialed BEST Farming Systems’ technology from Canada on 97.8 hectares in Bagan Serai, Perak. This solution, distributed by Best Environmental Technologies (M) Sdn. Bhd., employs eco-friendly prebiotic and bio-carrier technologies aimed at rejuvenating depleted soils, utilising products like TerraMend Cereal Grain (TM-CG) and Active Ingredients Cereal Grain (AI-CG), collectively termed the BEST CG Set.
The trial’s goal was to measure the effectiveness of the BEST CG Set in improving local paddy yields and assess compatibility with existing farming methods. Comparative data showed an increase of 7.72% yield per hectare. This was accompanied by a total costs reduction by 7.51%, converted to RM 126.54 per hectare. Overall, the product return on investment (ROI) are RM 1.66 for every RM 1 spent with a net profit increase of 5.63%.
BEST’s soil-enhancing technologies significantly improved soil structure, nutrient balance, and nutrient cycling, leading to healthier crops better able to resist pests, diseases, and environmental stressors. The treatment fostered microbial activity, which balanced soil chemistry, enhanced nutrient absorption, and provided natural pathogen control. These factors combined to boost productivity and reduce labor, biocide, and seedling costs, demonstrating the economic and agricultural benefits of the BEST system in Malaysia’s paddy fields.
Result Data
| Parameters | Banjar 1: CP+BEST | Banjar 2: CP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagan Serai White Rice | 55.2 ha | 42.6 ha | |
| Yield (tonne/ha) | 3.40 | 3.15 | 7.72% |
| Biocide Cost (RM/ha) | 621.10 | 702.84 | -11.63% |
| Biocide Drone Cost (RM/ha) | 320.11 | 358.45 | -10.70% |
| Seedling Cost (RM/ha) | 617.07 | 623.53 | -1.04% |
| Total Cost (RM/ha) | 1,558.28 | 1,684.82 | -7.51% |
| BEST Economic Return (1:Times) | 1.66 | ||
| Net Profit after BEST (%) | 5.63 |
Table 1: Parameters comparison between treated (Banjar 1) and control (Banjar 2)
Improvement bring by BEST Treatment
- Soil structures — better nutrients, water and air penetration and retention; easier root penetration into the friable soil; and more rooms for soil organic matter and soil community to live in.
- Soil nutrients — Soil nutrients balance by facilitating removal of over-accumulated non-beneficial minerals from the soil and retains the much needed nutrients for soil microbial propagations and plant growth; a range of essential nutrients are more readily available in the soil; promotes natural pH normalisation; improves soil aggregation preventing soil compaction etc.
- Nutrients cycling — by promoting the propagation of nitrogen fixing bacteria, phosphorus solubilising microbes, potassium solubilising microbe etc improves the nutrients availability in the soil.
- Plant’s Nutrients absorption — The propagation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, better root growth, and better nutrients retention in the soil contributes to a better and more balance nutrients absorption.
- Biocontrol of soil pathogens — The selective propagation of beneficial soil microbial inhibits the growth of soil pathogens and keeps them in check.
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