Potential Evapotranspiration, Potentiatr Yield and Leaching Losses of Oil Falm

Foong Sang Foo *

ABSTRACT

fertilizer applicatiott could improve FFB yield by

25Vc-3}Ve.

waterproof cement lysimeter was constructed in

the present study. The lysitneter wGS refilled tayer by layer with the cta"t loam sail in the same order as iI was removed. A D x P seedling and legume seeds were planted in the the oit patm field

for

Leaching losses for clay loam soil at mature stage of the palm. were about 270-5Tb o! the applied fertilizers, thouglt otcasional!1; losses exceeried SVa. Mg was the most leached, lollowed b1' N or K and the ieast leachecl was P. For mature palm, the Mg iost could atnount to lCVa-2}Vo tvhiie occasionalh exceedipg 25Va, N and K abaut 270-67o and P at l%-3Ta. Most of the leaching losses oc' curred during the peak monsoott or high rainiall periods v,her the percolatiort u'as high and

lysimeter in January 1976. The palmv'as irrigated as fi'om Ma\' 1978. The soil was m'o'intained at field capacit.t bj, measuring the soil moisture and appf'-

ing irrigation when

applied according to tion of the palm.

necessor\). Fertilizers were producTsalm age, growth and

evapotranspiration was low. INTRODUCTIOhI Peninsular Malaysia has a humid tropical clirnate with annual rainfalt of 1800 to 3000 mm (MMS' 1981). However, the distribution of rainfall is not even for most areas in this region, showing moderate or at times severe dry spells in January-March and iune-August and a ver,v wet monsoonal period from November to December' During the long drought, oii palm production will be severeiy affected through the adverse effect of moisture stress

The potentia! evapotranspiratiort was deterby considering raiffill, annunt of irrigation, mined percolation, surface runoff and change in soil mois-ture. For comparison of potential yield and actual

surrounding non-irrigated pahns were used for yield recording. These paims received the same rates of paim' Leaching fertilizet"s as the irrigated lysimeter
losses were determined

yield achieved under natura! conditions, rl'l

water. Nutrient losses through suriace runoff were also determlned but u'ere of negligible amount'
On an annual tvercge, tlze potential evapo' transpiratiott of oi! palm was about 4.5-5 '0 mmlday at imma.ture stage and about 5.0 to 5.5 mmlday at

fi'otn the

percolated

'

on sex ratio and abortion of the

inflcrescences

rlwture stoge. During the drought these values cauld reach 6.5-7.5 mmlday, depending on lhe severity of the drought, even at relatively young age' Hov,ever, d,uring the peak monsoonal ttonth, the
potentia! evapotranspiratiott could be as lou' as 3 'A' 3.5 mmlday for both th( immntut'e and matilre
palnts.

(Broekmans, 1957; Corley,l976: Corley and Hong" 1981; Tumer. 1976). This has generaled some interest in irrigation for oil palm in this counffy (Chan, 19?9; Chan et al-, 1985). To estimate the irrigation needed. it is pertinent to know the evapotranspiration {ET) of the crop" Corley and Hon-q (i9S1) and Chan et at. {1985) assumed a daiiy evapotranspiration of four millimetres in their irrigation trials in this countr,v. In Southern

Nigeria, Omoti et
The potentiat yietd

in the first year of harvest, as indicateri by the irrigated palm was 22'6 tonnes FFBlha as contpared with 1l.B tonnes FFBI ha of the non-irrigater) palms- The potentiat yield reached 44.9 tonnes FFBlha as contpared with 30'2 towtes FFBlha of the nott-irrigated palm al the thirtl year of productlort. At mature stage, the potential yielcl reached 53.9 tonnes FFBlhe wheretts the non' irrigated, palms achieved onl)' 37'2 tonnes FFBlha The results indicated that irrigation tt'ith proper
*
FELDA Agricultural Services Corporotton

(1987) using the alundum tension iysimeters and soii moisture depletion measuremen8. evaluated the potential ET varying from 66 ta 691 and 95 to 894 mm per month with an average of 209 and 268 mm per month for the young and adult palms respectiveiy over a 24month period. Such magnitude of potential ET far exceeded those values shown by Ling (1979) from a young palm in a lysimeter' The present study evaiuated the potential ET from the same lysimeter from immature to mature slage of the palm' with the objective of providing more reiiable potential ET values for irrigation Planning.

al.

10b

.:..::

iggl

PORIM lntt. Palnt Oil Conf.

Agricuiture

The theoretical total dry matter production

of oil palm has been estimated to be 44 tonnes/ha/ year, prGducing an oitr yietrd of about 17 tonnes/hal year {Corley. 1985). Current high yields of tiesh fruit bunches (FFB) achieved in Maiaysia were in the mnge of 35 to 42 tonnes/ha/year {Ng and Thong, tr985; Yong atrd Chan, 1990; Lee and Toh' 1990)' One of the objectives of the present study is to evaluate the potential yield af oil palm by giving

entire soil surface of the lysimeter every three to four days at a rate of 6 to 8 mm/day for non-rainy
days and a calculated water requhernent equivalent to this rate was appiied on rainy days. Soil moisture was taken with neutron probe three tirnes a nlPnth at an intervai of about 10 days to {urther check the availabiiity of water. The soil was maintained at or near fieid capacity rnost of the time rneasuring the soil moisture and supplementing with irrigation to

adequate water and fertilizer lo the palrn pianrcd in lhe iysirneter. The potential yield so determined could ser.re as the uitirnate goal to aitain.

the extent that some percolated water would be received in the collection tank. This would ensure
the palm transpiring at the poiential rate. The potentiai ET was determined by rhe hydrologic method as

evaporation which is about i000-1900 mrnlyear iscart', 1976), it is expecteC that a considerable amount of water wiil be lost through both runoff and deep percolation to beyond {he root zone' Such water loss wiil also carry away substantiai amount of soluble piant nutrients. This situation has stimutrated a keen interest in the study of runoff and

With the annual minfall

exceeding pan

below:

Potential

ET = Rainfall + Irrigation + CSM .Percolation

- Runoff

where CSM is the change in soil moisture in dePth equivalent from iiay 1 to the last daY of the time, interval.

leaching losses (Bolton, 1968; Soong, t973: Sivanadyan, 19?4; Fushpuajah et cl. 1977" Erh,
19?9 and Maene et al.1979). However. inibnnation on nutrient losses from an oii paim fieid is very limited, particularly on leaching losses. Foong et rzl' (1983) have presented sbme preliminary resuits on

The runoff from the iysimeter was usually' negiigible mainly because the soil surface was flat,. The potential ET values at 10-day intervals were: averaged to give the daily potential ET for ths'
month.

the leaching lcsses from an

oil palm field using

large iysirneter. The current study reviews more data from the same project. It is hoped that information derived from this study could provide better guidelines for fertilizer application.

Climatic <iata used for correlation and rer.:= ' gression analyses were coliected from the meteoroiogicai station located about a hundred metres fronr.,,j

the

iysimeter.

'',,
.t:

MATERIALS AilID METHODS

A water-proof cement iank of 8.8 m diameter and a depth of i.5 m was constructed at one of the planting points in an oil paim field in FEI-DA Agricultuiai Research Station, Sg Tekarn' Pahang' The original soil, Munchong series (Tropeptic

An attempt was made to evaiuate the po*"' tentiai yieid of oil paim by liui,tg sufficiently.higtt'. rates of fertilizers {Appendix O besides maintaintn&'':: tha': the ,soii moisture at or near field capacity for
lysimeter

palm. Yield recording was *:n. o?-T-, tiris irrlgated and six surrounding non-irrigalec' palms. ihe sa*" rates of fertilizers were appiiedtg;
these palrns.

haplorthox) was removed layer by iayer and backfilied into the tank in the same order except ihe bottom of the tank was first fiiled with layers of small stones, coarse sand and fine sand as an effective filter to prevent clogging up the outlet at the bottorn. The soii was allowed to settle through watering for about three months before a D x P seedling and leguminous covers were pianted in January i976. At a later stage of growth, as the canopy of the palm extended, the ieguminous covers

percolation was collec as three times a month at the- same time interval sample of the computation of potential ET. A *u. unuiyr.d for total uitrogen' soluble phosl rous. potassium and rnagnesium.

