Evaluation of soil fertility status in oil palm plantations in the Western Region of Ghana

Abstract

Oil palm is regarded as one of the tree crops that utilize a high amount of soil nutrients for optimum growth and development. Farmers in the western region of Ghana have complained immensely of small fruit bunch of their oil palm, but in oil palm plantation, nutrient management is the key to higher fruit bunch of crops hence this study was carried out to evaluate the fertility status of selected oil palm plantations in the Mpohor district in the Western Region of Ghana. Two farming communities namely Odumase and Edum Banso were selected for soil sampling. Farmers in the Odumase community have been applying fertilizer and organic manure while farmers in Edum Banso hardly do. Soil samples from Odumase (A) and Edum Banso (B) showed mean pH values of 5.45 and 5.03, respectively. Odumase (A) recorded high nitrogen, phosphorus and Potassium content of 0.07%, 7.69 mg kg-1 and 0.4 cmol kg-1, respectively exceeding the critical nutrient (NPK) content for the oil palm tree. Soil samples from Edum Banso (B) recorded N, P and K contents below the critical nutrient (NPK) content for oil palm tree. The nutrient availability index indicated a low nutrient availability of TN, OM, P and Mg for soil samples from Edum Banso (B). Therefore proper nutrient management approaches such as the application of inorganic fertilizer should be adopted especially for nutrients that are deficient and low from Edum Banso (B).