The research team of Biology students at Unisma passed the 2020 student-level Oil Palm Research Competition organized by the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency. They received 20 million rupiahs to conduct research.
This team is chaired by Immega Adelia Nurdin and  Yulan Hardias Putri, Della Nur Hayati and Tri Widyaningsih as team members. This team is under the guidance of a lecturer in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Dr. Nurul Jadid Mubarakati, S.Si., M.Si.
In their research, they removed the shrimp shell waste as a solution to eradicate the fungus Genoderma sp. It is known that this fungus has long troubled oil palm farmers.
Mega explained that in the process of cultivating oil palm plants, one of the obstacles that has not yet been resolved is rotten bottom tree trunk. The decay is caused by Ganoderma sp.
The nanokitin capsules created by Mega and the team are believed to be able to overcome the Ganoderma sp. fungus which becomes parasites.
“Shrimp shells contain chitin, one of which has functions as much as anti-fungal and antibacterial, so that it can be used as an innovation to eradicate Ganoderna fungus in oil palm,” he explained.
The advantages of this capsule are made from natural and environmentally friendly ingredients. One more thing, the price is very cheap because it utilizes shrimp shell waste.
Mega hopes to produce nanokitin capsules that have the potential to control Ganoderma sp. fungus in oil palm plantations so that it can continue to be developed and can be used in the future.
“For now, our focus is only to eradicate Ganoderma. For other parasites, of course, further research is needed. We hope that our research will open up opportunities for other researchers to continue what we have produced later, “he said.