The amount

of

l',

RESULTS

*er" euentuaiy taken over by the grasses'

lysimeter has been described

This

Actual and Potential Evapotranspirations':

JanuarY-r are shown in Table l. Values from rrl were actual ET where fio to April 1978 po was applied. Thereafter. the values were

in

greater detaii by
The ET values of

Ling ( 1979).
Inigation of the palm in the lysimeter comin May 1978. Water was sprayed over the metrced

oil palm at various

1t6

potential Evapotranspiration, Polential Yield and Leaching Losses

of oil Palm

ET. The actual ET and estimateC potential ET for the first three years after planting were discussed by Ling {1979). On annual basis, the daiiy actuzrl ET for the first two years was 3.3 mm/day, with low values of less than 2.5 mm/day during the dry speils such as January-March 1976 and January-Nlay I9i7 where rainfall could be frequently less than 100 mm/month {Table 2). However' for the months with rainfall exceeding 150 mm and bright sunshine of more than 5.0 hrslday {T*ble -l) such as AugusfOctober in the sarne two years, the actual ET could reach 4.3 ta 4.1 mm/day, probably approaching the potential BT at this young age. The actual ET (or iather the potential ET as there was no moisture deficit) during the rnonsooual months of Navember and December was usually less than 3.5 rnmiday' This low ET value couid be mainly due to the lack of sunshine as indicated by the high correlation between potential ET and solar radiation or bright sunshine (Ling, 1979).
The potential ET was measured as from May 1978 where sufficient irrigation was applied except for some occasions. On annual basis, the potential ET of oil palm increased from 4.3 mm/day at palm
age

pm (r = 0.336) and wet-bulb temperature at 2'00 pm (r = 0.298). Rainfall and minimum temperature were not significantly correlated with potentiai ET.
TABLE 4. CORRELATION AND REGRESStrON STAT#TICS BETWEEN POTENTIAL ET ,{ND THE VARIOUS

CI,IMATIC PARAMETER,S
Regression Coefflcient

Correiation
Potential ET

versrs

coeflicient

Bright

sunshine at

0.563**t

Maximumiemperature 0.5i9*+*
Dry-bulb temperature 2.00 pm
Pan

0.485***

2.24 - 8.52 - 7.9r 2.3t 9.06

-

0.501 0.419 0.415

evaporation at

0.471**'F

0.888

Relative humidity
2.0O pm

-- 0.336**+

0.063

Wet-bulb iemperature 0.298**+ at 2.00 pm

5,78

0.417

Rainfail
Minimum

0.083ns

of lhree years old to as high as 5.5? mmiday at mature stage as in the year 1990 where rainfail was low coupled with abundance of brigirt sunshine' However. the potential ET could be as low as 4'8 mm/day during a wet year such as tr984' Under nor*ai climatic conditions it is expected that the potential ET of oil palm at mature stage will be about 5.3 mm/daY on annual basis.
Variation

temperature *** o;

0.065ns

I'S,

t"
,,rn,r,""nli=

Fotential Yield
Potentiai yield is deemed to be achieved soii constantly maintained at or near field capacity and at the same time the crop is given adequate fertilizers' in this respect' the yield achieved by the lysimeter palm could be regarded as the possible potential yield of oil paim since adequate irrigation (except a few occasions) and suffiiiently high dosages of fertilizers were given to the patm. Wltir irrigation, the potential FFB yield for the first year of harvest was 22.61 tonnes/ha as com-

with the

in potentiai ET could be

quite

large as shown by a low vaiue of 3'0 mm/day during the peak monsoonal period to as high at 7'6 mmiday

dunng the severe drought. In general' it appears that tie potential ET under drought conditions is about 5.5-6.5 mm/day at immature stage (below seven years old) and 6.0-7.0 mm/day at mature

stage. iuring the monsoonal period the potential ET could be as low as 3.0-3'5 mm/day at both mature and imrnature stages. It must be pointed cut that the potential ET depends more on the atmospheric demand and less so on the crop itself' This explains the small differences in the values of potential ET at immature and mature stage' The significant conelation between potentiai ET and the various climatic

with 11.78 tonnes/ha wittrout irrigation, giving un increase of 9t-9?o in FFB yield with irrigapared tion (Table 5). The potential FFB yield increased to 44.92 tonnes/ha in the third year of harvest, whereas the yield without irrigation was only 30.21 tonnes/ ha. The potential FFB yield at the fouth year of harvest still maintained at 43.14 tonnes/ha before it finally collapsed in the subsequent two years' It

pammeters

Qibte 4) lends further support to above argument' Amongst the variols ciimatic

the

must be pointed out that this sudden collapse in yietd for ttre irrigated palm was mainly due to in-

ptu*"t.rt bright sunshine (r = 0'553) gave the itigtt"tt correiation and this was followed by

**i*u.

temperature

perature at 2.00 pm Luupo.ation 1r

= O.+lt;, relative humidity at 2'00

w7

(r = 0'519), dry-bulb tem(r = 0'485), US white pan

sufficient irrigation during the droughts where the potential ET indicated a need of about 6'5 to 7'0 **iOuy but actual water input inclusive of rain was only about 3.0 to 5.0 mm/day. There were a few occasions during the &oughts in 1981, 1983 and
1985 where

irrigation was rather insufficient and

t']*: FURIM inti. F*lrt Uil

Cant.

Agr*uit*e
r:}F'

Y;XllLE g. nCT:lAi- rii{S ,i{-tr?iltl'I1Ai, [:7Arrr,:.TRAiiJSP{R.qT3LaHi

Pak:! ,'ige
Ycan
J.Yrs'l

r}!L

1,.4!-i_*i.

rrnnleayt

Ja* uq*b

1vf*r

!!lf

]'v?av

,iil u*

,ii:iv

Aug

5ec:!
.:+

i-l+E:

.:?lean

'.'"J.11.) j.5:

...:i l:;i.:
<;

+ . -:

lf

a"!;'7

!t

:":?

l_::,:.:

')".-trl

.i

t1,-il;

a.rili
,1^{i:.1

3.31

l.i: ;i.i+3
:-

.1.3r i.i.
4"2

:i.:!

.4.,+-;

.rr..::ii

,r

4.29 4.93
4..74

j4 ..\.i:1 ,i.:::

,j.:J';

i.i-:
i.7:?

,:"J;r
l. ; {l

'1,-*,1:

,;.53 -I.'j"l 3.":*

.!.

i{i t i

'2."i'! a.+i +.C': 'i.9f

-i..1j1t.

5.!;:l i i': ::..i'i

i.::{:

.t": .;

'j.":
.-,..':

,:.ir4. i:.'!'i
::..:l{r

4.5

.:"-a r1.i':-i ti.i:

'.t-'

_.ll

.:-.,.:r

.!,:: i

i.z5 5.l0
4.83 4.70

-ir. i

ii+

.:.:-ii_: :.!i: .i.L):i 4.:.,1

"r

i.2

.tr-

:.

1-...ii;

.i.:14 ,+.il?

:.3i 3,'36
.+.

