Oil Palm Cultivation

POFP Oil Palm Cultivation and Yield Production Kushairi, A. Oil Palm Species •Elaeis guineensis •West Africa •High yield Elaeis guineensis •Elaeis oleifera •Central-South America •Low yield •High quality oil •Tolerant to pests & diseases •Interspecific hybrids E.o x E.g •Intermediate properties Elaeis oleifera Oil Palm Industry: The beginning Amsterdam Congo DR Malaysia Centre of origin: Elaeis oleifera Centre of origin: Elaeis guineensis Bogor Mauritius Historical Deli dura 1848 1870s 1911 1917 1920s - Bogor, 4 seedlings - Deli, Sumatra - Rantau Panjang, Malaysia - Tenammaran Estate - Formal breeding & selection Yangambi/AVROS pisifera 1920s - Selection in Yangambi, Congo - Sumatra - Malaysia Production of Major Oil Crops Crop Oil palm Coconut Olive Rapeseed Sunflower Groundnut Soyabean Oil (kg/ha/yr) 2500 – 4000 600 – 1500 500 – 1000 600 – 1000 280 – 700 340 – 440 300 – 450 Land utilization to produce 1 tonne oil Crop Oil Palm Rapeseed Soybean Land (ha) 0.30 0.75 2.17 Climate & Soil Suitability Rainfall: 1500-2000 mm/yr, evenly distributed Temperature: min 22-24 C max 29-33 C Sunshine: continuous 5 hours/day Soil: loose-textured, no hard layer Reproductive Biology Monoecious: male and female flowers Male inflorescence (flower) separately on same palm Inflorescences in alternate cycles Cross-pollinated species Number of spikelet per inflorescence Similar in both genders, ca.200 spikelets Number of flowers Males: 700 – 1200, Females: 5 – 30 Female inflorescence (flower) Reproductive Biology Male 30g pollen per inflorescence Enough for 300 pollinations Pollen mostly shed 1-2 days following anthesis One year storage at –5oC Male inflorescence Female Receptive 36-48hr Anthesise sporadically, up to 4 weeks Second day most suitable for pollination Main pollinating agent: Elaeidibius kamerunicus 3mm Female inflorescence Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil Oil extractions (Palm Oil) • Lab O/B = F/B x M/F x O/M • Mill OER = O/B x 0.855 Kernel (Palm Kernel Oil) • Mill KOER = K/B x 0.5 Factors affecting growth, flowering and yield Total Dry Matter: partitioned into BDM and VDM – Photosynthetic rate light intensity, water, CO2, temperature, nutrients Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) – Bunch weight, bunch number Number of bunches – Frond production, sex ratio, abortion, bunch failure Inflorescence development Stages 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Events Inflorescence initiation Outer spathe initiation Inner spathe initiation Sex differentiation Initiation of fourth bract Spikelet initiation Spikelet differentiation distinct Abortion Anthesis Harvesting Months 33 – 41 26 – 34 24 – 32 23 – 31 21 - 26 17 – 21 14 – 17 9 – 12 6 0 Planting Materials Breeding and Seed Production The need for legitimate planting materials: 25 years economic life Very important to invest in legitimate planting materials, ca. US$0.50 per germinated seed Planting material: dura x pisifera (DxP) Pollination Germinated seeds Tenera arising from DxP Oil Palm Genetics Oil palm has 3 fruit forms: dura, tenera, pisifera Selection progresses through a single gene controlling shell thickness Sh+ Sh+ Sh- ShSh+ Sh= dura (thick shell) = pisifera (shell-less) = tenera (thin shell) Note: pisifera is female sterile (no bunch formation) Inheritance of Fruit Forms (DxP) X Sh+Sh+ M/F = 60% S/F = 30% K/F = 10% O/B = 18% Sh-ShS/F = 0 Sh+ShM/F = 80% S/F = 10% K/F = 10% O/B = 24% Tenera x Tenera (TxT) Tenera (Sh+Sh-) x Tenera (Sh+Sh-) 25% Dura (Sh+Sh+) 25% Tenera (Sh+Sh-) 25% Tenera (Sh+Sh-) 25% Pisifera (Sh-Sh-) 50% Tenera Segregation ratio 1:2:1 Timeframe in OP breeding 10 years of breeding cycle: • 1-2 years - pollination / germination • 1 year - nursery • 2-3 years - juvenile stage • 4-6 years - data collection and selection 10 years of progeny testing (field test of the DxP) Thus, 20 years to produce progeny tested materials Timeframe in Seed Production Production stage Pollination to harvest Seed processing and germination Pre nursery Main nursery and field planting Average duration (months) 6 3 3 10 Cumulative (months) 6 9 12 22 Choice of Planting Materials Malaysia produces 50 – 88 mil seeds annually Limits in production • Planting material (genotype) • Environment • Genotype x Environment Oil extraction rate (OER) Vegetative vigour Planting Materials Tissue Culture Clones Mass propagation of high quality planting materials Supported by breeding programmes Oil palm can be cloned from these ex-plants: – Young leaf – Inflorescence – Root Ortet selection: – FFB yield > 200 kg/palm/year – Oil/bunch > 28% Sampling of leaf cabbage from selected ortet Oil Palm Tissue Culture Process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Ortet sampling Callus initiation in explants Embryoid formation (embryogenesis) in callus Embryoid maturation and multiplication Shoot regeneration Rooting Plantlets transplanting Leaf cabbage Embryoid Shoot multiplication Rooting Plantlets in polybags Timeframe in Oil Palm Cloning Production stage Explants to callus Callus to embryoids Polyembryogenic (PE) to shoots Shoot development Rooting/ transplanting/ acclimatization Pre nursery Main nursery and Field planting Average duration Cumulative (months) (months) 6 6 9 24 2 4 3 10 15 39 41 45 48 (4 yrs) 58 (ca.5 yrs) Note: Seed production from pollination to planting is 22 months Nursery Objectives – to provide planting materials of the highest quality for field planting Pre-nursery Two types of nursery – One-stage – Two-stage Main nursery One-stage nursery Involves the main nursery only Polybags – 500gauge (0.12mm thick) x 38 x 51cm – filled with top soil two weeks before arrival of germinated seeds – arrangement 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9m triangular Main nursery Germinated seeds sown 1.8cm below soil surface Make sure not sown upside down Two-stage nursery Pre-nursery Main nursery Involves pre- and main nurseries Pre-nursery Polybags 15 x 23cm Advisable to arrange polybags 10 x 10 for easy management May require shades to protect seedlings against heat from sunlight 3-month old seedlings are transplanted to big polybags in the main nursery Watering Water twice daily, morning and late afternoon – Initially, seedlings require 0.5 litre of water a day – Later (11 months), 2.5 litres Watering methods – Manually: watering-can, water hose – Irrigation system: sprinklers, lay-flat tubes Fertilizer application Age of seedling (months) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Application per month 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 Amount (g) 14:13:9:2:2½ 14 28 42 56 70 84 Amount (g) 12:12:17:2 28 42 56 70 84 - Weeding Weeding once a month – between polybags – inside the polybags Between polybags – contact herbicides may be used but not hormonal-type herbicides (causes disorders) Inside polybags – manual weeding Pest & disease control Insecticide and fungicide sprays only necessary when there is outbreak However, it is always beneficial to have monthly routine to avoid outbreaks Culling of seedlings Selection / culling are done when seedlings are – 3 months – 7-8 months – 12 months, just before field planting Seedlings to be culled, examples – Twisted leaves – Grassy leaves – Juvenile – Chimeras Establishment and Maintenance of Plantation Land Clearing From jungle, rubber, coconut, oil palm areas Mechanised using Chipping of old oil palm stand for replanting bulldozers, chain saws Zero burning is emphasised – environmental friendly If need to burn (e.g. disease) – get permit from authority – Burning 6-8 weeks after felling Plant with cover crop to avoid erosion Land Preparation Schedule Activities Under brushing/weed spraying Felling Chipping/stacking/partial burning (if applicable) Lining Road construction Terracing Drainage Planting Cover crop Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Roads and Drains Roads – Good road system essential Road maintenance for easy transportation during development and subsequent operations Drains – Most needed in swampy and low-lying areas – Weeds on road shoulders Drainage system and surface are maintained by chemical sprays Lining Lining after land clearing is completed Rows in North-South direction for max sunlight Planting distances – Inland soil (less fertile): 8.8m triangular (148 p/ha) – Coastal soil (more fertile): 9.0m triangular (136 p/ha) Biodiversity Biodiversity and its conservation given attention in plantations: – conservation of flora and fauna Oil palm palm plantations: – Rich in dicotyledons, monocotyledons, sedges, ferns and brackens, anthropods, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians Plantation industry plays an important role in the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in the oil palm environment Source: Khairudin Hashim et al., (2005) Field Planting Carried out at beginning of wet season Seedlings attained age of 11-14 months Planting holes prepared 2 weeks earlier 300g phosphate fertilizer applied in planting hole to promote root development Polybags removed before planting Planting holes filled-up and soil is firmed Cover Crops Objectives – To control erosion and nutrient losses – To improve nutrient status from leguminous covers – To stabilise soil moisture – To improve soil structure and aeration – To prevent weeds – Mucuna spp. Cover crop Calopoganium mucunoides Pueraria phaseoloides Calopoganium caeruleum 2.8 kg/ha 2.3 kg/ha 0.6 kg/ha Weed Control Objectives – To be ‘free’ of breeding ground of insect pests and agents of diseases – To prevent competition between weeds and crop – To facilitate loose fruit collections, fertilizer applications, control of pests and diseases Weed Control Schedule Age of palms (years) 0–1 2–3 4–6 7 – 10 > 10 Intervals between rounds (days) 30 45 60 90 120 No. of rounds per year 12 8 6 4 3 Maintenance of inter-rows, palm circles and low-lying areas Should be free from noxious weeds, woody plants and their regenerations Palm circles are clean-weeded 1.5m radius All low-lying areas, planted or not, are to be maintained fairly clean: – Managing drainage system – Breeding grounds for pests and diseases – Hide-outs for mammalian pests, e.g. wild boars Upkeep of Harvesting Paths The path used by harvesters to access palms and evacuate crops Paths are alternate between planting row Paths are maintained to allow passage to harvesters Paths are maintained by chemical sprays X = oil palm Harvesting path X Frond pile X X X X X X X Frond pile X X Harvesting path X X X X X Frond pile X X X X Harvesting path X Harvesting Paths and Frond Piles Frond pile Frond Pruning The removal of dead, old and drying fronds – Involves cutting, then stacked neatly in frond pile Objectives – To facilitate weeding and fertilizer applications, especially in young palms – To speed up harvesting collection of bunches – To facilitate collection of loose fruits Timing – First pruning 6 months before first harvest – Progressive pruning during harvesting – Annual pruning also carried out Fertilizer Requirements A major cost in plantation operation – Correct and timely application has impact on yield production and economic return – Large quantity of N, P, K, Mg fertilizer requirements Fertilizer recommendations – Depends on age of palm, soil type, field conditions – Based on soil and foliar analyses Fertilizers are