Khairil Mahmud

• Ph.D. (Ecology) (Aberdeen,) MSc(Botany) (UKM), B.Sc. Hons (Biology) (UKM)
• Senior Lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia

Phytoremediation is an evolving green technology based on utilizing hyper-accumulator plant species that can tolerate and accumulate elevated amounts of arsenic present in the surroundings. The purpose of this research was to identify the toxicity symptom of As including how much amount of As that Pennisetum purpureum Schumach can uptake in a CW ar...

Phytoremediation using the robust perennial grass Pennisetum purpureum has been researched as a substitute for traditional treatment approaches for arsenic (As) pollution remediation in the Constructed wetland system. In the current investigation, As absorption and removal through P. purpureum were measured and optimisation was done using Response...

Enzymatic activity is one of the most essential biochemical mechanisms in CWs and plays a significant function in discharging nutrients from organic molecules. This study aimed to consider the activity of soil enzymes in CWs during the phytoremediation of As and to evaluate the interaction between the enzyme activity and As phytoremediation. The tr...

Chromium (Cr⁶⁺) waste poses a hazard as it leads to imbalanced ecosystems and severe health issues. Although, it is widely associated with many industries. Chromium (Cr⁶⁺) reduction by the immobilized cells of Paenibacillus taitungensis strain MAHA-MIE was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN). The...

Seaweed is becoming increasingly attractive in research because of its fast growth, highly adaptive to a broad range of environmental conditions, and rich in bioactive compounds. It can potentially be harnessed as a biofertilizer for growing plants. Water is an effective and “green” solvent to extract phenolic compounds. However, the aqueous extrac...

Phytoremediation of arsenic in constructed wetlands (CWs) is becoming the most efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable technology worldwide. This research aimed to explore the impact of utilizing NPKS fertilizer on the enrichment of Pennisetum purpureum growth and phytoremediation of arsenic in CWs. The study comprised control and 2 phytoremediati...

The increasing demand for sustainable, robust, and cost-efficient arsenic (As) treatment techniquesstrengthens the implementation of new constructed wetland (CW) designs like aerated CWs in theagricultural sector. The aim was to assess and contrast the influence of various aeration rates on Aselimination in subsurface flow CW utilizing Pennisetum p...

Phytoremediation technology utilises the ability of plants to remove metal toxicity in the soil. Bamboo is one of the fast-growing woody plants that may potentially facilitate the immediate removal of toxic metals from the soil. This study was conducted to identify the potential of Dendrocalamus asper in phytofiltering metal elements from the minin...

Using Pennisetum purpureum for phytoremediation is a promising technology for vigorous along with deep root systems and producing large amounts of biomass while remediating contaminated soil. The objective of the current investigation was to assess the highest level of As(V) that the plants can tolerate, to identify the toxicity symptom of As(V) on...

Aim: We test the hypothesis that wind dispersal is more common among emergent tree species given that being tall increases the likelihood of effective seed dispersal. Location: Americas, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Time period: 1970–2020. Major taxa studied: Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Methods: We used a dataset consisting of tree inventories fro...

Microbes that can progress plant productivity and health are recognized as PGPR. Rhizobacteria perform a main role in the phytoremediation process by increasing phytoremediation efficacy, thus the need to identify the superior rhizobacteria has been gaining serious attention. In the present study, Pennisetum purpureum were exposed to a series of As...

Aim: We test the hypothesis that wind dispersal is more common among emergent tree species given that being tall increases the likelihood of effective seed dispersal. Location: Americas, Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Time period: 1970–2020. Major taxa studied: Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Methods: We used a dataset consisting of tree inventories fro...

Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) is a widely distributed tropical shrub that grows in Southeast Asia. Recent research found that M. malabathricum has a bioremediatory potential that can accumulate high concentrations of toxic metals such as Al, Pb, As, and Cr. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the metal hyperaccumulation in M. mala...

Aluminium (Al) is toxic to most plants, but recent research has suggested that Al addition may stimulate growth and nutrient uptake in some species capable of accumulating high tissue Al concentrations. The physiological basis of this growth response is unknown, but it may be associated with processes linked to the regulation of carbon assimilation...

Tea (Camelia sinensis) is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Research on the nutritional characteristics of tea, particularly lowland tea plantations, is limited in Malaysia. Thus, we aimed to investigate the nutritional characteristics (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe) and antioxidant activity of seven clonal teas (663, 2026, 2024, AT53, TV9...