:.i{i

.53 a.i8

4.6_a

5.{:l
5,J0 {}.iiz 5.39
5."i9

i.i-1
:i.3).:

i.u() 5.,43 i.+i) 5.t4

i.i):i

-DU

1-

!T

t.26
5.50
,5.18

?":g 5.24 6.i? 5"6tr '!"9*

-,

:.++ *"8

"3i i.**
2.534 5.13 3.52

':'.2; 3.46 3.01 3.6q

3.52 i.3i

4.it9 6.54
5.130

,1.:)4 3.99 5.45 3.9{i

5.8

:. i7

5.2{}

5.6J 7.i1

5:

r.5n

5.6'l

F{oie:

Actual Avapotranspiraiion lrom January 19?6 ro Aprii 1978 Potentiai Evapotranspiraticn as frcm May 1978 irr!,rards

in:ufficieni irrrgalion ?.,{Bl,fl, ?. g.Ai]CF'Ai.L AT FEI,D,A,4,GR{CULTUR.{I, R.F,SE,{R.CF{ S?,{?X}N, SG l{'EKAtri {lnM)

Year
i9'76
7977
I

Jan 15.7

fletr Mar

,{pr

Ma"u .june Suty Aarg Sept #ct

261

Fiov Bec

Total

4.i 143.5 107"5 31.8 \2.6

5"1

.5 104.0 244.2 1E2.2 240"9 213"3 304"5 L909.3

1

.13.1 1\2.3

.8

82.S 116.2
i2-1

,a.2 232.4 i54.9 2'12.2 212."1 :24.C

1495.8 1947.0 1936.1

918

i71"3 i00.i 206.6 i84.b

.1, 105.? i74.3 65.0 115.2 181.6 282.6 249.9

221

i919
r

53.0 42.4 51.i 't'-i.2 125.1 242"1

.'1 b2.3 i41.9 444.b 341.7 21.6

20,1

s80
981

56"9 34.0 215.1 :39.5 88.? \27.5 125.8 95.5 1?8"6i 237.9 9t,t .;1.1 i3.E 11:"E 361.4 223.4 52"1
1,?6""7

"9 242.1 1910.2

1867.5

76.7 1i5.4 180.8 312.4 57.4 59.5 74.2 329.C 28t.4 r55.? 122.6 107.8 88.3 i88.7 i75.6 254.3

i982
1q83
1

1805.i
1623.1

76.2 15.0 30"7 94.i 252.5 134.5 89.5 124"8 130.9 178"5 223.6 322.3
2,a2..7

984 q85

3"',i"6 142.A *33

1iC.8 1S5.3 194.1 123.4.,i85.3 278.8 :26"3 ri1"'i

231r.4

'i4.2 11C.7 .413..6 i 15.4 122.6 66.8 155.1 39.5 118.5 111.1 349.i 148.1 1996.0 89.? 31.1 i07.3 233.r1 l,1i.l l1?.: 115.i 2{).1 ;;61.9 228.{ 2,a2"4 239.4 1938.1 163.9 2.4 38.i 253"-1 30?.3 1.4t.1 42"4 136.6 '' -:66.1 294.8 35A.6 2280.4 '34.? 108.5 165.3 183.5 iir.0 113.1 180"2 i56.7 336.7 1i9.i 93.5 545.2 \7i.2 2355.2 1,24.6 59.2 121.,1 1,-8.2 254.6 212.4 E9.G E6.i 2A8"i 299.5 219.9 114.9 20tr.7
2,1

1986
i 987

1988
1

989

1978.8

\99{)

.{}

47.4 153." l3{:.0 1.1.3 J9.0 55.7 23{).'l 'r2fr.6 188"0 32A.\

i614.2

Potentiai Evapotranspiration, Potential Yield and Leaching Losses of Oi! Falm

TABLE 3. BRIGI{T SUNSHINE AT FELDA AGRICIJLTURAL RESBARCH STATION, SG TEKAM {hrs/day)

Year
1976
r9'77 1978
19'79

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 6.49 7.23 7.C7 7.O7 7.57 6.44 1.42 6.'7A 6.11 5.66 3.31 3.83 6.96 3.65 6.67 i.95 7.03 6.08 6.i1 5.33 5.02 5.75 3.95 4.93 4.66 6.99 6.94 7.48 5.-16 i.12 4.95 3.92 5.53 4.87 5.01 5.20 6.40 6.28 6.00 5.20 6.57 5.60 5.05 6.25 5.40 4.OO 2.80 5.45

Total
6.25 5.84
5"55

5.42

r980
I98
1

1982 1983 1983 1985 1986 1981

r

5.88 5.22 6.13 5.70 6.22 5.18 5.90 4.57 4.99 4.78 ,1.82 2.82 5.11 ,r.71 5.99 6.98 5.59 6.50 5.i4 6.68 7.55 5.24 5.46 3.52 3.93 5.69 5.85 6.26 6.46 6.22 6.09 5.01 {:;16 5.08 5.i5 4.69 3.32 2.,a6 5.5? 5.00 8.12 1.35 6.69 6.53 1.97 6.]5 5.01 5.11 5.35 5.03 1.74 3.02 2.83 5.88 5.50 5.05 5.99 6.01 6.02 4.66 s.O2 5.15 2.9t 6.67 5.85 5.03 6.45 6.69 5.7s 5.71 6.90 5.61 4.4g 4.i5 4.2r 3.t3 6;12 5.42 6.71 6.75 5.16 5.98 5.?9 5.33 1.44 3.61 1.82 4.31 8.09 6.38 7.13 6.05 5.39 7.11 s.61 5.15 6.22 4.]s 3.23 5.80 6.75 5.72 6.97 6.49 6.50 5.19 5.90 5.05 5.66 3.84 4.34 5.68 1.24 5.94 6.95 6.14 6.39 6.74 5.16 5.99 5.03 5.27 2.20 5.12 1.19 7.86 '7.A2 6.3',7 6.03 3.98 6.22 5.94 5.7r 3.81 5.07
1987
s.64 4.84 5.72 5.36 5.8? 5.68
5.7'.1

988

1989 1990

6.05

tlrese wouid depressed the yield from 1982 to

iion of

irrigation be applied. the extra FFB to

30Vo.

yield

with
25Vo

through unfavourable sex differentiation and abor-

prolonged irrigation would be expected ta be

the

inftrorescences. Nevertheless, excessive

high yield resulting in severe physiological stress or.r the palm could be another reason for the sudden collapse of the yieid.
:.a
,::::
-1,:_

The improvement

in yield with irrigation

at.

was due to the increase in both bunch number and

bunch weight (Table 5). With irrigation, the irn-

The potential FFB yield at mature stage i.e. fifth year of harvest and above, should have
:

provement in bunch rumber

stages was

immature and mature

'.a..

l:i,

i::

.'

maintained ai least around 45 tonnes/ha. However, insufficient irrigation during the drought and possibly some physiologicai sfess due to excessive high yield, depressed the yield to levels much lower than this as shown from 1983 to 1987" Generaily, peak yield is expected in the fifth to seventh year of harvest for non-irrigated palms. With improve-

11.5% and 18.9Va respectively. Bunch weight also increased by 18.77o at immatue stage and 12.3V0 at mature stage with irrigation.

Large bunch size coupied with small fruitlet size as observed in the irrigated palm in
late 1982 had called for bunch analysis to determine the rnesocarp oil yield and kernel production ofboth the irrigated and non-irrigated palms" Resuits of bunch anaiyses from random samples of inigated palms and two non-irrigated paims are shown in Table 5. It appears that fruitlet weight or size is inverseiy proportionai to FEB - production. This appiied to both the irrigated and non-irrigated palms, though more so for the former. The average oil/bunch ratio at mature stage for the irrigated palm was 2439Va as compared with 27.587o for the nonirrigated paims. However, mean annual mesocarp oii yield for this period was 55.4Vo kg/palm for the irrigated paim as compared with 51.41 kg/palm for

aa..

ment
'

fr:

::'
:i.:

in irrigation conkoi and heavier fertiiizer application as irom 1987, the potentiai FFB yield improved to 53.87 tonnes/ha in the twelfth year ot'
harvest.

-t;:.

it,:,'

The contribution of irrigation

;4..

at

irnmature

siate (first four yea$ of harvest) was 47.i70 tttcrease FFB yield as compared
:

with no irrigation and

r*;.
iili':

St:
*i-

#t,
9:;
a*
,

mature stage was an extra FFB yield of 32.3Vo. Even with the adverse effect of insufficient in'igation, the long term beneficial effect of irrigation was 20.5Va in exlra FFB yield. Should adequate

that

at

&:

tr

t$

ffi:i::

ffi

lggl

PORIM

lntl. Palm Oil Coni'

Agriculture

WEIGHT OF IRRIGATED AND NON'IRRIGATAD PALMS' Ti!BLE 5. FFB YIELD, BUNCH NUMBER ,{ND BUNCH
FFB Yield {tonneslha) Extra
Bunch Number (bunches/Paim)

Bunch Weight {ke/Paln) Extra

Extra
Sunches

Age Year tyrs) 1919 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 i986 1987 1988 1989 1990
4 5

Palms

Year

0f

l{arvest Irrigated

trrrigated {rrigated
{1o) 11 AQ

Non-

Yield Wirb

lr{onlrrigated

With
tVo)

nrrigated lrrigated
LO

Irrigated lrrigated lrrigated

{7o)

