Magnetic induction tomography: a review on the potential application in agricultural industry of Malaysia

Abstract

Agriculture is the foundation of Malaysia’s economy in addition to other government-focused industries. The trend of its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) has fluctuated from year to year. The highest value was 28.8% in 1970; this reduced to 7.5% in 2007, rose slightly to 7.7% in 2009, and then decreased to 7.3% in 2010. However, the value is still high compared with other developed countries, the value of which is typically only within the range of 1% to 3%. This fluctuating trend is related to several factors both globally and locally, such as disease and diminishing resources. Despite the constraints and challenges faced by the agricultural industry, the quality of the produce has to be maintained, while solutions to the current problems are sought. Thus, this article discusses the possibility of using the technique of Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) in the agricultural industry for application in a fruit-grading system, the early detection of basal stem rot disease in palm oil trees, and resin identification inside a karas (gaharu) tree.