On Thursday, 24 April 2025, an online Guest Lecture on Plant Protection (GLPP) was successfully held, focusing on pest management in coconut and oil palm plantations. The session featured two distinguished speakers: Dr. Johari Jalinas from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Dr. Bandung Sahari from PT. Astra Agro Lestari, Indonesia. The event was attended by students, lecturer, and agricultural professionals from various institutions.

Dr. Johari highlighted a range of insect pests that commonly attack coconut and oil palm plantations in both countries, particularly from Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera. He also showcased acoustic detection tools that can detect the presence of those pests early. One of the recommended biological control agents is Metarhizium anisopliae. Complementing this approach, Dr. Bandung emphasized the importance of using natural enemies—such as parasitoids and predators—as a primary strategy in pest control. He advocated for integrating these biological agents within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework to achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly pest suppression.

The lecture provided valuable insights into the practical challenges and innovative approaches to managing key pests threatening this important tropical crop. Drawing on their extensive field experience, the speakers shared real-world examples of integrated pest management, biological control and sustainable agricultural practices being implemented in both countries.

Participants actively engaged in the discussion, raising questions related to pest resistance, monitoring techniques, and environmentally friendly strategies. The session emphasized the importance of cross-border knowledge exchange in tackling shared agricultural issues, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Look forward to the GLPP, edition of May 2025
Watch us on youtube:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heGRo29cJsc&t=2913s