AGRICULTURE RESEARCH INSTITUTE,

TUARAN

INTRODUCTION

The Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) was established in July 1963 with the objective of

developing the agriculture industry through R & D activities for a planned, competitive and

sustainable agriculture. It consist of various sections namely Paddy, Food Crop, Crop

Protection, Soil Section, Agricultural Chemistry and Physiology & Plant Nutrition to carry

out research projects.

LOCATION

ARI is situated at about 35 km northeast of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu. It covers 56

hectares on the flood plain of the Tuaran River. The soils are derived from alluvium of

various textures ranging between well-drained yellowish brown loamy sands on the levee

area and poorly drained grey clays. The Institute has two sub-stations namely Kundasang

and Mesilou, which have an area of 10 hectares and 40 hectares respectively. The

Kundasang sub-station is situated at about 75 km from Tuaran on a series of alluvial terraces

on the foothills of Mount Kinabalu with an altitude of 1280 m. The Mesilou sub-station is 7

km from Kundasang sub-station with an altitude of 1400 m.

METEOROLOGICAL DATA (1991-2001): -

(Agricultural Research Institute, Tuaran)

Mean annual rainfall 2016.82 mm

Mean monthly rainfall range 81.5 mm to 334.2 mm

Wettest month May to December

Driest month January to April

Mean daily temperature range 22.29 ºC to 32.87 ºC

Mean relative humidity at 8.00 h 85.06 %

at 14.00 h 68.47 %

Mean sunshine hour 6.72 h

METEOROLOGICAL DATA (1991-2001): -

(Masilou Sub-Station)

Mean annual rainfall 1507.09 mm

Mean monthly rainfall range 149.5 mm to 231.5 mm

Wettest month January to December

Driest month -

Mean daily temperature range 15.42 ºC to 23.91 ºC

Mean relative humidity at 8.00 h 82.22 %

at 14.00 h 78.45 %

Mean sunshine hour NA

OBJECTIVE

The main objectives of ARI are to improve methods of crop production and to increase yield

by overcoming problems faced by the farmers especially with regards to pests and diseases.

The Institute also has the objective of producing soil maps for Sabah, as a basis for

recommendations for land utilization. The Institute provide technical and support advices on

crop management, land development and utilization, crop protection and laboratory analyses.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Agriculture Research Institute is under the jurisdiction of the Deputy of Research and

Development Sabah and is headed by an Assistant Director. It has 14 Research Officers, 123

supporting staff and 113 workers. The organisational structure is as below:

Contact Address:

Assistant Director

Agricultural Research Institute

P. O. Box 103

89207 Tuaran

Sabah, Malaysia

Telephone: 088-788436/788437/788590/788341

Fax: 088-788548

Pest Management

Research Officer

Chemistry II

Research Officer

Soil Survey Plant Pathology I

Crop Physiology

Section Section

Research Officer

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Station

Management

Adminstration

Technology

Information

Section

Research Officer

Entomology I

Entomology II

Research Officer

Research Officer

Plant Pathology II

Research Officer

Soil Science

Section

Research Officer I

Research Officer II

Soil Survey

Research Officer III

Crop Protection

Chemistry III

& Plant Nutrition

Research Officer

Paddy

Soil Management

Plant Breeding

Section

Research Officer

Agricultural

Chemistry Section

Agronomy Section

Paddy

Research Officer

Food Crop

Research Officer

Crop Physiology

Research Officer

Chemistry I