applied within the palm circles Fertilizer Application Schedule Young Palms Fertilizer NPKMg SA MOP CIRP Kieserite Rate of application (kg/p/yr) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 6.0 6.5 3.0 3.0 1.75 1.0 Rounds/yr 4 2 1 1 1 Fertilizer Application Schedule Matured palms SA MOP CIRP Kieserite 3.5 3.5 1.75 1.5 Fertilizer spreader Fertilizer Rate of application (kg/p/yr) Rounds/yr 2 2 1 1 Nutrient Recycling 1 Empty fruit bunches (EFB) EFB mulching Fertilizer equivalent of 1 tonne EFB 8kg Urea, 2.9kg CIRP, 18.3kg MOP, 4.7kg Kieserite Palm oil mill effluent (POME) Fertilizer equivalent 360-5500 litres of POME 2-3kg Urea, 1.8-2.8kg CIRP, 1.5-2.2kg MOP, 2.3-3.5kg Kieserite Nutrient Recycling 2 Pruned fronds Fertilizer equivalent 1 tonne dried fronds 59.8kg Urea, 14kg CIRP, 39.8kg MOP, 27.8kg Kieserite Palm residues (zero burning land-clearing) Fertilizer equivalent of trunk and fronds per hectare 737.9kg Urea, 92.1kg CIRP, 707.1kg MOP, 281.4kg Kieserite Pests and Disease Pests Bagworm Bagworms and nettle caterpillars Controls: IPM, trichlorfon, Bacillus thurigiensis (bacteria) Rhinoceros beetle Rhinoceros beetle Controls: carbofuran, pheromone traps, Metarhizium (fungus) Control of rhinoceros beetle using Metarhizium Cassia cobanensis Disease Ganoderma BSR Parasitoid Controls: avoidance/ sanitation, surgery, hexaconazole, tolerant palms Ganoderma Harvesting Starts bearing at 2½ to 3 years after field planting – Harvest when some, say 2 loose fruits on the ground Harvesting schedule – 2 – 3 times a month (10 to 15 day round in a month) – 7 am to 12 noon Harvesting tools – Chisel for young palms – Sickle for older palms Harvesting Locate ripe bunches • Remove obstructing fronds • Harvest FFB Pruned fronds stacked neatly in frond pile • Bunch stalk cut to at least 2.5cm • Loose fruits collection, put in sacks Evacuate FFB and loose fruits to platform by the roadside Harvesting For high oil in bunches No unripe bunches harvested (zero unripeness policy) No ripe bunches left unharvested Minimise damage to fruits during harvesting, loading, transportation Minimise contamination by earth and soil Keep bunch stalk as short as possible – stalks absorb oil in milling process Transportation of FFB Palm Platform Ramp Mill From palms to platforms manual, wheel-barrow, bicycles, buffaloes, motorcycle-trailer, mini tractors, etc. From platforms to ramp by tractors on the same day From ramp to mill by lories either on the same day or the following day Tractor and grabber used by plantations Motorcycle-trailer used by smallholders Cost of Production Cost item General upkeep Fertilizers Harvesting & transportation Maintenance & supervision Depreciation & maintenance of facilities R&D and advisory Others % of total cost Approx. range (%) 12 22 34 10 3 1 18 8 – 16 12 – 32 22 – 46 7 – 13 1 – 15 Wide 1 – 27 Cost of Production (estimates) Immature palms Cost items 1st year (RM/ha) 70% 20% 10% 4,800 2nd year (RM/ha) 65% 35% 2,600 3rd year (RM/ha) 50% 50% 2,400 Mature palms (RM/ha) 10% 50% 20% 20% 2,500 (RM/ tonne FFB) 15% 45% 20% 20% 300 Non-recurrent Costs Upkeep and Cultivation Fertilizer Harvesting FFB Transportation Total USD1 = RM3.3 Conclusions Oil palm is the highest oil-bearing plant Main products are PO and PKO Important factors in OP cultivation – Suitable land – High yielding planting materials/ clones – Labour – Mechanization Conclusions Oil palm cultivation and yield production in environmental friendly manner: – Biodiversity – Conservation of riparian areas, slopes, swamps – Zero-burning – Recycling of biomass – Soil conservation – Use of leguminous covers crops – Integrated pest management (IPM) Plantations adopt – Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) – Codes of Practice (COP) Terima Kasih [email protected]