Abstract
In areas cultivated with oil palm, typically mechanized field operations using heavy vehicles may negatively affect soil physical properties and productivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil physical quality in an area cultivated with oil palm by monitoring the temporal variation of the soil water content and relating it to the critical limits of the least limiting water range. Soil bulk density (Bd), soil penetration resistance (SR), least limiting water range (LLWR), and water stress days (WSD) were used to assess soil physical quality in planting rows (PR) and the traffic zone (TZ) at depths 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm. The Bd was higher and the LLWR was reduced in TZ only at the surface layer. The effect of temporal variation in soil water content on the soil physical quality was higher in TZ, mainly in subsurface layers. Bd and LLWR did not affect the fresh fruit bunch production; however, WSD in TZ at 20-40 and 40-60 cm layers provided evidence of effects of temporal variation of soil water content on oil palm productivity.
Highlights
The oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is a palm tree of African origin that is notable for its high oil production per unit area
The descriptive analysis (Table 2) showed a wide variation in the bulk density (Bd), soil penetration resistance (SR), and θ values in the two positions and three layers, which is desirable for fitting soil water retention curve (SWRC) and soil penetration resistance curve (SRC)
The sampling position revealed differences in Bd only in the 0-20 cm layer (Table 2), in which Bd was higher in traffic zone (TZ)
Summary
The oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is a palm tree of African origin that is notable for its high oil production per unit area. There is a trend toward increasing the oil palm cultivation area because of its potential for biodiesel production (Ramalho-Filho et al, 2010; Carr, 2011). In extensive areas cultivated with oil palm, mechanization, usually with heavy vehicles, is used throughout most field operations and machinery traffic often occurs under unfavorable soil moisture conditions. The overuse of heavy machinery may negatively affect soil physical properties such as porosity, bulk density, mechanical impedance, and water availability, resulting in soil compaction and loss of soil capacity to provide proper physical conditions for root system development (Zuraidah et al, 2012). The least limiting water range (LLWR) is defined as the range of soil water content in which there are minimal limitations to plant growth considering water availability, air-filled porosity, and soil mechanical resistance (Silva et al, 1994). The amplitude of LLWR indicates the magnitude at which the soil structure restricts plant growth, that is, in soils with a narrow LLWR, water temporal variations may often predispose crops to physical stress because of poor aeration when the soil is wet or excessive penetration resistance when the soil water content is low (Bengough et al, 2006)
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