Project News

1. Training Course "Analytical Chemistry" by Dr. Masuda, Short Term Expert

Training course "Analytical Chemistry" was provided from 2nd to 21st July by Dr. Hiroshi Masuda, Special Researcher, Laboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Research Institute for Bioresourses and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectural University, who was dispatched as a short-term expert.

The Japanese Government granted a number of machineries and tools for chemical analyses to Yezin Agricultural University through the JICA grant aid project in November 2015, and they have been partly used for research and education in the Departments. Dr. Masuda carried out observation and interviews in each Department to know about the current condition of their uses. Following the results obtained from the preliminary surveys, he provided practical trainings to the staff and graduate students concerned in individual Departments using the equipment designated as important ones, and gave lectures on molecular genetics at the Department of Plant Pathology and the Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology.. In addition, he presented a talk on "Mineral Biofortification in Rice for Healthy Life" on 13th July as the 10th lecture of the TCP Special Lecture Series. Lively discussion was exchanged after his presentation.

In case of "analytical chemistry", as it is essential and inevitable for us to cover a wide range of analytical objects and methods, Dr. Masuda is scheduled to be dispatched again in November, and in addition, Dr. Toyoda, Professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, is also scheduled to visit YAU as a short-term expert in this field to provide another one as a continuation of his training programs conducted last year.

Iron deficiency test using hydroponic culture (6th July)

Demonstration of PCR operation (16th July)

Special Lecture (13th July)

2. The Rector and his suite visited Kyoto University and Kyushu University

Dr. Myo Kywe, the Rector of Yezin Agricultural University and Dr. Aye Aye Myint, the Head of Department of Animal Science were dispatched to Kyoto University and Kyushu University to study about "Faculty and Curriculum Development in Japanese University" from 9th to 16th July.

At Kyoto University, the MOU were signed by the Rector and Dr. Yamagiwa, the President of Kyoto University, for the purpose of enhancing and promoting academic exchange between two universities. They visited Graduate School of Agriculture, Shishu-Kan and Center of Southeast Asian Studies to exchange views and opinions on issues and problems related to university management and administration and curriculum reform.

After Kyoto, they proceeded to Fukuoka, and visited Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, to learn about its educational organization and functions. They were also invited to the Ito Campus where they studied on the university's administration systems for international affairs and observed the new buildings for the Graduate School of Agriculture, which are under construction.

The exchange programs with Myanmar international students enrolled in each university were also held.

Signing Ceremony for MOU at Kyoto Univ. (11th July)

Meeting with Prof. Nawata, Dean of Grad. School of Agriculture, Kyoto Univ. (11th July)

3. Implementation of Pilot Research

1) Research groups under the Pilot Research Program conducted fieldworks as follows.

• 2nd, 8th,15th, 23rd and 29th July:
  RB03-1 group collected insects in 7 Townships in Nay Pyi Taw.
• 9th, 15th, 22nd and 30th July:
  RB01-1-3 group selected study sites and collected information on cultivation management in Phyinmana TS, Nay Pyi Taw.
• 11th　and 18th July:
  RB01-1-2 group conducted surveys on management system of rice paddy and it’s growth in Phyinmana, Nay Pyi Taw.
• 28th - 31st July:
  RC01-2 group organized WS to report the results of the surveys on supply chain of sesame conducted at DOA and sample villages in Pakkoku TS, Magway.
• 30th – 31st July:
  CR04 group measured the water depth of rice seedling bed for transplanting and collected seedlings to measure the growth.

2) Laboratory and in-farm experiments were also conducted as follows

• RA01-1 (Plant Breeding/ Agronomy groups)
  About 100 cultivars transplanted　in January, consisting of local varieties collected by the team, those provided by Seed Bank and breeding lines (F6) screened by the Dept. of Plant Breeding, were harvested at the experimental farm of YAU. The team started to investigate yielding abilities of the varieties and the quality of unpolished rice.
• RA02-1 (Plant Pathology group)<
  Pathogens of rice blast and leaf blight collected in Zaya Thiri and Pyinmana were continuously cultured, and bacterial specimens from these samples were preserved.
• RA02-2 (Entomology group)
  About 100 cultivars transplanted in January by RA-01-1, the team conducted survey on difference by species and lineage of stubbles to enter the insect rice borer.
• RA-03-1 (Agricultural Economics group)
  The team is analyzing the data collected by interview survey.
• RB-01-1-1 (Agronomy group)
  Analyzing the spatial distribution of pulses in Pyinmana TS using the data obtained by ground survey and aerial photographs taken by drone.
• RB-01-2 (Soil and Water Science group)
  Drying and adjusting collected soil sample have been continued.
• RB-02-1 (Plant Pathology group)
  Identifying cyst nematode from soil sample collected at sesame fields in Magway.Studying growth of sesame and density of cyst nematode in soil and roots of sesame in both of sterilized and non-sterilized environment.
• 
RB-03-1 (Entomology group)
  Toward making a pest-warning model, the team continued to identify and count pests collected by the insect traps newly established in the NPT special district and insect net.
• RC-01-1 (Agronomy group)
  Changes in the rate and vigorousness of germination, color and EC of collected sesame under storage have been continued to observe.
• RC-02-1 (Horticulture group)
  Changes in quality and physiological characteristics of mango fruits in the postharvest period have been continued to observe.

• RC-02-2 (Plant Pathology group)
  Identifying disease of collected mango has been continued.
• CR-04 (Breeding group)
  Growth monitoring of paddy rice collected from deep water paddy field in Thanatpin TS, Bago has been continued.

Measuring respiration and ethylene production of mango (RC-02-1)

Detecting the rate of rice-borer invasion (RA-02-2)

Measuring ripening rate of different lines and varieties in rice (RA-01-1)