Nuclear tech fuels Malaysian medical diagnostics and crop innovation, agency says
The head of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency says nuclear technology underpins medical imaging and agricultural research, yet the public rarely sees it.
Muhammad Rawi Mohamed Zin explained that nuclear technology plays a hidden role in everyday life, from medical diagnostics where radioisotopes aid cancer detection and X-ray equipment is calibrated, to agriculture where ionising radiation induces mutations for new crop strains. The agency has produced a tapioca variety with softer fibre that can be harvested in six months, and is testing five new rice lines, three of which were created using nuclear methods in partnership with MARDI, the Department of Agriculture and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Future work aims to develop protein-rich napier grass and kenaf with larger stems and fibre, potentially even leaves for tea. He noted that irradiation can help meet export requirements by eliminating pests, though limited resources hinder broader use of the agency's irradiation facilities. Continued cooperation with relevant ministries is seen as key to turning research results into commercial seeds and expanding nuclear applications in the sector.
Why it matters
Understanding nuclear applications reveals their impact on health care and food security beyond power and weapons.
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