KU researcher wins Bt20m grant to develop plant breeds

Professor Peerasak Srinives was awarded the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)’s Chair Professor grant to pursue his research proposal, “Breeding to Accelerate Domestication of Novel Jatropha for Fuel and Feeds”. Peerasak is a researcher with the department of agronomy at the faculty of agriculture at KU’s Kamphaeng Saen Campus.

The Crown Property Bureau Foundation funded the Bt20million grant for Peerasak’s team to conduct the fiveyear research project to develop breeds of the plant as alternative sources of sustainable energy.

“We will try to reduce the weak points of this kind of plant. They cannot survive during floods, have some poisons, have low yields and do not ripen at the same time. So the new breeds will be floodresistant, have fewer poisons, have higher yields and also ripen at the same time,” Peerasak said.

“We aim to create breeds with yields increased from 200300 kilograms per rai to 400500kg, which will be high enough for industrial use. Also, if they ripen at the same time, agriculturists can harvest them at the same time. This will result in a larger amount of produce for the industry. And when the plant’s poisons are reduced and made safe enough, the residue left after the fuelproduction process will be used to feed fish,” he said.

The researcher said the challenge facing his team was a tough one, but it would do its utmost to achieve its goals as he and his fellow researchers want to promote the use of biofuels in the country. 

Peerasak is the second researcher to receive the Chair Professor grant, after fellow KU academic Professor Jumras Limtrakul of the chemistry department. Jumras won the Bt20million grant in 2009 to conduct his research project, “Application of Molecular Nanotechnology to Industrially Important Nanostructed and Nanoporous Materials.”

A ceremony presenting the grant to Peerasak’s team was held at the Crown Property Bureau in Bangkok yesterday.