Palm Oil Plant is majorly grown for Palm oil which is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because of a high beta-carotene content.
Varieties
Dura, pisifera and tenera
Ecological requirements
Attitude:500-600m above sea level
Rainfall:1800-3500mm annually
Soils: Prefer sandy loam, young volcanic, alluvial clays, peat soils with good water holding capacity. The crop tolerates acidic soils up to PH of 4.0
Temperature:Ranging from200-350C
Nursery management
Seed germination- Use dry heat method to initiate germination.
Main nursery- Seeds are planted directly into big polybags, 35cm by 45cm
Two-stage nursery- Seeds are first planted in small pre-nursery polybags, 15cm by 21cm. at 2.5-3.5 months old or when the plants attain 3-4 leaves they are moved to the main nursery and transplanted to main nursery polybags.
Transplanting- Seedlings stay in the nursery bed for 12-24 months and planted in the field when they have 18-24 leaves and are planted at a spacing of 7m by 8m.
Mulching
Clean and disease-free materials should be used as mulch. Ensure that the mulch do not have contact with the plant.
Fertilizer application
Apply phosphatic fertilizer while the crop is in the nursery eg TSP, SP36, Rock phosphate, compound 18:12:5, MOP 60% K, potassium chloride or magnesium oxide.
Weed control
Keep the basal area weed free, around 1.6-2.5m. herbicides can be used to clear weeds eg touch down.
Pest control
Army worm- Use suitable insecticide eg volium targo
Aphids- Use suitable insecticide eg confidor
Thrips –Spray with cypermethrin
Red spider mite- Use suitable miticide eg dynamic
Porcupine- Use bait traps
Mealy bugs- Spray with insecticide eg applaud
Disease control
Leaf spot- Use suitable broad-spectrum fungicide eg daconil
Harvesting
Done when color change from black to orange and by the fall of the first individual fruits.
1 comment
Good information to farmers.keep it up