Non?t

t_Veight

*.fui*t

ist 2nd 3rd 4rh 51h 5rh 7th 81h 9rh 10ih 1lih 12!h

22.61
3

91.9 61.1 48;1

I l.;

28 26

7.7

5.5

77.4

1'30

i9.43 30.2i
38.?8

rn

0.0 28.6

Li

5.0
9.7

62.0
15.5

5
7 3

14.92

2i
16*

43.14*
19.46* 1?.02*

i4
i1

14.3*
-

l o.4'

_, 1*
14.1

)'i

n?
,3 1.0*
-

14.5*

21.9* 28.3* 24.9*

11 1*

55.3*
38.5x

9
10
11

24.66 36.96
27.97
21 .04

4*
94

I
10

-50.0*
- 10.04

20.8 25.4 21.0 22.8

33.i 1* 38.48* 2?.01*

39.44 40.26 53.87
TdIt

10.4*
31

-0.4x 3.3*

.6*

\2* -l*
9

33.3*
r

t2 i3
14 15

-0.

l*

f <*

26.1*
'L9.6

i4.5*
19.8

?a

tn
16;1 44.8

8 9

t2.5
11.1

)a1
25.9
25.1 18.0

34.50 3'7.2t 28.40 25.05 33.64

10
13

11

5.0

IU 13.3

30.0
4.5

28.0 20.9

Mean:1979-1990 Mean:1979-1982 Mean:1988-1990

ln

i3.9
24.3 10;7

35.49
44.52

41.7

2t.8

i r.5
18.9

i0.8
28.3

o1

1a 1 t? 1

32.3

qo

r< )

*Alfected by insufficient irrigation

FFB prothe non-inigated palms. The increase in rate of duction oui weighed the lower extraction **.otp oii and resulted in a net improvement of This extra 7.TVo in rhe production of mesocarp oil' sevproduction oi rnesocarp oil was achieved with iral occasions of insufficient in'igation resulting in years' Should the collapse of FFB yields in several adequate, it is expected that the extra inigation be proiuction of mesocarp oil could be as high as I57o

kernei production couid teach 70Vo to compared with no in'igation.

754a

Leaching Losses
throug!9-' Some of the data on nuffient losses was t leaching at immature siage of the Palm in an earlier work (Foong s, 4/" 1983)' The m ihe leaching losses at

to

2AVo.

study reports mainly on ture" stage of the palm. For

complet*t::::.:

Kernel/bunch ratio also increased with irriratios gation (Table 6)' The average kernei/bunch ior irrigated alid non-irrigated palms at mature stage average were 5.8070 and 4.437a respectiveiy' The productions oYer eight years were annuai kernei i:.gr tglp.lm and 8.64 kg/palm for irrigated and an exnon-irrigaied palms' respectively, indicating
inadequate tra kernil production of 617o even with

together study, th; earlier data was summarized the iatest data as shown inTable the Ie Uasis and under irrigated condition' iorr", of N, P, K and Mg ut i*m31ure. s!9

7' Aiy:

8.tVo 2.67o, 5'3va and, il.d"l' ittltt:t:":'^"i applied nutrients. giving an aYerage

!;'2i stase and'as ffiiHffi;;#i;;: ai *""1 "!tti:i::':g N';,';';;Mq

,

ilg"*"

lution U"

irriur seueral instances' Should adequate is expected that the extra provided,

it

with irrigation the gtvrnn: i..+qo, t .6 Eo, 2 |l vo and 1 5'0 % re specdvely' averase vL 3.4vo or *'i'to"#' ffiii"t: :n"li$ .Ylrstsv or J'- tv "^ ."g'1 the four major: general, the leaching k

';t

"f

110

'Potential Evapotranspiration, Potential Yield and Leaching Losses

of Oil Palm

TABLE 6. }-FS PRODUCTION, FR.T]ITIET WEIGIIT, MESOCARP OIL AND KERNEL PRODUCTICN
FFB

(kgipalm)
Non-

Production

Av. Fruitlet
(C)

WL

AV. Oil/Bunch
(.Io)

Mesocarp

Oil (ke/palm)
Non-

AV. Kernel/tsunch Kernel Production

{{o) {kgrpalm)

Non-

Year

Irrigated trrrigated lrrigated

131.50 115.00
223.,10

Irrigated {rrigated
11

Irrigated Irrigated lrrigated Irrigated Irrigated Irrigated irri!*ted

Non-

Non4.04
5.03

Non'

i983 1984 1985 1986 t98'.7 1988 1989 1990

Mean:

i68.00
145.20

t2.34
12.18 10.81 8.37

11

'5

?l

30.12 28.87
24.82

30.47
25.1'7

49.69 38.85 65.83 51.42 31.93

56.

4.3'1 4.54 3.& 5.75 4.29 14.27 1.58 t6.77 4.81 11.07 4.05 i6.66 4.&
17.40

7.32
5.40 12.08

1Aa1

1:11
25.12

266.74
2A2.40 i 19.25 163.40

1r.97 9,86
10.24 14.12

47.86
69.16 46.93 71.64 65.31 86.36

4.94 5.78
5.85

260.00
182.50 266.5A

26.7'l
26.04 24.10 23.68 24.18

25.57 z'.1,ti 30.21 21.15 26.10 27.58

9.66 5.75 6.89

10.46 11"53

9.4r
10.59

t0 A'
6.59 6.86

272.00 364.00

218.00
235.25

9.4r
7.63

i0.30 9.29 rt.4'7

55

61.50

5.03 24.81 4.43 13.91

1983-1990

226.90

189.75

10.09

24.89

55.44

51.41

5.80

8.01

TABLE 7. RAINFALL, IRRIGATtrON, WATER INPUT, PERCOLATION AND LEACHING LOSSFS

Water

LEACHING USES (7o)

Percolation (mm) N
1A
<

Year

Palm Age {yrs)

Rainfall Irrigation Input (mm) (mm) (mm)

1909.3 1495.8

K
0.0 0.0
1.4

Mg
t69.4
8.4 53.6

tr'ertilizers
25.0

7916 1977 1978 t979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 i986 i987 i988 1989 1990

I
2
3 4 5 6

0.0 0.0 782.4 850.8 ,181.0 325.1 6i0.1 605.9 808.0 227.6 524.8 709.5 '176.t 368.3 506.1 t434.9 596.1

1909.3

it2.4
244.1
I
1

19.5 3.4

i495.8
2729.4
2787.5

10.9 12.2

1947.4

18.7

i0.4
5.6
1.9

1.8

t936;7
1910.2
1867.5 1915.4
1

993.0 509.4
434.3

i6.8
2.7 0.8
8.1

5.8

41.6
5.4 6.1 28.3

I 1.5

239t.2
2193.6 2525.4

1-l

ta
2.8 !.1
2.5

1i
2.6
1.9 1.6

3.3 5.3 1.9

Mean 1978-81
7 8 9

763.9

805.1

241r.0
2431.r 2738.6 2520.8 2648.2 3056.5
2'123.6

<)1 '\

1.0 a;7

t4.3
5.0
I 1.1

1623.1
25

<<o,
1050.8

0.9 A1
3.5 1.8

t2
3.9 3.9

i 1.0

t.7
2.6

t.2
1.5

10

1996.0
1938.7

767.8
628.4

10.3
16.1

li
12
13 14 15

'la
5.8
1.8

2.6 2.5 0.8

tl

:a
<a

2280.4 2355.2
1978.8

817.2 -401.8
471.3 428.1

1<

17.9 19.6

)<
3.8 3.8 3.4

2484.9
3049.1

2.r
2.4

t614.2
2011.4

0.8
1.6

3.2
2;7

17.8

Mean 1982-90

2673.8

528.0

.a

::.

111
i-!
.

3;

lggl

PORIM lntt. Palm Oil Conf'

Agriculture

at nutrients at mature stage were less than those of varieirnmature stage, within reasonable limits tion in the magnitude of other influencing factors besides such as rainfall. water input and percolation'

were respectively 9'6670,23.95Vo and 66'397o of the total N leached. For P, these were 7 '64Va, 22'93V0 and 69"439a and fcr K 11"079o, L8'457a and'V0'48Vo

the fertilizers aPPiied.

