The effects oil palm empty fruit bunches on oil palm nutrition ad yield, and soils chemical properties.

Mulching with oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) supplemented with inorganic fertilizer is widely practiced in oil palm plantaion but with little evidence in support. In the absence of technical information, estates are applying large amounts of N and K fertilizers with EFB due to the need to maintain high yields. This study was initated to study the effect of appling N and K fertilizer together, with mulching on oil palm nutrition and yield and the soil chemical properties. Three fertilizer rates ere applied at two frequencies toghether with three rates of EFB in a 2 m band in the inter-rows. The experiment was conducted on 17 year old palm planted on Durain series soil. Application of EFB at 37.5 t ha yr together with inorganoca N and K fertilizers at rate 1 (0.735 kg N and 1.75 kg K palm yr) improved the leaf N and K levels, bunch number, bunch weight and fresh fruit bunch yield, while leaf Mg was depressed. EFN mulching also improved the soils exchangeable K, Ca and Mg and pH. The frecuency of fertilizer application did have any effect on the leaf nutrient levels and yield. Thus, EFB mulching supplemented with N and K fertilizers should always be advocated for improving oil palm nutrition and yield.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Lim, Kim Chiew 44595, autor. aut, Zaharah, Rahman 48482.
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	d
Subjects:	Aplicación de fertilizantes, Fertilizantes inorgánicos, Fósforo., Magnesio., Nitrógeno., Nutrición de las plantas., Potasio., Propiedades químicas, Rendimiento., Suelo., Tusas, Palma de aceite,
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