Palm Oil Research Articles

NIGHT-FLYING BEETLES, ADORETUS COMPRESSUS – PESTS OF OIL PALM

Adoretus compressus are small night-flying beetles, and also known as cockchafer beetles. A. compressus beetles are about 10-15 mm long, brown in colour and elongate and oval shaped. Adults usually eat by chewing and forming small holes in the foliage. The larvae or grubs live in the soil, generally under grass and almost exclusively feeding on plant refuse or decaying vegetable matters of the top soil. Life history of A. compressus is not well known and the life cycle of the insect is roughly complete in three months. A. compressus is polyphagous and feeds on leaves of many species of plants including several plantation based crops of tea, coconut, cocoa, rubber and oil palm. It is the most common insect pest in oil palm nurseries. Occasional outbreaks cause serious defoliation in immature plantings. During serious outbreaks, large number of Adoretus beetles can cause 80 to nearly 100 per cent defoliation of newly planted seedlings within two weeks. Almost all the fronds become badly damaged and skeletonised; and finally total drying of leaves occurs. Yield recording started when fruit bunches production commenced for a period of 27 months. Even though the affected palms recovered after effective chemical control, immature palms with severe damage (more than 50% defoliation) recorded 27 per cent reduction in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield and 18 per cent reduction in bunch number. Various aspects of management and control are discussed. In dealing with occasional outbreaks, spraying of insecticides like triclorfon, carbaryl, carbosulfan and cypermethrin at intervals of 7 to 14 days is effective. In southern Thailand, spraying of carbaryl 85 per cent wettable powder (WP) 60 g per 20 litres water + application of carbosulfan 5 per cent granules (G) at 200 g per palm gave 100 per cent effectiveness after three rounds of treatments at weekly intervals. Keywords: Adoretus compressus, cockchafer beetles, night flying beetles, leaf-eating pest, oil palm, control.

Photoesterification of Waste Cooking Oil using ZnO Doped Empty Fruit Bunches Ash Heterogeneous Catalyst

Introduction:: Waste from the palm oil industry, such as empty fruit bunch ash (EFBA) and palm oil mill effluents (POME), is a type of biomass created during the production of palm oil and produced in vast quantities. Due to the massive amounts of empty fruit bunch ash produced because of the exponential rise in worldwide palm oil production, major plantations are having trouble disposing of them. Aim:: The purpose of this research is to study the effectiveness of the ZnO-EFBA catalyst under visible light irradiation for the photoesterification reaction and its physicochemical properties of the photocatalyst that will be determined using TGA, SEMEDX, XRD and BET. Method:: The biodiesel will be produced by using two steps which are photoesterification to reduce the FFA value in WCO and followed by transesterification to produce FAMEs. The photoesterification reactions were conducted using WCO under visible light irradiation. Various parameters were examined, including different reaction times of 1 to 4 hours, different methanol to oil molar ratios of 12:1, 14:1, 16:1, and 18:1, and different ZnO-EFBA catalyst loadings ranging from 0 wt.% to 8 wt.%. The obtained results demonstrated that each WCO sample has a different optimum condition in the photoesterification reaction. Moreover, it was observed that lower FFA values correlated with higher biodiesel conversion rates in the transesterification reaction with 79.06%, 77.72% and 73.33% for samples 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Result:: By using EFBA as a heterogeneous catalyst doped with ZnO in the manufacturing of biodiesel, it helps to reduce the waste that the palm oil industry creates, limiting the adverse effects on human health and environmental harm. Furthermore, biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning alternative to petroleum fuel, which is domestically manufactured. Conclusion:: The use of biodiesel as a vehicle fuel boosts energy security, enhances the environment and air quality, and offers safety advantages.

Study on Co-Digestion of Palm Oil Mill Effluent and Empty Fruit Bunches to Improve Biogas Production in Palm Oil Mill

Study on Co-Digestion of Palm Oil Mill Effluent and Empty Fruit Bunches to Improve Biogas Production in Palm Oil Mill

Synergistic effects of Bacillus salmalaya strain 139SI with fertilizer on nutrient uptake and fertilizer use efficiency of oil palm seedlings

Synergistic effects of Bacillus salmalaya strain 139SI with fertilizer on nutrient uptake and fertilizer use efficiency of oil palm seedlings

Assessment of biogas production potentials of palm oil mill effluent and cow dung substrates in anaerobic digester