Climatic seasons have a strong iufluence on leaching losses as indicated by the significant cor-

respectively for the three seasons. For Mg, these w eie tA.5470, 22.829o and 66'64Vo respec{ivelyJfor the three seasons. In general, the tertiiizer trosses for a season over the total leaching loss expressed as

of the relation"s between rainfall and leaching losses were various nutrients (Table 8)' These correlations

fertilizer were correspondin gly l0'26Vo, 21'21Vo and 68.627o for the dr-v, moderately wet and the very

wet

segsons.

with as good as or even better than those achieved influwaier input or percolation. The magnitude of et masnce of ciimatic seasons on ieaching losses 9 and ture smge of the palm is illustrated in Tcbles /0. Duiing the dry season with rnonthly rainfail

DlsctlssloN
Potential Evapotranspiraiion and lrrigation
Need In Southern Nigeria the potential ET of young paim varied from 2.2 ta 23'0 mrn/day, giving an average of 7.0 mm/day and that for ihe mature palm varied

below 120 mm' the N, P,

and Mg ieached
A

g amounte{i to 2.32,0.30, 6.04 and 4' 15 respectively

or roo"rpondingly 0'23Vo' A'lZVo'

3OVa and 1'58

7o

N' of the appiied nutrients. The treaching losses of

8'97 P. K and Mg increased to 5.34,0'88, 10'72 and

g respecdv;ly or
a.SOE snd 3 .42V0

correspondingly 0'5710' 0'36Vo'

from 3"2 to 30"0 rnm/day, giving an average of 8'9 rnm/day over a 24-month period (Omoti et ci"

of the applied nutrients during the

1987). These values of potential ET are much higher

TABLES.CORRBLATIONANDR'EGRESSIONSTATISTICSoFR'ELATIONSHIPSAM0NGSTRAINFALL,WATER DArA i-o::ry-":.**5'"*T3#^t"ufiHlMoJ*rI{LY cuMULArryE rNpur, IERCoLATIo* TO 1990 AT MATIJRE STAGE OF TIIE PAI'M

itii'iniimiC
rNONA TSSZ

Regression coefficient

Correlation
coefficient
Percolation
FI P

Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall Water Waler Water Water

inPut

0.85**x 0.54*+*
0.6-o:r'.**

-34.72

0.5194 0.0134 0.0025 0.0386 0.0255

-0.39 -0.10
-

K
Mg N
P

0.65***
0.8 0.5

1.68

1***
1+**

-1.0i
-l.9'7 -0.36 -5.78 -3.96 0.86 0.08
1.69 1.30

a.ol72
0.0030 0.0415 0.0324

K
Mg
N
P

input input input

0.63**'.*

0.59'**f 0.74*** 0.47*** 0.75***

0.61**+

0.0197
0.0044

K
Mg

Percolation Percolation Percolation Percolation

0.0592
0.o376

0.?3***

*x* p

0.001

n=108
study'-Pt than those achieved in the present envrrolmenrar due ro the vast difference in

rainfail moderateiy wet season where the monthly mm to 200 mm' However' during was between i2tr 200 the very wet season where rainfall exceeded of N, P, K and Mg further **, tlt" ieaching losses

;;; ;i*".;loo,n.*
laysia.

Nlge'ia and Peninsularjrr

in.r.ut.O

to ta'OS' 2.51, 40'18 and 26'08 g I'0970' respectively or conespondingly L',58V0'

rhe current ,tud;'il;ttttt q1l.:t: l.rffi potentiat ET on an annual Uf1 )'u. lu"" mm/day for young patm and about mt4'E

is.afo;:i#;

\.gg" urrdg.ggqo of the applied nutrients" The sear*J "ff""t on leaching losses wasamore clearly over illustrated as the amount leached in seasotr
,t

" during

N leached ,orut leaching losses' The amounts of wet and very wet seasolls the dry, moderately

il" ot*ent day for mature t",lt"ll?f, riat ET is about 5.5 ro 6.5 mm/daY maturt .pulT;^ and 6.0 ro 7.0 mm/day for uno., u.ry severe drought t9"gi1t-1: reactr s'o mmtdat'v":

o"*.;J;;

;i;;H;;;;;t

Fotential Etapotranspiration, Potential Yield and Leaching Losses of Oil Patrn

TABLE 9. LBACHING :,OSSES UNDER DIFT'ERBNT CLItsIATIC SEASONS

DRY

MODERATETY WET
(g)

Nutrient Losses

K Mg

Nutrient Losses (g)

Monahs

Mg

VBRY WET l{utrient Loses

Months

(g)

Mg
4.50

-Months

1982

0.75 0.54 5.31 3.59

Jan,

Feb,
Jun,

2.41

0.76 4.94 6.57

3.87

Jui,
Nov

Oc.,
August,

2.41 23.91 19.83 ,tpr, Ma$

Dec

Mar,

Augst, Sept

1983

0.-l'l 0.64 i.70 2.29 3.70 4.32

Jan,
Jui

Feb
Jun,

1.53

.bt)

'+.90

Jun,

1.1"7

2.33 15.75 i2.41 ?.82 52.09

May, Nov
Dec

Mar. Apr,

Sept, Oct

1984 0.68 0.31 4.40

May,
Dec

2.33

0.21 12.50 1.42 13.20

0.67

8.00

Mar,

Apr, jul, Jui

13,05

27.7A Jan, Feb,

Sept, Oct Nov

Jul. Augst

1985 3.1? 0.56 15.0C

Jan,

Feb,
Jun,

8.27

10.60

May,

10.41

2.39 31.26 21.85

Mar, Nov

Apr,

Oct. Dec May,

Augst, Sept

1986 i.-59 0.08 0.73 0.89

Jan,

Feb,
Mar,

6.87

4.00

23.60

4.99 32.q3 34.21 Apr, Jun,

Sept, Oct,

Mar, Augsi

Nov,

Dec

1987 0.78 0.18 0.57

0.90

Feb,
Jui

9.16

1.30 i5.18 0.67 3.75

12.05

Jan,

Jun, Mar,

12.64

4.49 r-8.']'7 42.46 Apr, May,

Sept. Ocr Dec

Augst, Nov

i988 0.74 0:05 1,i3 1.78

Jan. uct

May,

4.54

13.35

Feb,

12.13

1.28 26.60 28,28

Augst, Nov

Apr, Jun, Jul, Sept,

Dec

1989

8.23 A.24 l'1.64 10;72

Feb, Jui, Augst, Dec

2.49

0.92

5.56

9.3 8

Jan, Apr

Mar,

1,08

L23

56.54

21.61

May,
Nov

June,

Sept, Oct,

t990 4.23

0.i

7.85

10.15

Feb, Mar Jun, Jul,

Augst

10.43

0.31

24.33

1?.88 Apr, May,

Oct, Nov

10.27

1.20

48.20 40.78

7433

Jan,
Dec

Sept,

Mean
Note: Dry

2.32 0.30

6.04

4.15

5.34

10.72

8.97

14.65

2.57

26.08

Rainfall below 120 mmlmonth

Moderately

Wet : Rainfall between

121 and 200 mmimonth

Very

Wel

: Rainfall above 200 mmlmonth

other extreme, the potential ET for both the immature and mature palms is only about 3.0-3.5 mm/day during the peak monsoonal period.

A review of the irrigation works carried out in this country showed that water requirement of oil palm was based on 4 to 5 mm/day (Corley and Hong, 19811 and Chan et al., 1985). The potential ET obtained in the present study indicated that the
water requirment of young palms is about 6.0 mm/ day and that of mature palms is about 6.5 mm/day during $e drought. Results also indicate that even during the moderately wet pedod, say monthly rainfall between 120 mm and 200 mm, the irrigatioti need should be based orl 5.0 mm/day for immature palms and 5.5 mm/day for mature palms"
'::

moment, it is suggested thar some of the simpie regression equations (Tabie 4) deveioped in the present study may be used for reasons of good correlation between potential ET and the climatic parameters and the simplicity of these parameters such as bright sunshine and maximum temperature. However, rnore effort is needed in improving the estimation of potential ET for irrigation purpose.

This demands a greater understanding of the atmospheric condition, soil characteristics and aiso the
physiology

of

the paim.

