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Nazmin Yaapar

Senior Lecturer/ Researcher

Email:

A Bit About Me

Since 2017 I have established my research group at UPM, the leading agricultural university in Malaysia. My research uses plant physiology to understand rice growth under tropical conditions and how this will be affected by climate change. Working closely with MARDI (the main Malaysian rice research institute), over the last 8 years I have attracted funding of over £500K, with a research group comprising 2 PhD students and 4 Masters student.

Professional History

2017- Present

Senior Lecturer and Plant Physiologist, Department of Crop Science, UPM 

Academic Qualification

2019

Higher Education Teaching, Certificate
Harvard University, USA

2017

Plant Science (Rice Physiology)
PhD
University of Sheffield, UK

2017

Agricultural Science
BSc. 

UPM, Malaysia 

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Research Funding

2024-2025

UKRI, Improving Rice Yield in Malaysia Via a Sustainable Intensification Approach
(Lead)(£46K)

2022-2024

Putra Grant, 'The Role of Vernalisation and Gibberellic Acid Shallots (Lead)(£8K)

2022-2024

King’s Scholarship of Malaysia for a master student (£10K)

2019-2023

Royal Society, Breeding rice resilient to a high CO2 world (£98K) (Lead at UPM)

2018-2022

Elite Scientific Instruments, LiCor Bioscience equipment and training grant (£100K)

2018-2022

Assessing the Effects of Applying Poly4 (UK) on Growth and Productivity of Rice in Peninsular Malaysia (£60K) (co-I at UPM)
 

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Awards & Fellowships

2025

Academic Sabbatical Leave at The University of Sheffield UK from UPM (£25K)

2024

Journal Publishing Empowerment Initiative 2024 from UPM (£1500)

2019

Summer research attachment funded by the University of Sheffield via a Research England Global Challenges Research Fund (£5000)

2011

Royal PhD fellowship from King’s Scholarship of Malaysia (£200K)

2010

Vice Chancellor and Student Mobility (National Taiwan University) Award (£1000)

2010

Royal Botanic Gardens internship sponsored by Malaysian Government and RBG Kew (£5000)

External Consultancies and Expertise

2017- 2025 

Elite Scientific Instruments Sdn. Bhd. (Instrument and Field Scientist)

2023- 2025

Malaysian Examinations Council (STPM Biology Paper Assessor)

Meetings and Trainings Organised

2026

Let’s Fertilise 2026 Course: The Secrets of Plant Nutrition for Exceptional Growth 

2024

Principles of Photosynthesis & Chlorophyll‑a Fluorescence (LICOR LI‑6800) 

2022

Public Lecture: Understanding Leaf to Improve Crop Yield: The Rice Story

2018

Distinguished Lecture Collaboration (DLC) 5.0: Engineering Plants to Improve
Rice  Production in A Changing Environment (UPM) 

Conferences & Workshops

2024

Speaker for LI6800 and LI600 Photosynthesis-Fluorescence, Universitas Gadjah
Mada, Indonesia.

2024

Speaker for Executive Class for Plant Physiology, PT Unitama Analitika Perkasa,
Jakarta, Indonesia.

2022

Speaker at Malaysian Society of Plant Physiology Conference Langkawi, Malaysia

2018

Chairperson at Distinguished Lecture and Collaboration Meeting, UPM, Malaysia

2012

SEB Annual Meeting, Salzburg, Austria 

Teaching and Admin Responsibilities

2025- present

Coordinator of Revenue Generation, Department of Crop Science, UPM

2022- present

Head and Coordinator, Physiology Lab Department of Crop Science, UPM

2017- 2026

Teaching and coordinating undergraduate and postgraduate courses in rice production, plant physiology, and plant nutrition, including lectures and practical sessions. 
Courses taught:
• Principles of Weed Science (AGR3102)
• Agricultural Botany (AGR3101)
• Crop Physiology (AGR3301, coordinator until now)
• Rice Production (AGR4503 coordinator until 2020)
• Crop Nutrition (AGR4303, coordinator until 2020)
• Advanced Crop Physiology (AGR4301, coordinator until now)
• Agriculture and Life (PRT2009)

Intellectual Properties

1.

Patent Application No. PI2022007530: Method of Producing Cyanobacteria-NPK (CNPK) Fertilizer as Substrate Nano-booster for Mushroom Cultivation

2.

Copyright (No. Pending-2026): Panduan Penanaman Bawang Merah Ros Di Malaysia 

Publications

1.

Azzami, A. M. M., Sloan, J. M., Toh, L. S., Kamaruzali, A., Berahim, Z., Fleming, A. J., & Yaapar, N. (2025). A general approach to maximising yield via increased tiller number in rice [Preprint]. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7161967/v1

2.