The biogas production potentials of palm oil mill effluent (POME) and cow manure (CM) substrates were evaluated using anaerobic digester. The first two digesters (D1 and D2) were charged with POME and CM for mono-digestion respectively. However, co-substrates digestion was done in digesters D3 (60/40 % POME-CM), D4 (70/30 % POME-CM), and D5 (80/20 % POME-CM) and all the digestion lasted for 21 days. The biogas yield of the digesters and performance of the digestions were measured by the analysis of moisture content, pH, total suspended solids (TSS), total solids (TS), volatile solid (VS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total organic carbon (TOC) using standard analytical methods. The results showed that D4 (70/30 % POME-CM) has the highest biogas yield (1875±0.11 mL) while D2 (100 % CM) gave the lowest biogas yield (443±0.15 mL). The BOD of D3, D4 and D5 were not detected. The concentrations of COD, TS, TSS and TOC showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in D1, D3, D4 and D5 compared to D2. While D2, D3, D4 and D5 showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in moisture content compared to D1. However, D1, D3, D4 and D5 showed increasing level of alkalinity compared to acidic level of D2. Therefore, this study suggests that co-substrates anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent and CM are suitable for biogas production.

Enzymatic Activity of Fungi for Hydrolysis of Wheat Bran and Cultivation of Oleaginous Yeasts

Sustainable alternatives to petrochemical raw materials in oleochemical, laundry detergent and personal care industry need to be implemented. Presently, palm oil is the predominant cost-efficient option. While it is a renewable source, it has negative environmental and socioeconomic implications. Therefore, the request for ecologically certified and palm oil-free cleaning agents and household care products is rapidly growing, supported by concepts of waste-free biorefinery. Oleaginous yeasts are currently the most promising source for microbial lipid production. Additionally, wheat bran is a cereal milling by-product, which is available in high quantities and provides an excellent feedstock. Enzymatically generated wheat bran hydrolysate provides an excellent microbial cultivation medium for the sustainable production of high value biological additives. Indeed, wheat bran consists predominantly of lignocellulose, and therefore of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which can be hydrolyzed by established enzyme systems. Currently, such enzymatic systems are mainly obtained for the market from genetically modified organisms (GMO). This represents a problem because GMO products or process components cannot be included in eco-certified household care formulations. Therefore, innovative GMO-free biotechnological processes need to be implemented, as well as the isolation of novel GMO-free hydrolase enzyme systems. Fungal strains are an interesting source for the efficient screening and isolation GMO-free hydrolases (see figure).This contribution is part of a project, which aims to use a holistic biotechnological approach to convert mill residues into customized specialty ingredients of eco-certified detergents. The project focuses on three main tasks:investigation of a microbial group of eight Ascomycete fungi,production of enzymes for hydrolysis of wheat bran, anduse of the resulting biomass hydrolysate to cultivate oleaginous yeasts.Hydrolase producing fungal strains were cultivated on different substrates to investigate their ability to generate specific enzyme systems capable of hydrolyzing wheat bran. The activity of the enzymes was qualitatively and quantitatively characterized to determine the optimal strains for the degradation of wheat bran and suited to implement a large-scale process. Supernatants of different fungal strains cultivations were tested in the hydrolysis step to compare the hydrolysis performances of differently active enzyme mixes. The biomass hydrolysate was used to cultivate lipid generating yeasts to investigate their ability to grow on the microbial cultivation medium.

High-Oleic Sunflower Oil as a Potential Substitute for Palm Oil in Sugar Coatings—A Comparative Quality Determination Using Multispectral Imaging and an Electronic Nose

Palm oil has a bad reputation due to the exploitation of farmers and the destruction of endangered animal habitats. Therefore, many consumers wish to avoid the use of palm oil. Decorative sugar contains a small amount of palm oil to prevent the sugar from melting on hot bakery products. High-oleic sunflower oil used as a substitute for palm oil was analyzed in this study via multispectral imaging and an electronic nose, two methods suitable for potential large-batch analysis of sugar/oil coatings. Multispectral imaging is a nondestructive method for comparing the wavelength reflections of the surface of a sample. Reference samples enabled the estimation of the quality of unknown samples, which were confirmed via acid value measurements. Additionally, for quality determination, volatile compounds from decorative sugars were measured with an electronic nose. Both applications provide comparable data that provide information about the quality of decorative sugars.

Spatio-temporal analysis of the red ring pathosystem in Oil palm in the Eastern Amazon

The objective was to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of the Red Ring and R. Palmarum in conventional oil palm plantation in the municipality of Thailand, state of Pará, in the production area of the AGROPAR Farm, belonging to the AGROPALMA SA Company, through of data obtained monthly from a Historical series from 2014 to 2018, using Geostatistics as a tool. To evaluate the dispersion of the Red Ring and R. Palmarum, sequential sampling was used. In this way, semivariograms were generated and the theoretical models were tested: Spherical, Gaussian, exponential and linear (pure nugget effect). The obtained semivariograms were submitted to the Krigagem estimator to make the dispersion maps of the Patosystem. Through the semivariograms it was observed that the model that best fit the spatial distribution of the red ring was the Gaussian, with range values for the experimental area ranging from 690 m to 870 m. As for the distribution of R. Palmarum, the models that best fit were the spherical and exponential, with values ranging from 860 m to 4990 m and that the R. palmarum infestation is preferably located on the periphery of the courts.

Assessing the ecological impact of industrial noise pollution on wildlife behavior in Okomu Forest Reserve, Nigeria

The study identified sources and established the levels of industrial noise in Okomu National Park with the aim of determining the impact of industrial noise pollution on wildlife in Okomu National Park. It also modelled propagation of ambient noise levels associated with the established levels as well as determined impacts of ambient noise obtained from industrial activities on wildlife of the National Park. Locations of identified sources of noise including industrial activities sources relative to the National Park were established and digital maps of the identified locations was generated. Ambient noise levels were obtained for wildlife populations around selected locations. Noise assignment was done at each of the hotspots for industrial activity that had been detected using EXTEC sensors. The average noise levels from the industrial sources were then processed into a model using NoiseMap. The calculated noise levels from identified sources were represented with contour map. The results identified sources of noise pollution in Okomu Forest Reserve as: Okomu Palm Oil processing mill and Michelin rubber Processing factory. The result showed that activities within these industries produced at least 40 dB during the period of study. The effects of noise from the industrial activities forced the migration of the animals out of the National Park to favourable habitats with less noise sources. The retreat of the animals caused energy depletion and reduced the chances of their survival. The study concluded that industrial activities such as Palm oil processing, rubber processing, logging and vehicles are a major source of noise pollution that threatens the sustainability of wildlife in the Okomu National Park.

Tribological and Chemical–Physical Behavior of a Novel Palm Grease Blended with Zinc Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Nano-Additives

The role of industrial lubricants in machinery is to reduce friction and wear between moving components. Due to the United Nations’ tendency to reduce dependency on fossil fuel, a general awareness is strongly driven towards developing more eco-friendly lubricants. Palm oil possesses promising properties, which promote it to be a competitive alternative to the hostile mineral oils. Still, marginal oxidation stability, viscosity, and tribological properties remain critical issues for performance improvement. This paper presents an improved palm grease using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nano-additives at different concentrations. Oil and grease samples were tested for viscosity, oxidation stability, pour point, penetration, roll stability, dropping point, churned grease-oil release, copper corrosion, friction, and wear. ZnO additives enhanced the oxidation stability by 60% and shifted the pour point to 6 °C. Adding ZnO and rGO to the palm grease increased the load-carrying capacity between 30% and 60%, respectively, and reduced the friction coefficient by up to 60%. From the wear scar morphologies, it is believed that graphene 2D nanoparticles formed absorption layers which contributed to the increase in load-carrying capacity, while ZnO chemically reacted with the metallic surface layer, forming zinc compounds that resulted in a protective boundary lubricating film.

Towards DNA-free CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing for sustainable oil palm improvement

Towards DNA-free CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing for sustainable oil palm improvement

Evaluasi Sebaran Rayap Di Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit Pada Jenis Tanah Yang Berbeda

Termites are one of the pests in oil palm plantations that can cause physical damage to oil palm plants. This study aims to determine the type and colony of termites in mineral, peat and sandy soils and the effectiveness of their control. This research was conducted at PT. Binasawit Abadipratama located in Danau Seluluk District, Seruyan Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, Tangar Estate from March to April 2023. The research was conducted using a comparative method by comparing termite colonies in mineral soil, peat and with parameters in the form of termite species and the level of attack expressed by scoring, as well as secondary data in the form of termite nest census data in the garden archive to determine the effectiveness of control. The results showed that the largest termite colony was found in mineral soil. Termite species found in all soil types was Macrotermes gilvus, and no indication of termite infestation in oil palm trees. Based on the census data for the past three years, it can be concluded that the control that has been carried out is effective in reducing the termite colony from year to year.