Potential Yield of Oil Palm

The highest yields achieved in Peninsular Malaysia by the various plantation agencies ranged tiom 35.6 to 41.2 tonnes FFB/ha/year and 7.6 to 8.9 tonnes oil/halyear (Lee and Toh, 1990; and Yong arld Chan, i990). In North Sumatra the highest yield
IlJ

i:,:'

As there is a lack of reliable methods in computing the irrigation need of oil !-alm at the

f,:'

'#1

*+:t: S:1.

ffi=

1991 PORIM

lntt. Palm Oit Conf'

Agriculture

T.A'BLEI0.LEACHINGLossESASPERCENToFF.ERTILIZERSAPPLIEDI]NDERDIFFERENTCLIM-ATICSBASONS VERY WET

Year

NPKMg

DRY i{utrienl Losses {70)

F

monnnersl,v

wEI--.-(9o)

Nutrient Loses
ertilizers
0.31 0.13 0.28 0.12 0.09 0.07 0.09 N 0.33 0.16 0.25 0.98 0.73
1.01

Nutrient Losses {7o}

N 0.61 0.43

Mg

Fertilizers
0 50

PKMgF

1982 0.I0 0.28 0.30 t:8 1983 1984 1985 1986

\gB'7
0.08 0.23 0.0? 0.04 0.11
0 51
1 04

0.39 0.28 3.24 0,59 0.20 1.04

r.23 i.33

9"79

1./J 0.87

c.29
0

0.82 0.6? 3.33 1.00 3.08 i.'77 0.85 2.21 1.91 0.54
1.85
1.41 3.51 1.07

026

0.37 0.20 0.89 0.1? 0.04 0.03 0.09 0.08 0.03 0.08 0.02 0.05 0.?8
0'1

1'21 0.37 0 37
C

0.0r 0.i4 l.l4 0.50 0.18 1.97

0.30 0.31 i.65 0.55 0.68 4.96 0.28 0.35 5.49 0.44 8.22 3.86

,)04

?l
05 1.24 2.52

6. I 3

)ne
2.63 4,65
1.14

0.51

14.08 \7.4'7 11.64

1.C4

1988
1939 1990
Mean
As 7o of
toral leachtng

?3

0.48 0.24 0.99 0.5?

0.?0 0.46
1 20

t.!o 1.06 0.98

1.58

1 0.71 4 41
0

0.92

0.59 7.2i 0.57 i.94 1.09

\\.36
8.36 9.99

)4)
2.00 a tA

0.40 0.05 0.23 0.12

32 30

18

0.i5 0.9s 5.30

0.36 0.50 3,42

1'i8

0.35

0.12

1.91

i"r-"-

"

s.uo 7.64 ll.0?

i0,54

10

26

23

95 22'93 18 45 27.82 zl.t;..

9

66.39

69

43

'70'48 66'64

as rainfall regirres in Table Notel Dry, Moderately Wet and Very Wet

and 8'7 achie'/ed was 34.? tonnes FFB/haiyear (Nouy et' al' 1990)' However' lonn"u oil/ha/year

and was usually such high yieids were not sustained The present study shows limited to one or two years' ittri mit high yield iivel is achievable in the third given adeoi foorttt yJar of harvest, if the palm is

in FFB yield with irrigation only amountedlg^Z'STa. 1979 to n.G, (Corley and Hong, 1981; Chan' 12n mean of Cftun tt c/., 198i), probably giving a .1070-' irrigatton ml 15%. The enormous yield response to moisrure sfres$: West Africa is due to the removal of se-vere uy-lmgating the paim during the long,and

In ;;;" wai; and fertiiize$'44'9 fact' the inigated tonnes FFB/ha in

;;il *

in. ,ttitd year of harvest and also maintained above The high:g,onn"t FFBlra/year for severai years'

this study attained

than that .s:' Orougti whlch is much more intense review -cf f's: Peninsular Malaysia. However, a tn1,f":: il;;;" works carried out here indicated mmld/}Y' 4 fi 5 pufiit *"t* under-irrigated as oniy

FFB/ha/year: est ViefO achieved was 53'9 tonnes was 86'36 kg/palm/ it *'rtigrt"ut oil yield achieved

y"*-"i-fZ.a

tonnes/trdyear and the highest kernei or 3'7 tonnes/halYear ir"ld;". 24.81 kg/paim/yearhigh FFB yield may ifoUt, OS. However, such targ-etted goal not be atlainable commercially' The yield-o,f 40 to 45 shouid be a more realistic peak at 35-40 tonnes tonnes FFBlhalyear and sustaining defne/hu/y.at tbr many years before it finally This may be achiev,tin.u *itt advanced palm age' flat area with adequate irrigation and fer-

d"::t of water was appiied iJu non-tuinl-duy. fo1yaffi Ot""tnr. This should be 6 to 7 mmlby palm and slightly r"r. ?o'" iti*t;i; sufficiency in water supply '"1y b: l*-:.H"";;; ntLltt" vr ruvra vr rrv'e ---'of lack of yieid response to irrigaion' ,. with- a tu" the present 11d.v.in$i ... thai eutn :--.:;-otinn- rh o..*lont of sii ghtly in sufficient irri gatton' yield response to irrigation 11T, tT si' ty"jg

:li:;:Ti$

fi:?,'"'#";"*^ri""

il;;;;
754o

rrnt'

;i;;"t

ifi?:l#;'ilio;il;;;o% ":in rnesocar? kemel Yield'

tirfd

U" perfect' the improveme

^y^X:I:
' i

tiiizers.

*a

N% to

Pattern Ellect ol lrrigation on Yield and Yield Irrigation in West Africa has improved (Desmarest' 1967: FFB yield iy 1207' to 20}qa inflO, 1969 and 1973; and Taffin and Daniei' -i;;6).However,

tn*'1:1 due to,h;'il;;;;;;.nirnlotn The

una uun.it

with The increase in FFB Yield

;i'" ;ff:?hHil ;;;;' Parm',rhis "tr'j;;j the :; il';;;;;""'i"e"

is similar IS SlM
the above to that "r "po"tO'UV

*figitt

(Table

5)'

in Peninsular Maiaysia the increase

114

Potential Evapotranspiration, Potentinl Yield and Leaching Losses of Oil Palm

However, at the immatue stage the contributiolt is greater from bunch weight rather than from bunch number, mainly because of the high sex ratio of the young paim.
The yield patterns for immature and mature palms are shown in Figures and 2. At both these stages, yield pattern of the inigated pahns followed

gated palms

in the case of severe drought. This is

generally regarded as the adverse effect of drought on sex differentiation of the inflorescence.
-ei

The yield pattems for both the irrigatedand non-irrigated palms showed that extreme high yield

is followed by lower yield 8-9 months later. This may be the phenomenon of interbunch competition
(Foong, 1982).

that of the non-irrigated palms except with much higher peal yield and occasionally the peair yield was about two months oiT phase with that of the non-irrigated paims. Chan et al. (1985) also reported this phenomenon.

Leaching l-osses and Feililizer Application

Although the leaching losses obtarned in ihis study were under irrigated conditions, the mag-

nitude
i,rr43(e.i
_

of

actual leaching trosses under natural

lrr

Nlf lrliqileli

f
l

I
i: r.rl i .r r --r1lrtt r:i t. : -L ----i , 5 ; I '1 l? . r 15

l---

ij
.

!t i

al
'i---

"l: t

--=:t-!+-11; |ti'i1 Li ;.t 2i Zt')i

I'irrie PerFIr
I MorrilliYJ

'

r'

--l ..ll!

:t:..

.l t .,

1'J

l5 'j; :i il i I

!::a I l --15 t''

rainfed conditions may be sirnilar or slightly lower, as inigation was not_ oyer done to induce excessive percolation and consequent leaching losses. On the basis of this assumption, it can be said that at the immature stage of ihe palm the leaching losses of 8.17o N, 2.6V0 P, 5.3Va K and 28.3Va Mg may be close to those actually occurring in a flat oil palm field with Munchong series. a clay loam soil. Similarly, the ieaching losses may amount to 2.49o N, 1.6?o P,2.79o K and 13.0V0 Mg at mature stage of the palm. The present study indicated that about

Figure 1. Monthly FFB -vields of innmture irrigated and non'rrrigated palnx from )979 - 1982.

t:

---.
l. ;r j.ie,l
r

ru1! -

ii

,:Fo ,:lr.re.

I.i'

'h {.nt -:

t ' ,il

.L

I I

r. , tr . tto! ' "t

I l:

I r i. tt li :! - I
ta'

i,inro.inu".ir,i-uuri1.''.ot-urit-ltr-r-i-u -uur'--'
i ! j
-1

ti

!'r ltrl ;l - -: I , 'i r

:. "t

...

K and 10.07o Mg apliied verywet season, especially were leached during the during the peak monsoonal period from November to December. These amounts are equivalent to 66.4Vo N,69.4% P,70.5Vo K and 66.67o Mg of the total leaching loss of the respective nutrients. iln view of such high leaching losses during the very wet season and probably also the large losses through surface runoff, application cf fertilizers should be avoided during this period. The excessiveiy high leaching loss of Mg deserves greater attention in further studies. Besides reducing leaching loss of Mg by avoiding Mg application during the wet season further work is needed in improving Mg uptake through lesser K-Mg antagonism in the soil and through slow release of this nutrient in the
1.67o

N, l.IVo P,

1.9V0

1l !) L', li jl ,,' rl i5 lr ',? ji Li ;a ri i1 i-l :il :1i 1. ,rrE iji, u.i i iieriilr,

i1

fertilizer.

Figure 2. Monthly FFB yields of.marure irrigated and non-trrt'

gated palms

CONCLUSION
Although Peninsular Malaysia has a humid tropical climate with relatively high annual rainfall' the distribution is rather ulleven with frequent drought of two to three months and a peak monsoonal period of about two'honths in most parts of the country' Oil palm production is strongly influenced by this climatic pattern, especially the severe drought that

from

1983

1990.

Yield pattems for both the irigated and non-irrigated palms at both the maturity stages tend to indicate that lower yield wiil occur at 9 to 1l months after the onset of the drought' This may be
due

inflorescence abortion as reported by Broekmans (1957). Several occasions of insufficient irrigation during the drought have resulted itt lower yield 24-26 months iater. The same phellomenoll
was also observed

to

will result in

inflorescence abortion

and

unfavourable sex differentiation' Irrigation for oil palm is deemed feasibie tbr some of the areas

in the yield pattern of non-irri115

lggi PORIM !ntl' Palm OiL Conf'

Agriculture

avaiiable' The evaluated indip"t"*ti t""p"transpiration during the droughtperiod during this. cates that the water requirement 6'0 to it is i" f.s mm/day for immature palm andon the palm' depending mm/day for mature where water resource

is

CHAN.

K W; YEE, C B; LIM, K C ANd Hafiffael" G (1985). Effect of rainfall and

14th 1985, Kuala LumPur'

7.0

Taper preinigation on oil paim yield production' on Sail-Climate Reurn"oa at Nationil Conference lationship on Crop Froduction in Malavsia' May CORLEY,R HV {19?6)' Inflorescence uJ t"n differentiation' Oit Palm Res (Ed) R'H'V' i".l"V, l.:. Hardon, B'J' Wood' pp' 3?-5a'
Amsterdarn Eisevier' abortion

t"**only assumed seuerity of the drought' Th* -fr irrigation is iar from ad1 mm/aay ior i"0".

track of yield.reeouate and this may explain the prevrous ilnof ,pont" to irrigation in some

the

gation Prcjects'

is very higtt' The potential yield of oii palm

,upuUf"oirtaching 5i'9

tonnes FFBlha/year or

l2'8

i"in", *"tor^.p

oii/ltuiyear and 3'? tonnes kerneil unlikely ievels .are ffi;;. Ho*euer. these yieid peak yieid at com;'be sustained' The reaiistic be abolt 40 to 45 merciat scale of planting should ftie sustainabie yieid level is

potential of planCCRLEY, R- H V {1935)' Yieid Systation crops. tn Potassium in the Agricuiturai

i.* "f rhe l{umid Tropics' ?roc' of the l9th Colloquittrt oi the International Potash Institute
held in Bangkoffihailand' 6X-80" CORLEY. R H V and HONG' T g"*" oil palms in Malaysia'

tonnes FFB/ha/year' iit.fy ,o be in tire range of 35 to 40. tonnes-FFB/ha/ deciines with yeai for many years ilefore it tinally advanced Palm age'

K (1981)' IrriIn Oil Paln.t irt "t in the Eishties' Vot' {t lltlpT-"]1n :' ., T[rirut,rrc ^ Ct"* Poh Soon (Eds)' pp' 343-356' lncorpo- ':'
^iO Society of Planters Kuaia.Lumpur' rated DESMAREST,

In general, about 2'34Ia N' 1'67o ?'2'"77oK a flat annually .in and i5.07o Mg may be leached nutnents are ** "f mature palms' Most of the especially durf"urft"O during the very wet season' November and lng the peak monsoonal months of lertiiiTer application December. It is suggested that period' .ln vlew or stroutO be avoided during this be leaching ot:Mg' more ^work should tt" of this efficiency "*".riu" carried out to impro'i ttt" uptake
nuffient'

;;;; pal,,'ari; inoustneue 44'7.

{1967)' essai

d' irrigation sur

"1,,

oteagineu-x 22' 44r'

of soil and':. ERH. K T i1979). Leaching behaviour proc' Symp' Water, n Ma;': miscible dispiacement' tgrg' 195-2a2; ,:, lawiatt Agriculture, Kuala Lumiui
weather;bas:f:i FOONG, S F (1982)' An improved oii puft fruit yield' .1,",0!.';, ., nrodel for estirnating --- f llluucr rwr wrrrrrrs!'rro il. I,;::

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Pqlm

Theauthorwishestothankthegeneralmanagerof for perfgf-Oe. Agricultural Services Corporationextended Thanks are mission to publish this paper' Robertson for helping to initiate io-frt C*tge W' "und in one also to all those who helped ,tti, pto:"tt way or auother'
REFERENCES BOLTON, (1968)' Leaching of fertilizers.applied J Rubb' Res' Ittst' Malaya' lo-u t-utorot in lysimeter' '
20.2'14-284.

the in Agriculture in p's' Eightres' ^v^t Edt ry^',1t::',,t1 E' and cirew Pushparajah, ' Kuala LumPur r\uas g*^'
lncorporated society ot Planters' 'f

-::;

15 FooNG, s F: SYED soFI' s *i**?ji,tff (1983). A lysimetric 'ltutut'on i;;;,;"' oii"pai* riero' seminar on lelltttzerx g' ootc h 2 8' l9B4 ay s i an,t g, i c ut tu;i,s"iol"
i

o flof; "

n M al

oll:"t-1915'pl IRHO (1969 and 1973)' Rapport i{t'z' tst z' ee 61t a'.q.til;iti"T'
57, and Rapport

LEE. C H and TOH' P Y oI uotoelr rruPt oPRS ;f G;ld"" Hope vr "" DxP

(1990)' Yreid

Pote

BROEKMANS, A F M Nigeria ;;;; vietd of oil paim in trrsl Oil ialn Res' 2:187-220'

(195?)' Growth and flowl'W' Asri'

' in, )il print in Yield Poter',;;;i l, *i,'iiro,io,,ot t990'

workshop' 29-30

planting,*utfllt:

oct'

Thailand.

CHAN,

it"t"ttl"-t"

itt K W (1979)' Irrigation of oil palm Agric

Pro'c' Syntp'Water in, M-alaysia

Kuala Lumpur' ,"u-.-ii- t"tttparajah)' pp' 103-116' tvtalavsia Society of Soil Science'
116

iiTf;$'i,$?J,?l;'"'1x"#ffi"r:;"fr vr vrq'vtsq"-r- Svtnp. Water In-tilu'qtAgrtcnltute'

suiar Malaysia' Proc' -' '.^an ao-l()t. ' ': ot 'Kuala LumptJt lY tv'

Potential E,-opon'anspiration, Potential Yield and Leaching Losses of Oil Palm

MAENE. L M: THONG, K C; ONG. T S and MOKHTARUDDIN, A M (i979). Surface wash urlder mature oil paim. Froc. Synp. Water in Malaysian Agricnlture. Kuala Lumpur 1979, 203-216.

nitrogen. potassium and magnesium on Peninsular Malaysian Soii. Ploc. Conf. on Chernistry and

Fertility of Tropical Soils, 1,2I-I29.

