Optimum oil palm planting density in West Africa

Xavier Bonneau,Reinout Impens,Maxwell Buabeng

doi:10.1051/ocl/2017060

Abstract

This article follows on from an earlier one about the same experiment in 2014. A range of various planting distances (from 7.5 to 9.5 metres) between oil palms was tested using an equilateral triangle design. The current planting density experiment was set up in an oil palm plantation in Nigeria. The climatic conditions are quite stable, with two seasons and around 2000 mm of annual rainfall. The soil is of the desaturated ferralitic type, sandy on the surface, deep and without coarse elements. After twelve years of continual monitoring and extrapolation of the results obtained up to the end of the cycle, we concluded on an optimum planting density of between 143 and 160 oil palms per hectare in a monospecific, equilateral triangle planting design (i.e. a distance of 8.5 to 9 metres between palms). It will take another few years of yield recording to fine-tune the result. For 12-year-old palms, this density range corresponds to a Leaf Area Index of 3.5 to 4, a light interception percentage of 89 to 90 and a foliage overlap percentage of 51 to 68. A thinning treatment was included in the protocol. Thinning at eight years has not led to any advantage after four years.

Highlights

In an earlier article (Bonneau et al, 2014), we described how the planting density affected oil palm yields in the first eight years after planting
Four years after the operation no significant effect on palm yields was found: there was a very slight increase in yield for D5 compared to D4, but it was not significant and was far too small to compensate for the loss of a seventh of the palms
We can recommend for the time being that this C1001F planting material from Pobè should be planted at 143 p/ha under similar conditions, i.e. on ferralitic soils in the West Africa coastal zone

Summary

Introduction

In an earlier article (Bonneau et al, 2014), we described how the planting density affected oil palm yields in the first eight years after planting. We have recorded the results of four more seasons at the adult age (9 to 12 years). This has enabled us to determine the planting density effect over a longer period, notably including some seasons where the leaf mass and span of the palms continued to increase.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion