SOP for Oil Palm Yield Improvement Terry Goh

SOP for Oil Palm Yield Improvement Terry Goh 1

Introduction Palm oil, a well-balanced healthy edible oil is now an important energy source for mankind. Today it is widely acknowledged as a versatile and nutritious vegetable oil, trans fat free with a rich content of vitamins and antioxidants. The commercially grown oil palm planted in large plantations in Malaysia, Indonesia and other tropical countries, is the highest oil bearing crop in the world. It has an economic life of 20 to 25 years with an average annual oil yield of 3. 5 -5 tons per hectare. A palm bears 8 -12 fruit bunches annually, each weighing 15 -25 kg and containing 1000 -3000 fruits. The oil palm fruit is unique in producing two oils. Palm oil is obtained from the fleshy mesocarp and palm kernel oil from the seed, usually in a ratio of ten to one. Crude palm oil which is orange red in color is refined, bleached and deodorized to produce the universally known bright golden oil. Palm oil is a natural semi-solid oil. It is fractionated into a liquid olein and solid stearin to increase its versatility in food applications. Olein is mostly used as a cooking and frying oil. products. It is also an important raw material for the oleochemical industry.

Problems with the maintenance oil palm trees. • Soil p. H too low. Proper balance is p. H 6. 5. • Lack of micro nutrients will cause (i) the plant to stop bearing fruit. This is known as male cycle. If untreated the plant will not bear fruit; (ii) Ganoderma. • Due to lack of micro nutrients the overall yield will be low. • The OER will not improve.

Key Challenges for oil palm grower • To maintain a good soil p. H. Corrected by constantly checking and applying barn ash or molasses. p. H requirements for oil palm is 5. 5 to 6. 5. • Molasses application on the soil is the best and with cost. • Providing sufficient water for nutrient absorption. The plant cannot absorb nutrients when there is lack of water. • Ensuring sufficient micro nutrients application.

Symptom of lack of micro nutrients. This is Ganoderma fungus attack.

Problems wi oil palm. Male cycle. Plant bears only male flower. No fruit.

Leaves show a symptom of lack of nutrien and Insect / pests attack.

Matured plant becomes male cycle due to lack of micro nutrients.

Infertile soil. Leaves turn yellow and dry. Again lack of micro-nutrients.

Replanting on the same soil from previous similar crops when no compost applied means a poor harvest.

One of the primary elements in poor or depleting harvest is the lack of food, compost and micro-nutrients in the soil. 11

Rotten fruit due to fungus. Fruits are smelly basically unusable.

Reversing the process, healing the soil. Recommended method: (i) apply organic compost mixed with micro-nutrients; (ii) water with liquid mix including micro-nutrients. It is strongly recommended to apply a mixture of compost and micro nutrients application for the first and 2 nd time.

A constant supply of water is important for nutrients absorption. One way is to dig a hole to accumulate rain water.

Standby water collection. Use it when soil become dry.

Change: after 3 - 4 months of micro nutrients application Male cycle turns to bear fruit.

More male cycle start to bear fruit.

This oil palm tree had not been bearing fruit for the past 7 years. It began bearing fruit after applications of micro nutrients.

Oil palm tree become healthier using micronutrients and start to bear good yields at the early age. This is one just 3 years old.

Sufficient and regular use of ‘TIKTOPlus’ micro-nutrients will ensure good harvests throughout the life of oil palm tree.

After applying “TIKTOPlus’ micro-nutrients the size of individual fruit grows bigger Usually from 3 cm to 5 cm with improved 0 il (OER) quality. OER increase to 43% has been known.

Another example of fruit size growing bigger after micro nutrients application.

Success story • One of our customers, at Gemenceh, N. S. in using our compost formula advised that her oil palm yield reached 34 MT for 30 acres; her past record yield was 22 MT for 30 acres. • Her method: for first time application applied 4 kg per plant to last for 4 months. • 2 nd application - 3 kg to last for 3 months. • Below is the picture of her and her worker covering the compost. • Many of the pictures in this presentation are taken from her plantation.

Conclusion: • Based on customers experiences our micro nutrients are able to maintain a good yield of between 1. 1 to 1. 2 MT/acre/month. • The yield will gradually increase from the 3 rd month onward. • The first thing the plantation owner needs to correct is the soil p. H if the soil p. H is below 5. 5 level. • For compost you can commence with barn ash, followed with a molasses mixture then apply the compost mixture with added micro nutrients. Or we can supply you. • Compost formula is preferable because it provides slow release for the nutrients to the plant root. • One noticeable result is the male cycle tree begins to bear fruit after 3 rd and 4 th month of application when there is sufficient of water. • Our micro nutrients can help the oil palm tree heal from the rotten fruit problem on the tree. It takes about 3 months. Within one month the oil palm leaves will turn dark green. All holes begin to go away - a healthy sign for the oil palm tree. • Using our Micro Nutrients will cure Ganoderma.

International Distributer: Borneo Serimas Sdn Bhd PO Box 12370, 88826 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia Contact: Nigel A Boatman – nabtikto@outlook. com ‘TIKTOPlus’ – is a 100% natural blend -produced by: Soil Maximizer Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia In association with TITKOearth Ltd (St. Albans, UK) 25