SCAtuF,

{.1976}. Evaporation in

Peninsg$ar

MMS t19B[). Climatological summades cn Rainfail Anaiyses l95l-1980" tolalaysian Meteorologicai

Service, 1981, 190 pg.

Malaysia. Drainage and Irrigaiion Division, Malay-

sia, Water Resout'ces Pub. No.

5, 16 pp.

B; KUSNADI, T T; AKIYAT; SAMARITAAN, G {1990). Yield of Deli X La Me Crosses in North Sumatra. heprint in Yield Potential ln The Oil Falrn International Workshop" 29-30th Oct. 1990" Phuket, Thailand.
NCUY,
NG, S K and THONG. K C i1985). Nulrient Requirements tbr exploiting yield potentials of major piantation tree crops in the Tropics. trn : Potassium in the Agricuiturai System of lhe Humid Tropics. Proc" of the 19th Colloqium of the International Potash Institute held in Bangkokflhailand,
81-95.

SIVANADYAN, K i1974)" Lysimeter studies on the efficiency of some potassium and nitrogeneous fertilisers on two common soils in West Maiaysia. Prac. Second Asdl,i/ Soii Conf., Djakarta, 19i2.
SCONG"
fertilisers on growth of rubber and leaching losses of nutrients. J. Rubb. ftes. fnst. Malaysia 23,356-3&.

N K {i973). Effect of

nitrogeneous

TAf-FIN, G de and DANIEL,

resultats d'un essai

d'inigation lente
3

C iL9l6). Premins
sas palmier

a'huile. Akaginettx

{10).41.3-419.

TURNER.. P D (1976). The effect of drought on oil palm fieids in South-east Asia and the South Pacific

CIMOTI, U; ISENMILA.

and ATAGA, D O

Studies of the water-baiance in oil paim plantations on an acid soil in Southern Nigeria 1987

(i987).

Palm. eds. Earp, D.A and Newell.

region. Proc. Intertntional Development h ail W " 573-694.

and CF{AN, K W (1990). Yield of Guthrie D x P platting.materiai on inland soii in Malaysia. Preprint inYield Potentiql In The Oil Palm International Workshop, 29-30th Oct. 1990. Phuket. Thaiiand.

Intentational

Oil

PalmlPalm

Oil

Conferences,

YONG,

YY

Frogress and Prospecls, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

performance

PUSFIPARAJAH.
RATNASINGAM,

E; NG. S K

and

(1977). Leaching losses of

l la L\!

.:--*!:

lggl PORIM Intl' Pain Oil

Conf::!s""t'*"
APPENDIX CONTENT OF-FERTILIZERS APPLIED TYPES, RATES AND NUTRIDN? PALMs To TIIE lnnr"aisp AND NoN'IRRIGATED
1

Fertiiizer {g}
Date

Nutrints in F{tiiizer {g)

Mg 40.0 40.0 40.0 78.0

of
2.3;16
1.6;76 1.9.16
1.1 1.76

Appiication

CCM SSNiiro'26 Urea

400 400 400

KIE AJS CIRP JRP MRP TSP MOP

Total ar a 1i
3A.6.7'7

i200 -

300 300 300 300 300 900 680

300 300 300 300 300 s00 450 386

836

430 430 430 430 430 i290

.13

22.1 49.8 6.0 22.1 49,8 6.0 22.7 49.8 6.0 214.1 i 1.8 47 .t
115.2 363.5
29.8
-15.3

i3

i98.0
78.0 78.0 78.0 234.0

225 225 225

675

31.10.1'l

46.5 2\4.1 15.5 2r4.t 46.5 214.1 139.5 642.3

35.3
35.3 105.9
1

Total
1.6.78

4.10.?8

Totai t'l.6.79
1.6.19

680

384 384 390 390

450

450 450 900

910 225 176.8 89.1 453.2 ?q -910 223 l'76.6 '76.4 453.2 35.3 1820 450 353.4 i65.5 9A6.4 io.6 300 tig.4 64.3 453.2 4't't 910 300 r7g.4 64.8 453.2 . 47 'l s10 225 . 1'76.8 69.3 453.2 35'3' 910
2130

29.9.79

Total
11.2.80 18.6.80 2.11.80

680 680

?80
387

450
700

825 535.6

1gg-4 1359'6 t293

396 452

i15
840 ?315
I 180

1000 ?00 i78.0 108'5 498'0 1099i ': 1150 ?50 182.2 120.1 572|l ltT'F,'': 647.4 t2l'7.' 1300 1'15 20'1.9 t3O.2 1718.1 349'4,:'
3450 2225
568.1

,::.

353.8

Total 26.2.8r
26.8.81

t235

640
111

636
I 816

Total
20.1.82 4.9.82

1362 2000
1500

5',12 7A4 249'1 1815

rg25 l1l2

294'4 332-r
626.5

182.9 958.7 I

98.6 284.9 | 281.5 1243.6 2

1

Total
8.4.83

35m
2600 2000

650 600 1250

2000 750 420'0 102.i9 996.0 81: 796.8 1600 500 315.0 g4.2 t"192.8 t96.3 735.0 3600 1250
2500 1000 ,<46.0 fi'1.0 t245.4' ' 996'0 2000 800 420'0 r25.6 - 249'0 500 500 2300 966.0 tc', a 2490.O
5000

i000
800

7.9.83 21.9.83
I
1.

I 1.83

Total
l'7.3.84 8.10.84

4600

180;
1000

19m i640
3540

Total

800 1800

i095'6 22W 1200 494'0 i57.0 591'6 125.6 426'4 i200 1000 16932' 3400 22Cf 920'4 282.6

AS - Ammonium SulPhate
JRP

TSP

- Jordanian Rock PhosPhate - TriPle SuPerPhosPhate

KIE - Kieserite -Cinp

- ctttitt*as Island R'ock Phosphate - Moroccan Rock PhosP*rate MRP MOP - Muriate of Potash

i18

Potential Evapotranspiration, Potential Yield and Leaching Losses of Oit Palm

Appendix 1: (Con'td) Fertilizer (g)

Date

Nutrients in Fertilizer (g)

TSP

Of
CCM SSNitro-26 Urea
2200
1040

Application
23.3.85 23.9.85

ils _ _ -

CIRP
1000

JRP

MRP

MOP

KIE

K
1

Mg

Total
24.3.86 3.7.86
17. I 1.86

3240
1440 1080 1080 3600

800 1800 560 420 420

2200 1200 572.0 157.0 1095.6 1200 1000 270.4 125.6 597.6 t62.O 3400 2200 842.4 ?82.6 1693.2 356.2
1800 1350 1350 4500
1800
r

600 450 450

1500

374.4 87.9 896.4 280.8 65.9 672.3 280.8 65.9 672.3

936"0 219.7 224r.0

97.2 7?.9 72.9

Total
22.4.87 28.8.87

i400

243.O

17.tt.87
Total
5.3.88 20.6.88 25.10.88 Total 4.4.89 4.7.89 26.10.89

t720 600 1290 450 1290 450 4300 1500 1350 1800 1350
1500

350

1350

600 36r,2 94.2 896.4 97.2 450 27A.9 10.7 672.3 72.9 450 270.9 '7A.7 672.3 '12.9
1500 903.0 235.6 2241.0
243.0

4500

4500
2000
1500

450 600 450 1500 450 600 450

1500

1500 450 283.5 70.7 '147.0 '12.9 2000 600 378.0 94.2 996.0 91.2 1500 4so 283.5 70.7 '147.O 72.9 5000 1500 945.0 235.6 2490.0 243.0
1500

2000
1500
-5fx)O

450 315.0 63.0 "t4"t.O 72.9 600 420.0 84.0 996.0 97.2 450 315.0 63.0 747.O 72.9
1500 1050.0 210.0 2490.0 243.0

Total
6.4.90 22.6"90

5000
1500

2000
1500

i9.9.90 Totai

5000

450 600 450 1500

1500 450 315.0 63.0 '.747.O 72-9 2000 600 424.0 84.0 966.0 97.2 1500 450 315.0 63.0 147 .O 72.9 5000 1500 1050.0 2Io.o 2490.0 243.0

i19