Strengthening oil palm smallholder farmers' resilience to future industrial challenges.

Oil palm cultivation has improved living standards and alleviated the poverty of many smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as climate change, aging palms and negative sentiments in the major markets, threaten the wellbeing of and raise the question on smallholder farmers' resilience, which remains poorly understood. Using primary data from Indonesia, the largest palm oil producer in the world, we measure and evaluate the resilience of oil palm smallholder farmers using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. Our results revealed five classes of smallholders with different levels of resilience: vulnerable, economically and socially constrained, low-skilled, semi-secure and adaptive smallholders. The farmers in the least resilient group are majorly olderlocal farmers, who established oil palm plantations independently. Meanwhile, the most resilient group is dominated by smallholders who participated in the migration program, and in the past, received support from the government to start oil palm plantations. Our study highlights the heterogeneity of smallholders' livelihood resilience and the need for inclusive and tailored interventions for the various classes of smallholder farmers to establish sustainable communities.

Numerical Analysis of Time-Dependent Strength and Stiffness in Palm Oil Fuel Ash-Stabilized Soil: Early and Long-Term Effects

Over the years, investigating the behavior of soft soil, stabilized using different techniques, has been recognized as a critical priority for geotechnical engineers. Numerous soil constitutive models have been utilized to simulate stabilized soil behavior, improve strength and ductility, and analyze load-deformation responses. However, further investigation is required to study stabilized soil's time-dependent strength and stiffness, especially at an early curing age. Early strength and stiffness development is crucial in engineering construction for improving building quality and efficiency and minimizing crack risk. Furthermore, estimating UCS from an early age aid in safety evaluation and ground-improvement analysis. Researchers are increasingly recognizing palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional soil stabilizers due to its abundant availability. This study proposes an advanced concrete constitutive model to simulate the time-dependent strength and stiffness of POFA-stabilized and cement-stabilized soil due to pozzolanic interactions. The model accurately measures strength and stiffness improvement from an early curing age to 28 days using finite element analysis (FEA) before then comparing the experimental results. Based on the experimental results, the UCS values of palm oil fuel ash-stabilized soil grew to 3.18 MPa and 3.89 MPa after seven and 28 days with an optimum content of 30% (POFA): 10% Magnesium Oxide (MgO). It exhibited a significant increase in early strength with 64.02% compared with cement-stabilized soil. For stiffness results, a slight increment of 9.26% was observed. Employing FEM, the sensitivity of the parameters to stress-strain behavior was investigated. Finally, the validity of the concrete constitutive model to predict the time-dependent strength and stiffness of stabilized soil was proved. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-SP2024-010-05 Full Text: PDF

Fluctuation Price Sell Palm Farmers and Impact Socioeconomic Society Farmer Palm Oil in Rokan Hilir Regency Province Riau

Oil palm is the prima donna commodity of plantation crops in this area. Based on data from the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, in 2023, Riau Province was recorded as having an oil palm plantation area of 2.87 million hectares or 20.68 per cent of the total area of oil palm plantations spread across 26 provinces in Indonesia. Riau Province occupies the first position as the province in Indonesia which has the largest area of oil palm plantations in Indonesia. In the 11 year period (2011-2021), the area of oil palm plantations in Riau Province increased by 49.07%. This research discusses the impact of fluctuations in the selling price of palm fruit on the socio-economic conditions of palm oil farming communities in Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau Province. The research was conducted using primary data and secondary data, as well as descriptive analysis methods. The research results show that fluctuations in the selling price of palm fruit have a significant impact on income, employment and social conditions of the community. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the Government can provide offers and encourage the development of derivative products from palm oil to maintain the stability of farmers' selling prices for palm oil. This research provides important insights for government policy in improving the welfare of oil palm farming communities in the region.

Application Design For Palm Oil Ramp Search in North Bengkulu Web Based Gis

The development of the world of oil palm plantations in the Bengkulu region is growing very rapidly and one of them is the North Bengkulu district. With the increasing number of oil palm plantations, most people do not know where to sell the products from their oil palm plantations. The lack of available information and the unclear distance to the location makes it difficult for farmers to sell the products from their plantations. This research is aimed at solving problems by creating new applications. a smartphone (Android) based application which aims to provide solutions to the public so that they can easily find out where they are and how far they have to go to reach the oil palm road they want without being limited by time or place. GIS-based applications have been proven to have a major impact on economic and social development, and the use of GIS has become a current trend. The GIS application was developed to help search for and locate oil palm RAMPs. The aim of this research is to help oil palm farmers find and determine the best locations to sell their crops. They can also compare the selling prices of the most expensive palm oil. For this application, the Android operating system is combined with Google Maps, a web-based virtual world map service created by Google. This application has features such as the name of the palm ramp owner, a map of the palm ramp location, palm oil prices, location suggestions, palm oil views, application instructions, and much.

