12 research outputs found
Differential potassium uptake and utilization efficiency of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) commercial cultivars
No full textConventional approaches of using higher fertilizer inputs to sustain profitable yields in oil palm plantations can be uneconomical and produce inconsistent results. In addition, the biological potential of attaining much higher oil yield is often limited by marginal environments. Nutrient efficient genotypes could potentially lead to higher productivity when grown on marginal land and eventually improve the sustainable use of resources and production of palm oil. Studies on interaction effects between planting material and nutrient inputs show differential uptake and utilization efficiency between the commercially available oil palm planting materials. The differences in leaf nutrient contents between genotypes and yield response to K fertilizer inputs demonstrated the presence of more efficient uptake characteristics. If such potassium efficient cultivars could be widely adopted, the industry would not only be capable of saving resources but also to increase productivity as well. Potassium use in palm oil production ranges from approximately 13 to 21 kg of palm oil per kg of potassium with varying degree of efficiency depending on planting varieties. The potassium use efficiency could potentially increase by 50 % in the most potassium efficient cultivar. The objectives of this study were (1.) to evaluate the growth response of selected oil palm crosses under K deficient environment and (2.) to estimate potassium use efficiency of different oil palm genotypes as part of the effort to elucidate the physiological mechanism potassiumefficient oil palms. Phenotypic responses of 5 oil palm genotypes with genetic origin from Deli and Nigerian Dura interbred with AVROS, Nigerian and Yangambi Pisiferas grown under deficient and adequate potassium supplies were evaluated. Potassiumefficient genotypes were differentiated in this experiment, where the potassium-efficient genotypes produced higher biomass (by 37.3 %) and had higher potassium uptake activity (by 41.7 %). The efficient genotypes were capable of extracting higher amount of soil potassium (by 95 %) under deficient potassium supplies. The K-efficient genotype was capable of sustain growth and to adapt to potassium-deficient environments. Alterations in rooting behaviour (increasing fine root proliferation) and maintenance of shoot growth (frond production rate) are the primary physical traits of adaptation to potassium-deficient environment. The ability to remobilize the limiting nutrients from sink tissues to source tissues i.e. from the bole and rachis to the pinnae (the photosynthetically active tissues) and roots (to search for more nutrients allows the plant to further acquire more resources to ensure continuous growth) is also a key trait. Comparative analysis of transcriptomic differences between the efficient and in-efficient genotypes showed significant upregulation of potassium transporters (KUP3, KUP8 and KUP11) in the roots of the K-efficient genotype and genes which confer tolerance to stress, minimizes cellular damage, stress regulation and potassium homeostasis. Traits for potassium efficiency are conferred by the interaction of multiple complex mechanisms, governed by pool of genes controlling the physiological processes of stress regulation, cellular development and metabolite homeostasis. Stress detection and regulating cellular processes to mitigate the effect of stress could be the key in first tolerating and reducing damages to cellular and consequently enhancing the genotype’s ability to adapt, absorb and utilize nutrients more effectively
Climate variability and water stress effects on oil palm (Elaies guineensis Jacq.) productivity in Malaysia
No full textOil palm is a key pillar of Malaysia’s socio-economic development, contributing to the nation’s economic stability, and is also a major driver of the global oil industry. However, climate variability has progressively reduced the productivity of oil palm (OP) by subjecting it to water stress through inadequate and irregular rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and elevated temperatures. This article reviews past literature and provides useful insights into the effects of climate elements and the physiological and agronomic effects of water stress on OP. Water stress impairs the physiological and metabolic functions of OP, particularly stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, proline synthesis, sex differentiation, and water use efficiency. These combined effects diminish the biomass and yield of OP. This review also highlights the temporal variability of climate and identifies the role of various soil properties related to water stress. It presents climate projections threatening OP sustainability and presents possible solutions. Additionally, the specific fraction of plantavailable water necessary for triggering water stress remains under-researched. The relationship between various physiological and genetic mechanisms that control stomatal response during water stress is unclear. The efficiencies of various irrigation approaches and water conservation measures must also be re-evaluated based on climate predictions
Assessment of plant height and trunk diameter of oil palm as a sole function of soil textural grains (sand, silt and clay)