The development of plant-based bioherbicides has gained the interest of researchers and acceptability from the farmers to control weeds in order to reduce their overdependence on chemical herbicides. Therefore, this research investigated the efficacy and soil activity of WeedLock, a new plant-based bioherbicide. In the efficacy study, WeedLock was...

‘Giant Green’ is one of the Syzygium samarangense cultivars planted throughout Malaysia because it has great potential for benefitting human health. However, its variation in chemical compounds, especially in the leaves at different maturity stages, cannot be systematically discriminated. Hence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ga...

A very sensitive and selective colorimetric biosensor for the measurement of mercury ion (Hg2+) in environmental samples has been developed using functionalized gold nanoparticles with bromelain enzyme (brn-AuNPs). This work has shown that Hg2+ measurement based on spectrophotometer and digital image analysis is a very innovative and successful met...

WeedLock is a broad-spectrum plant-based bioherbicide that is currently on the market as a ready-touse formulation. In this study, we investigated the physiological and biochemical effects of WeedLock(672.75 L ha-1) on Ageratum conyzoides L., Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn, Zea mays L., and Amaranthus gangeticus L. at four different time points. WeedL...

Continuous use of chemical fertilizers gradually shrinks the crop yield and quality, and these adverse effects can be reduced by adopting new sustainable practices such as the use of manure, biofertilizers, and nano fertilizers. Limited information is existed on the application of Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus thuringiensis microbes to improve...

Lemon trees (Citrus lemon L.) are among the trees scattered in Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, The importance of lemons has increased in recent times, especially after the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic around the world, as lemon juice rich in vitamin C is fortified for the immunity of the human body. Also, it is an important source of Flavon...

A study was conducted to determine the diversity and abundance of hymenopteran parasitoids in two different elevations of the coastal and inland forest of Redang Island, Terengganu. Three Malaise traps were installed at each three sampling points in both plots, respectively. The insect samples were collected after seven days and brought to the labo...

Bukit Keluang is one of the famous natural recreational sites in Besut, Terengganu due to their beautiful sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes. Bukit Keluang recreational forest consist coastal and lowland dipterocarp forest. The studies on the biodiversity are never been reported at this area and thus, we aimed to investigate the diversity and a...

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a broad-range chemical catalyst that is receiving rapidly increasing attention recently due to its role as a signaling molecule in various plant physiological and biochemical processes. A study was carried out to investigate the effects of H2O2 on the plant physiology, root growth, mineral nutrient accumulation, root ana...

With the increasing demand for safe and clean fruits free of substances harmful to human health, bio-fertilizers are conceder one of the active factors in this direction. Microorganisms, whether fungi (Arbuscular mycorrhiza) or bacteria (Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria) provided enhancing growth, development, and fruit quality. Trichoderma harzianu...

In the present study, a mixed culture from a local agricultural soil sample was isolated for Metanil Yellow (MY) dye decolorization. The metagenomic analysis confirmed that 42.6% has been dominated by genus Bacillus, while Acinetobacter (14.0%) is present in the microbial communities of the mixed culture. For fungi diversity analysis, around 97.0%...

In this study, the Metanil Yellow (MY) decolorizing mixed culture, namely FN3, has been isolated from agriculture soil. The mixed culture was immobilized using gellan gum. In order to optimize the immobilization process for maximal dye decolorization, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was performed. The optimal conditions for immobilization predic...

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are affordable and reliable green technologies for the treatment of various types of wastewater. Compared to conventional treatment systems, CWs offer an environmentally friendly approach, are low cost, have fewer operational and maintenance requirements, and have a high potential for being applied in developing countries...

Aluminium (Al) hyper-accumulation is a common trait expressed by tropical woody plants growing on acidic soils. Studies on Al accumulators have suggested that Al addition may enhance plant growth rates, but the functional significance of this trait and the mechanistic basis of the growth response are uncertain. This study aimed to test the hypothes...

Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. (family Thymelaeaceae) commonly known as agarwood or gaharu producing tree in Malaysia. The tree is being heavily exploited due to its highly valuable agar oil used in the production of high grade perfumes and traditional medicines. Consequently, their population in nature is threatened greatly. Conservation of this tree...

A study was conducted to investigate the association between tree species composition with soil edaphic factor in Chemerong Recreational Forest, the largest recreational forest in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. Two types of forest were chosen which are riparian forest and inland forest. Four plots with the dimension of 50 m × 20 m each were estab...

