Published May 13, 2009

Sime Darby sequences oil palm genome

Benefits include enhanced yields, competitiveness

By PAULINE NG
IN KUALA LUMPUR

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MALAYSIA'S Sime Darby has successfully sequenced the oil palm genome, with the breakthrough expected to result in enhanced yields and increased competitiveness for the industry.

The sequencing will help in producing new varieties of crops with the potential to double yields in the next three decades, according to group president and chief executive, Ahmad Zubir Murshid.

Announcing the sequencing, assembling and annotating of the genome yesterday, the plantations giant told an audience, which included Prime Minister Najib Razak, that the process would allow for the identification of several markers or signatures that have the potential to benefit the industry by accelerating the production of new varieties of designer oils, and introducing more crops that are resistant to diseases and drought.

The company's policy of replanting 4 per cent of its estates means that its local estates would be replaced with new oil palm material in 30 years, said Sime Darby Plantations managing director Azhar Abdul Hamid.

Sime stressed that the breakthrough had the potential to change the future of the oil palm industry. Malaysia is already the world's second largest palm oil producer, and the country produced nearly 18 million tonnes of palm oil last year.

Mr Najib described the breakthrough as 'a milestone for the industry', and one that would help keep the country's existing rainforests intact, and ensure greater food security.

Malaysia's biggest listed company had collaborated with a local bio-informatics company Synamatix to achieve the breakthrough.

The project started in 2003. Following the success of the feasibility study in June last year, Sime decided to invest in the genome project and a month later, researchers from both companies managed to sequence the oil palm genome.

Sime tapped local scientist K Harikrishna to lead the project, and he said that the team had completely sequenced, assembled and annotated the genome with 30 times coverage (repeated sequencing over 30 times) and with 93.8 per cent completeness.

The company is now confident that it can meet the government's stated objective of achieving an oil-extraction rate (OER) of 25 per cent by 2020 from a national average of slightly over 20 per cent currently. For the past two decades, the industry - particularly in the peninsula - had suffered a stagnant OER of below 20 per cent.