No full textPlant height is a key indicator of healthy growth. Given the role of soil texture in productivity, the effects of sand, silt, and clay on the height and diameter of oil palm (OP) were investigated. In the four OP plantations, measurements of total and trunk heights and trunk diameters were taken fromtwo OP clusters: tall and short. A Pro II Laser Rangefinder (ML921) was used to measure heights. Soil samples were subjected to particle distribution analysis using the pipette method. The data were processed using RStudio software. The t-test confirmed a significant difference in the heights between the clusters in all plantations, implying the accuracy of clustering. For total height, the tall cluster was greater than the short by 24.75%, 23.89%, 27.17%, and 27.51% in OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4, respectively. Regression analysis established that soil texture accounted for 65.3%, 46.8%, 74.4%, and 69.6% of the total OP height in the fields, respectively. Sand showed a strong to moderate positive correlation with total and trunk heights, and a moderate negative correlation with trunk diameter. The clay correlated inconsistently with trunk diameter, while silt in the 0–30 cm layer showed a strong to moderate negative correlation with height. In conclusion, soil texture profoundly influences oil palm height, with sand grains exerting the greatest positive effect. Typical clay soil should be avoided during oil palm site selection, and the fields should be well-leveled to avoid erosion, which results in continuous clay deposition on the bottom slope
Assessment of plant height and trunk diameter of oil palm as a sole function of soil textural grains (sand, clay, and silt)
No full textPlant height is a key indicator of healthy growth. Given the role of soil texture in productivity, the effects of sand, silt, and clay on the height and diameter of oil palm (OP) were investigated. In the four OP plantations, measurements of total and trunk heights and trunk diameters were taken from two OP clusters: tall and short. A Pro II Laser Rangefinder (ML921) was used to measure heights. Soil samples were subjected to particle distribution analysis using the pipette method. The data were processed using RStudio software. The t-test confirmed a significant difference in the heights between the clusters in all plantations, implying the accuracy of clustering. For total height, the tall cluster was greater than the short by 24.75%, 23.89%, 27.17%, and 27.51% in OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4, respectively. Regression analysis established that soil texture accounted for 65.3%, 46.8%, 74.4%, and 69.6% of the total OP height in the fields, respectively. Sand showed a strong to moderate positive correlation with total and trunk heights, and a moderate negative correlation with trunk diameter. The clay correlated inconsistently with trunk diameter, while silt in the 0–30 cm layer showed a strong to moderate negative correlation with height. In conclusion, soil texture profoundly influences oil palm height, with sand grains exerting the greatest positive effect. Typical clay soil should be avoided during oil palm site selection, and the fields should be well-leveled to avoid erosion, which results in continuous clay deposition on the bottom slope
The older, the better: a comprehensive survey of soil organic carbon under commercial oil palm plantations
No full text<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Soil conditions of croplands are a frequent topic of scientific research. In contrast, less is known about large-scale commercial plantations of perennial crops such as oil palm. Oil palm is a globally important tropical commodity crop which contributes to both food and energy security due to its exceptional productivity. However, oil palm crops are associated with short lifecycles and high nutrient demands, which may disproportionately affect soil health. With the goal of exploring baseline soil properties in commercial oil palm plantations, we evaluated data from two large-scale soil surveys carried out in 2014/2015 and 2018/2019 across more than 400 fields located throughout Peninsular Malaysia. We examined variation in field-measured soil quality indicators with a focus on soil organic carbon content at three depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–45 cm) and investigated links with spatial covariates, including plantation age. We found SOC contents to be low (1.6–2%) across the sampled locations with limited correlation with spatial predictors employed in soil organic carbon modelling. Furthermore, we found that immature and young mature plantations, which consisted of fields that were re-planted as part of a 20-year-long oil palm rotation, were characterised by significantly lower soil organic carbon content than the mature plantations. This suggests that management practices should target younger oil palm plantations for soil organic conservation measures to increase the overall baseline SOC content, which will subsequently accumulate over the plantation’s lifespan. We further provide recommendations for future soil sampling efforts, which could increase the robustness of collected data and facilitate their use for soil monitoring through modelling approaches involving, for example, digital soil mapping.</jats:p>
The older, the better: a comprehensive survey of soil organic carbon under commercial oil palm plantations