Assessment of eco-toxicant using bioluminescent bacterial assay is a widely used and globally accepted method. In this work, a new luminescent bacterium was isolated from squid (Loligo duvauceli) and identified as Photobacterium leiognathi strain AK-MIE using 16S rRNA, phylogeny analysis. The predicted optimum conditions by RSM were 2.76% (w/v) NaC...

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is defined as a reactive oxygen species (ROS), able to cause damage to a variety of cellular structures. On the other hand, recent work has demonstrated that H2O2 can also act as a potent signaling molecule that mediates various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. This study was carried out to investigate the...

Most elders in Malaysia like to consume ulam as side dishes with rice. The bitter taste of ulam attracts people to give good perception in certain plants and use them for alternative medicine or supplement. Most of them are believe; bitter plants have good potential in medicinal aspect and contribute great benefits for human which improve their hea...

This study was carried out to investigate the regulatory effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the growth, photosynthesis, biochemical properties, leaf anatomy and Rubisco gene expression in Ficus deltoidea var. deltoidea, a slow-growing medicinal herb. Results showed that 20-mM H2O2 treatment increased plant height, net photosynthetic rate, stoma...

Perhentian Island is a famous ecotourism site in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. However, the increase in tourism activities such as chalets development and deforestation had contributed to habitat degradation in some areas on Perhentian Island. A study was conducted to determine the composition, diversity and aboveground biomass of the trees spec...

Perhentian Island is one of the most famous tourism sites in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. The impact of tourism activities as well as high construction of infrastructure and facilities can pose a threat to flora and fauna, particularly on insects. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the insects' diversity and abundance in the coastal and i...

Hymenopteran parasitoid is one of the major insect component in the terrestrial ecosystems. A study was conducted to determine the diversity and abundance of hymenopteran parasitoids in a coastal and inland forest of Perhentian Island, Terengganu. Three Malaise traps were installed for each sampling points of the plot areas (i.e. coastal and inland...

This study was conducted to establish a sterilization protocol for Anubias nana and Rotala macrandra. The plants from its originated area are highly exposed to microbial contamination such as bacteria and fungi. Those contaminants can be eliminated by using suitable sterilizing agents. The sterilization is a vital step in preparing a healthy and vi...

A study was conducted at the teaching and research farm of the Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) with an objective of determining the best rates for vermicompost application on red seedless watermelon var. Crimson sweet. In this research, watermelon crimson red flesh seedless variety was used as p...

Online) Ishak et al. The effect of Bacillus sp.(B43) on the growth of Pak choy and red tilapia in aquaponic system ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to determine the effect of Bacillus sp. (B43) which were cultured into aquaponics system to enhance the red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) and Pak Choy (Brassica rapa) growth performance. Six aquaponi...

Aluminium (Al) accumulation is a common trait expressed in at least 60 plant families and particularly prevalent in tropical woody plants. However, the functional significance and genetic or physiological controls on Al accumulation are currently unknown. We tested the hypothesis that differential expression of Al accumulation among wild population...

Wild plants developing in areas without the desire or wills of human and known as weeds, that could be beneficial or not. The aim of the present study was to identify and record the weed species grown in the agricultural land in the regions of Valley of Leeyh, South of Taif area, which is located on the Eastern slopes of the Al-Sarawat Mountains wi...

Wild plants developing in areas without the desire or wills of human and known as weeds, that could be beneficial or not. The aim of the present study was to identify and record the weed species grown in the agricultural land in the regions of Valley of Leeyh, South of Taif area, which is located on the Eastern slopes of the Al-Sarawat Mountains wi...

Significance Identifying and explaining regional differences in tropical forest dynamics, structure, diversity, and composition are critical for anticipating region-specific responses to global environmental change. Floristic classifications are of fundamental importance for these efforts. Here we provide a global tropical forest classification tha...

A wide variety trait of Bougainvillea genus has made it a decent potential as a new ornamental plant. Different type of foliage, many inflorescence, continuous bloom, first growing and short production cycle of bougainvillea plants that make them attractive to the floriculture industry. Therefore, the longevity of flowers and leaves are crucial...

The new species Rafflesia parvimaculata is described from Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. This species is characterized by its numerous small white warts on the perigone lobes, and also by its slender, unbranched, capitate ramenta that are white in color and densely arranged inside the floral perigone tube. These unique characters distinguish R. parvi...

Aerodramus fuciphagus is one of the swiftlet species in Apodidae family. Generally, it is found in South East Asia including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In Terengganu, the wild edible-nest swiftlet communities can be found in Redang Island. In 1995, Siti Hawa et al. estimated a total of 655 an...

