Plant & Bioresource Sciences

Research introduction
Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Ahdiar Fikri Maulana

Laboratory of plant nutrition and soil science is working on the plant-microbe-soil interactions, especially related to plant nutrition and also global warming issues. Studying certain crop and tree species, lab-scale or even field-scale, we tried to design and do the research based on problems, not only in Japan but also other country.

Plant nutrient deficiency and toxicity are problems we can find around us, which is caused by many factors. One of the cases is deficiency of Phosporus (P) that is important not only because it is a major essential nutrient but also its limited availability in soil and its non-renewable resources. Concerning this, we are studying ways to solve this problem and also other nutrient-related problems. Isolation, utilization and assessing role of mutualistic symbiotic microorganism (Arbuscular mycorrhizal, Ectomycorrhizal and Endophytic fungi) in promoting plant growth; metabolomics and lipidomics of nutrient-deficient plant to know plant strategy to cope with this stress; are some of our main study topics.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) is also our concern, considering its effect on climate change is not negligible. Enhanced emission of GHG caused by human practice is the matter which needed more attention. Methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions affected by human practice, such as at paddy field with its cultivation types and forest with its vegetation cover dynamic, are possible to increase over time. Periodic monitoring at research sites has been being done to know the trend of this emissions, as a base to compose and determine actions necessary to mitigate the global warming.