No full textSoil conditions of croplands are a frequent topic of scientific research. In contrast, less is known about large-scale commercial plantations of perennial crops such as oil palm. Oil palm is a globally important tropical commodity crop which contributes to both food and energy security due to its exceptional productivity. However, oil palm crops are associated with short lifecycles and high nutrient demands, which may disproportionately affect soil health. With the goal of exploring baseline soil properties in commercial oil palm plantations, we evaluated data from two large-scale soil surveys carried out in 2014/2015 and 2018/2019 across more than 400 fields located throughout Peninsular Malaysia. We examined variation in field-measured soil quality indicators with a focus on soil organic carbon content at three depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–45 cm) and investigated links with spatial covariates, including plantation age. We found SOC contents to be low (1.6–2%) across the sampled locations with limited correlation with spatial predictors employed in soil organic carbon modelling. Furthermore, we found that immature and young mature plantations, which consisted of fields that were re-planted as part of a 20-year-long oil palm rotation, were characterised by significantly lower soil organic carbon content than the mature plantations. This suggests that management practices should target younger oil palm plantations for soil organic conservation measures to increase the overall baseline SOC content, which will subsequently accumulate over the plantation’s lifespan. We further provide recommendations for future soil sampling efforts, which could increase the robustness of collected data and facilitate their use for soil monitoring through modelling approaches involving, for example, digital soil mapping
The older, the better: a comprehensive survey of soil organic carbon under commercial oil palm plantations
No full textSoil conditions of croplands are a frequent topic of scientific research. In contrast, less is known about large-scale commercial plantations of perennial crops such as oil palm. Oil palm is a globally important tropical commodity crop which contributes to both food and energy security due to its exceptional productivity. However, oil palm crops are associated with short lifecycles and high nutrient demands, which may disproportionately affect soil health. With the goal of exploring baseline soil properties in commercial oil palm plantations, we evaluated data from two large-scale soil surveys carried out in 2014/2015 and 2018/2019 across more than 400 fields located throughout Peninsular Malaysia. We examined variation in field-measured soil quality indicators with a focus on soil organic carbon content at three depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–45 cm) and investigated links with spatial covariates, including plantation age. We found SOC contents to be low (1.6–2%) across the sampled locations with limited correlation with spatial predictors employed in soil organic carbon modelling. Furthermore, we found that immature and young mature plantations, which consisted of fields that were re-planted as part of a 20-year-long oil palm rotation, were characterised by significantly lower soil organic carbon content than the mature plantations. This suggests that management practices should target younger oil palm plantations for soil organic conservation measures to increase the overall baseline SOC content, which will subsequently accumulate over the plantation’s lifespan. We further provide recommendations for future soil sampling efforts, which could increase the robustness of collected data and facilitate their use for soil monitoring through modelling approaches involving, for example, digital soil mapping.Peer Reviewe
Managing perennial Conservation Agriculture systems: orchards, plantations and agroforestry
No full textSeed biopriming with P- and K-solubilizing Enterobacter hormaechei sp. improves the early vegetative growth and the P and K uptake of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seedling
No full textSustainable Agronomic Valorization of Unsulfured Molasses and Defatted Soybean Meal as an Optimized Formulation of Bio-Organic Fertilizer Enriched with High Cell Density P-Solubilizing Bacteria
No full textThe application of plant beneficial bioinoculants such as phosphate solubilizing bacteria is a sustainable approach to expanding crop performance in agriculture. However, bioinoculant strains, particularly non-sporulating bacteria are often exposed to detrimental conditions throughout the production process and a long period of storage. This will negatively influence their viable cell density and eventually limit its efficacy in the field. To overcome such a scenario, an optimal formulation of biofertilizer should be prioritized. In this report, a sustainable valorization of molasses and defatted soybean meal as formulation of biofertilizer enriched with Enterobacter hormaechei 40a was proposed. Through the two-level factorial design and central composite design, the optimal formulation and fermentation conditions of bio-organic fertilizer to achieve maximum cell density of strain 40a were achieved. The highest cell density of strain 40a in the optimized molasses-DSM (OMD) medium was 12.56 log CFU/mL after 24 h which was 99.7% accuracy towards the predicted value. Interestingly, the solubilized P was increased by 62.4% in the OMD medium (174.07 µg/mL P) as compared to the standard P medium (65.38 µg/mL P). The shelf life of strain 40a after 180 days of storage was improved significantly around 10 log CFU/mL, when the OMD medium was amended with 0.1% sodium alginate. The strategy described here offers opportunities for agronomic formulation and large-scale bio-organic fertilizer production in the agriculture industry
