A review of 15 years of oil palm irrigation research in in Southern Thailand

Transcription

1 A review of 15 years of oil palm irrigation research in in Southern Thailand by Palat Tittinutchanon 1, Chayawat Nakharin 1, Clendon J H 1 and Corley R H V 2 1- Univanich Palm Oil Public Co. Ltd., 258 Aoluk-Laemsak Road, P.O. Box 8-9, Aoluk, Krabi 81110, Thailand 2- Highlands, New Road, Great Barford, Bedford MK44 3LQ, England

2 Planted area of oil palms in Thailand , , , , , , , , ,000 50,000 Thailand s Oil Palm planted area (Hectares) First factory at Univanich First plantings at Univanich 483,000 hectares 45,000 growers 0 483,200 hectares

3 Fruit Processed by by Univanich Thousand tonnes Estate Fruit Purchased Fruit

4 Recent oil o palm plantings are spreading North as far as 15 0 from the Equator Univanich Palm Oil Krabi Province Equator

5 Univanich Soil Soil Water Deficit (mm) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total

6 Thousand tonnes 140 Thailand s s Monthly CPO Production Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual CPO Production (tonnes) , , ,167, ,050,500

7 Univanich Irrigation Trials Trial Period Objectives DIR 90 (Phase I) To compare 150 litres/palm.day (Dripper Irrigation) 300 litres/palm.day with normal and double fertiliser MIR To compare 4 methods (Methods of Irrigation) - Drippers - Sprinklers - Microsprayers - Contour furrows DIR 90 (Phase II) To compare 225 litres/palm.day (Dripper Irrigation) 450 litres/palm.day with normal and double fertiliser by fertigation

8 Methods of Irrigation Trial

9 Dripper Sprinkler Micro Sprayer

10 Computerised control system

11 9 drips per palm

12 1 sprinkler 2 palms

13 2 micros per palm

14 Furrow irrigation

15 Methods of Irrigation Table 1 Yield with different irrigation methods Mean (tons fresh fruit bunches/ha.yr) for 4 years, Method Rate of irrigation (litres/palm.day) Unirrigated control Drip Sprinkler Microsprayer Contour furrow Standard error 1.7 Mean, all methods

16 Table 2 Yield with different levels of drip irrigation, trial DIR90 tonnes FFB/ha.yr Irrigation (l/palm.day) Normal Fertiliser Double Fertiliser Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 0 (external control)

17 4 drips per palm

18 Figure 2 Yield responses to irrigation, with and without extra fertilizer, in phase 2 of DIR90 ( ) 30 Yield (t FFB/ha.yr) Irrigation (l/palm.day) low fertiliser high fertiliser

19 Figure 3 Comparison of responses in three drip irrigation trials 30 The line is a regression through all data points shown. For DIR90, the unirrigated data are from the external control plots, and the irrigated data are from the plots receiving double the normal rate of fertiliser. Yield (tons FFB/ha.yr) MIR93 DIR90 ph 1 DIR90 ph 2 fitted line Irrigation (litres/palm.day)

20 Some practical aspects of irrigation

21 Some practical aspects of irrigation digging trenches for dripper lines close to the palm causes root damage and depresses yield up to 2 years after installation mature palms can obtain water from as far as 36 m away so it is not necessary to irrigate very close to the palm irrigation of seedlings from time of planting can be done with moveable dripper line coiled around the palm

22 Drip line every second row

23 Moving coil system

24 Moving coil system

25 Irrigated progeny trials

26 Irrigated progeny trials

27 Conclusions : the drip system is the best for irrigating oil palms fertilizer inputs should be increased to obtain maximum response to higher rates of irrigation with adequate fertilizer the yield response to irrigation was more or less linear, up to 450 litres/palm.day that response in Univanich Thailand was up to 10 t FFB/ha.year

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