Terengganu is one of the states in East Coast Peninsula Malaysia that provides the natural habitat for the herbal plants and non-tree plants. The question of the relationship between herbal and non-tree plants, their abundance and relationship with edaphic factor is still unsolved. This study was conducted at Chemerong Recreational Forest, Dungun,...

Three forest types were recognized at Chini watershed namely inland, seasonal flood and riverine forests. The soil physico-chemical characteristics from the three forest types were investigated to determine the soil properties variation within a landscape scale. Thirty sampling stations were established, represented by fourteen inland, nine station...

Vernoniaamygdalina is commonly called bitter leaf because of its bitter taste. The leaves may be consumed either as a vegetable (macerated leaves in soups) or aqueous extracts as tonics for the treatment of various illnesses. This study was carried out to evaluate antioxidant capacity of the methanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of V. Amy...

A study was conducted to determine tree species composition and community structure, and their relationships with edaphic factors at a watershed forest in Tasik Chini, Peninsular Malaysia. Thirty plots of 0.1 ha were established with a total sampling area of 1.4 ha in inland forest, 0.9 ha in seasonal flood forest and 0.7 ha in riverine forest. A t...

The extreme morphological variations and unclear boundaries between varieties creates misleading identification of Ficus deltoidea Jack (Moraceae) varieties. This has encouraged many taxonomists and botanists to study the variation within F. deltoidea. Thus, correct identification of F. deltoidea varieties is important as several morphological and...

A study was conducted to determine the tree species composition, diversity and above ground biomass at Redang Island, Terengganu. Two plots of 0.1 ha were established at the inland forest and coastal forest of the island. As the result, a total of 387 trees ≥ 5 diameters at breast height (DBH) were recorded. The coastal forest recorded 167 individu...

This study is the first report to suggest a morphological phylogenetic framework for the seven varieties of Ficus deltoidea Jack (Ficus: Moraceae) from the Malay Peninsula of Malaysia. Several molecular-based classifications on the genus Ficus had been proposed, but neither had discussed the relationship between seven varieties of F. deltoidea to i...

Data matrix for 32 morphological characters. “0” represents the plesiomorphic state, and “1” or “2” represents the apormorphic state. Missing data are indicated by “?”. (DOC)

A study was conducted to determine the tree species composition, diversity and above ground biomass at Redang Island, Terengganu. Two plots of 0.1 ha were established at the inland forest and coastal forest of the island. As the result, a total of 387 trees ≥ 5 diameters at breast height (DBH) were recorded. The coastal forest recorded 167 individu...

Effects of cultural practice under different habitats, of well-managed monoculture plantation and growing wild under rubber trees, were studied in Aquilaria malaccensis (Karas) leaves. This study was carried out on Karas growing in these two habitats each from Lipis, Pahang and Sepang, Selangor areas in Malaysia; under the control and induced treat...

A preliminary study on the anatomy of Ubi Gadong leaves, Dioscorea hispida Dennst. was carried out to examine the trichomes via light microscopy (LM). The samples were collected from Kampong Bari Besar, Terengganu and Perkampungan Orang Asli Jalan Genting Lama, Selangor. Trichomes ranged from unicellular to multicellular structure, branched and the...

A preliminary study on the anatomy of Ubi Gadung leaves, Dioscorea hispida Dennst. was carried out to examine the trichomes via light microscopy (LM). The samples were collected from Kampong Bari Besar, Terengganu and Perkampungan Orang Asli Jalan Genting Lama, Selangor. Trichomes are common on leaf and stem. They ranged from unicellular to multice...

A study was conducted to determine the tree species composition, diversity and estimate of above ground biomass at Chini watershed forest. Three types of forest were identified. Thirty plots of 0.1 ha were established in the inland, seasonal flood and riverine forests. A total of 3974 trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) at 5.0 cm and above w...

An ethnobotanical study was conducted to document local knowledge and potentials of wild edible tubers that has been reported and sighted and to investigate and record their distribution in Pulau Redang and nearby islands of Terengganu, Malaysia. Information was gathered from 42 villagers by using semi-structured questionnaire. These respondents we...

Petiole anatomy of Ficus deltoidea Jack were examined in varieties deltoidea, terengganuensis corner, kunstleri (King) corner, intermediate corner, angustifolia (Miq.) Corner, and bilobata Corner.

Brown spot often confuses as rust like symptom occured on the leaves of Ficus Deltoidea has been identified as an important disease in the Ficus Deltoidea cultivation industry.