Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zainal Abidin Mior Ahmad
Email: zainal@agri.upm.edu.my
Tel: +603-8946 7250
Fx: +603-8656 0698
Expertise: Plant Pathology

 

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  1. Master, Plant Pathology, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia(UPM), 1982.

  2. Bachelor, Plant Protection, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 1978.

  3. PhD, Plant Pathology, Imperial College of Science,Technology and Medicine,United Kingdom, 1992.

PREVIOUS APPOINTMENT

  1. Research Officer, Dunlop Estates Berhad, 1978-1983.

  2. Lecturer, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 1983-2003.

  3. Associate Professor, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 2003.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  1. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, PLANT PATHOLOGY, MYCOLOGY.

RESEARCH

  1. Vascular streak dieback of cocoa, Researcher, 1979-1982, Dunlop Estates Berhad, National.

  2. Diseases of cocoa in Malaysia., Researcher, 1985-1987, Canadian High Commision Administered Fund., National.

  3. Witches' Broom Disease of Cocoa, Others, 1988-1992, Commonwealth Scholarship and International Witches'Broom Project, International.

  4. Vascular streak dieback of cocoa., Coordinator, 1992-1994, IRPA Project No.1-07-05-018, National.

  5. Vascular streak dieback of cocoa., Coordinator, 1996-1999, IRPA No.1-02-04-0203, International.

  6. Cladosporium-Phyllosticta foliar disease complex in banana for improved management, Coordinator, 2002-2004, IRPA 01-02-04-0127EA001, National.

EXPERT CONSULTATION/CONSULTANCY

  1. Workshop and Training on Estate Crop Commodities, World Bank / Lembaga Pendidikan Perkebunan Indonesia, Project Leader, 1993, International.

  2. Benchmarking for Plantation Managers in Malaysia/Indonesia, Lembaga Pendidikan Perkebunan Indonesia, Coordinator, 1999-Present, International.

  3. Diagnosis of fungal pathogens and identification of fungi, Various agencies in private or public sectors, Consultant, 1983-Present, National.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

  1. Malaysian Plant Protection Society (MAPPS), Member and current President Elect, 1980-Present.

  2. Malaysian Society for Microbiology, Member and Past Exco Member, 1980-Present.

  3. Incorporated Society of Planters, Member and present Editorial Committee member of the Planter, 1980-Present.

  4. Imperial College Alumni Association Malaysia(www.icaam.org.my), Member and current President, 1995-Present.

EXPERT/TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

  1. Cocoa and Coconut Unit , Bahagian Ladang UPM, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Head of Unit, 1985-1988, National.

  2. Course on Identification of Fungi of Agricultural Importance, UPM, Resource Person, 1996-1997, National.

  3. MAPPS Seminar and International Conferences, Malaysian Plant Protection Society (MAPPS), Secretary etc., 1985-Present,

  4. Malaysian Society of Microbiology Symposium, Malaysian Society of Microbiology, Technical Committee, 1986-Present, National.

  5. Projek Ensiklopaedia Sains dan Teknologi, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Author, 1996-2000, National.

  6. Forum and Exhibition on International Witches' Broom Project, International Witches' Broom Project, Participant, 1991, International.

  7. Alternate Board Member, Malaysian Cocoa Board, Committee Member, 2003-2007, National.

  8. Conferences/Seminars/Research Group/Exhibition etc., Universiti Pertanian Malaysia/Universiti Putra Malaysia, From Chairman to Sec, 1986-Present, National.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

  1. Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship Award, British Council, 1988, International.

  2. Sponsored partcipation at Forum and Exhibtion on International Witches' Broom Project, Cadbury Ltd U.K., 1991, International.