Krishnamoorthy, M., Kamaruzali, A., Toh, L. S., Sahud, N. A. M., Khairulazlan, K. N., Jusoh, M., Mujab, A. A. M., Khalid, K., Fleming, A., & Yaapar, N. (2025). Prospect for Vegetative Bulbs Productions and Enlargement of Rose Onion (Allium cepa L.) Via Agro-Physiological Optimization in Tropical Climate. Caraka Tani: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 40(3), 404–424. https://doi.org/10.20961/carakatani.v40i3.100515

3.

Lugito, Respatie, D. W., Yaapar, M. N., & Putra, E. T. S. (2025). Physiological Responses, Growth, and Yield of Soybean (Glycine max L.) Between Rows of IP-1 Oil Palm in Response to  Rhizobium sp. and Bacillus spp. Inoculation. Caraka Tani: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture,  40(2), 173–189. https://doi.org/10.20961/CARAKATANI.V40I2.95053

4.

Zahra, S. M., Ibrahim, M. H., Nulit, R., Yaapar, M. N., & Maqbool, N. (2025). Effectiveness of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth Attributes of Different Malaysian Rice Cultivars Primed with NaCl on Germination. AGRIVITA Journal of Agricultural Science, 47(2), 326–337. https://doi.org/10.17503/AGRIVITA.V47I2.4503

5. 

Toh, L. S., Lim, E. W. W., Kamaruzali, M. A., Jusoh, M., Mujab, A. A. M., Khalid, K., Baharudin, S., Abdullah, A. S. N., Isa, H. M., & Yaapar, M. N. (2024). Optimising Okra
(Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench.) Fruit Yield and Physiological Responses Through the Integration of Foliar Fertiliser at Different Timings. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, 47(1), 57–76. https://doi.org/10.47836/PJTAS.47.1.05 

6.

Jusoh, M., Ramlee, S. I., Pydi, F. I., Mazlan, N. A., Berahim, Z., Muhamad Mujab, A. A., Sinniah, U. R., Yeoh, J. P. S., Khalid, K., & Yaapar, M. N. (2023). Specific Sound Frequency Improves Intrinsic Water Efficiency in Rice Leaf by Imparting Changes in Stomatal Dimensions. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, 46(2).
https://doi.org/10.47836/PJTAS.46.2.05 

7.

Sloan, J. M., Mujab, A. A. M., Mashitah, J., Zulkarami, B., Wilson, M. J., Toh, L. S., Nur
Zahirah, A. J., Afiq, K., Asyraf, A. T., Zhu, X. G., Yaapar, N., & Fleming, A. J. (2023). Elevated CO2 Priming as a Sustainable Approach to Increasing Rice Tiller Number and Yield Potential. Rice, 16(1), 1–11.  https://doi.org/10.1186/S12284-023-00629-0 

8.

Xiao, Y., Sloan, J., Hepworth, C., Fradera-Soler, M., Mathers, A., Thorley, R., Baillie, A., Jones, H., Chang, T., Chen, X., Yaapar, N., Osborne, C. P., Sturrock, C., Mooney, S. J., Fleming, A. J., & Zhu, X.-G. (2022). Defining the scope for altering rice leaf anatomy to improve photosynthesis: a modelling approach. New Phytologist.
https://doi.org/10.1111/NPH.18564 

9.

Abdullah EHE, Misran A, Yaapar MN, Yusop MR, Ramli A (2021) The potential of silicon in improving rice yield, grain quality, and minimising chalkiness: A review. Pertanika Journal Trop Agric Sci 44: 655–672. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjtas.44.3.09 

10.

Tan, T. L., Zulkifli, N. A., Zaman, A. S. K., Jusoh, M, Yaapar, M. N., & Rashid, S. A. (2021). Impact of photoluminescent carbon quantum dots on photosynthesis efficiency of rice and corn crops. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 162, 737–751.
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PLAPHY.2021.03.031 

11.

van Campen JC, Yaapar MN, Narawatthana S, Lehmeier C, Wanchana S, Thakur V, Kelly S, Rolfe SA, Quick WP & Fleming AJ (2016) Combined chlorophyll fluorescence and transcriptomic analysis identifies the P3/P4 transition as a key stage in rice leaf photosynthetic development. Plant Physiol. 170: 1655-1674. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.15.01624 

12.

Abdullah  NAP  & Yaapar MN  (2011) The significant of plant taxonomy and systematics  in measuring diversity in agricultural crops.  In Wan Noordin  WO et al., (Eds.),  Recent Advances in Crop Science.  Penerbit UPM,  Serdang pp  1-19 
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