  3. Appointed Secretariat Member, DANCED/UNEP Founding Workshop for TREM, 1996, International.

  4. Bronze Medal Winner Pameran Rekacipta dan Penyelidikan 22-23 August 2002, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 2002, National.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Varghese,G.,Zainal Abidin,M.A. & Mainstone,B J(1981)Vascular streak dieback of cocoa in Malaysia II.Isolation and culture techniques of causal pathogen,Planter,Kuala Lumpur,576-580, - Journal

  2. Zainal Abidin, M A,Varghese G & Mainstone BJ (1981) Vascular streak dieback of cocoa in Malaysia. I. A survey of its incidence and identification of the pathogen involved. Planter, 57: 3 - 13., - Journal

  3. Mainstone B J,Zainal Abidin M A & Varghese G (1983) Cocoa dieback pathogen: In:Exotic Plant Quarantine Pests and Pricedures for Introduction of Plant Materials(ed K.G.Singh):97-106.ASEAN Plant Quarantine Center and Training Institute., - Chapters in book

  4. Lam,C.H.,Varghese G. & Zainal Abidin M A (1988) In vitro production of Oncobasidium basidiospores. Transactions of the British Mycological Society,90:505-507., - Journal

  5. El-Ammari,Sariah M.,Zainal Abidin M.A. & Hor ,Y.L (1997) Site of imfection and transmission of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Capsicum annuum.Malays.Appl.Biol.26(2):43-49., - Journal

  6. Sahlan and Zainal Abidin M A (2003).Isolation and identification of speckle disease from banana leaves. Jurbal Hortikultura, 13(3):190-196., - Journal

  7. Mahfud,M.C.,Zainal Abidin M.A., Meon,S. & Kadir,J.(2006) In vitro and in vivo tests for parasitism of Verticillium psalliotae Treschow on Hemileia vastatrix Berk & Br. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology, 2(1);46-50, - Journal

  8. Zaition,S., Sariah, M. & Zainal Abidin M.A. (2006) Isolation and Characterisation of Microbial Endophytes from oil palm roots: Implication as Biocontrol Agents against Ganoderma. Planter,Kuala Lumpur,82(966):587-597., - Journal

KEYNOTE ADDRESS/INVITED SPEAKER

  1. Diseases of Plantation Crops, Course on Pesticide Application Technology & Weeds, FELDA Training Center,Trolak, 21st August 1984, FELDA, National.

  2. Screening of new systemic fungicides for control of VSD pathogen in Malaysia, MARDI-MCGC Seminar on VSD in Cocoa, MARDI Serdang, 24 July 1985, MARDI-Malaysian Cocoa Grower's Council, National.

  3. Poster paper on witches' broom disease of cocoa., 11th International Cocoa Research Conference, Ivory Coast,West Africa, 18th July 1993, Cocoa Producer's Alliance, International.

  4. Oral paper on vascular streak dieback of cocoa, 12th International Cocoa Research Conference, Salvador, Brazil, 18th November 1996, Cocoa Producers' Alliance, International.

  5. Country Report on Integrated Pest Management in Malaysia, International Training Course on Pest Surveillance & Forecasting, Indonesia, 3rd Nov -15 December 1997, JICA, International.

POST GRADUATE SUPERVISION

  1. Lam Chin Hee, Masters, Some aspects of the biology and control of vascular-streak dieback pathogen Oncobasidium theobromae of cocoa, 1988.

  2. Ahmad Kamil Yunus, Masters, Etiology and control of Phytophthora infestans (Mont) De Bary in Malaysia, 1994.
    Phan Thanh Dung, Masters, Studies on Corynespora casiicola(Berk & Curt) Wei on rubber, 1996.

  3. S.S. El-Ammari, PhD, Infection of chilli seeds by Colletotrichum gloesosporioides and its transmission, 1996.

  4. Ganesan Vadamalai, Masters, In vitro production and infectivity of Oncobasidium theobromae basidiospores, 1999.

  5. Sahlan, Masters, Characteristics and pathogenicity of Cladosporium musae Mason on banana, 2000.
    Azmi Che Ahmad, Masters, Development of technique to screen cocoa for resistance against the white root disease, 2005.

  6. Mohammad Cholil Mahfud, PhD, Potential of Verticillium psalliotae Treschow as a mycoparasite of Coffee Leaf Rust pathogen,Hemileia vastatrix Berk.& Br., 2006.

  7. Kevin Cheong, Masters, Characteristics and Pathogenicity of causal fungus of freckle disease of banana in West Malaysia, 2007.

EXPERT LINKAGES

  1. Organisation of Training and Benchmarking program for plantation managers, Lembaga Pendidikan Perkebunan (LPP) of Indonesia, 1993, 0 month(s), International.

  2. Alternate Member of Board, Malaysian Cocoa Board, 2003, 48 month(s), National.

Last Update: Monday, October 08, 2007