Volatility spillovers of Crude Palm Oil, Crude Oil, Coal, Exchange Rates and Indonesian Stock Market 2013-2023

Volatility spillovers of Crude Palm Oil, Crude Oil, Coal, Exchange Rates and Indonesian Stock Market 2013-2023

Optimizing oil palm farming: Soil quality, fertilization and agro-environmental performance

The essential role of fertilization in the management of oil palm plantations cannot be overstated, with the understanding that effective strategies must be fine-tuned to accommodate the diversity of soil types present. The nuanced response of oil palm to fertilization under different soil conditions underscores the critical nature of this research. This study investigates the relationship between oil palm farming practices and agro-environmental performance of plantations. This research aims to understand the complex mechanisms influencing plantation productivity. Five agronomic field experiments were carried out on various soil types (Podzol, Inceptisol, Peat) during 2022. These experiments involved various types of soil and used different plant materials in a total land area of 33 hectares. The results of the peat soil trials revealed a positive effect of RP fertilizer on leaf phosphorus (P) content and a visible gradient in potassium (K) content with different doses of KCl. Average plantation yields peaked in 2022, showing the best yields ever recorded. On the contrary, experiments in podzolic soils showed that oil palm responded better to organic fertilizers than to mineral fertilizers in podzolic soils. The inceptisol soil revealed a significant increase in leaf potassium (K) content with KCl dose, confirming the positive effect of fresh oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) on potassium levels. In particular, EFB acts as a good K fertilizer, positively influencing the K content but negatively affecting the calcium content (Ca) due to K/Ca antagonism. These findings emphasize the need for diversified agricultural strategies to optimize oil palm cultivation, increase productivity, and reduce dependence on external input.

Total value of benefits and financial costs from independent oil palm plantations in Seruyan regency in 2023

Independent palm oil growers have participated in meeting the world's palm oil needs as well as contributing to economic development by increasing income and reducing poverty. Therefore, knowing the total value of benefits and financial costs from independent oil palm plantations is very important. This research aims to determine the total value of benefits and financial costs of independent oil palm plantations in Seruyan Regency. The Slovin method was used in selecting the sample size. The research method uses an exploratory research method, with benefit-cost analysis in the form of calculating Net Present Value (NPV), benefit-cost ratio (B/C Ratio) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). The results show that independent oil palm plantations in 2023 in Seruyan Regency are financially feasible to implement, this is indicated by the value of benefits greater than the value of costs, namely the total value of PV benefits IDR 1,409,358,175,296.54 and the total value of PV costs IDR 44,466,996,210.44; a positive NPV value of IDR 1,501,380,296,994.71 and a B/C ratio of 3.169 and an IRR of 11 %. Where this analysis has shown that the benefit value is greater than the cost value, so financially independent oil palm plantations can provide benefits for improving community welfare. However, this prosperity does not last forever, because the value of the benefits provided will decrease in the long term, this shows that oil palm plantation activities are not feasible in the long term, to change this condition can be overcome by preparing to carry out replanting.

Ratcheting up private standards by exploiting coopetition: The curious case of RSPO’s adoption of zero-deforestation criteria

At its November 2018 annual meeting, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) approved a new version of its foundational rules that advocates argued made it a zero-deforestation standard. Using a combination of over 160 key informant interviews and archival analysis, we argue that actors in the RSPO orbit made the High Carbon Stock Approach - a new method for defining forest boundaries that features heavy use of satellite data - attractive by blending cooperative and competitive strategies in a pattern known as coopetition. Critical stakeholders pushed leading companies into a competition for legitimacy that spurred innovations outside of the Roundtable setting. In turn, however, these firms also used relationships established through the RSPO Roundtable - cooperating - to elaborate guidelines and tools for defining forest areas, pursuing supply chain traceability and engaging in supplier transformation. This cooperation helped zero-deforestation strategies to emerge outside the organization. In response, stakeholders with sunk investments in RSPO membership reincorporated those external tools into the standard by framing them as consistent with the institution's fundamental logics. This case provides a compelling example of how coopetition can lead to norm emergence in a contentious governance arena, allowing a combination of internal and external actors to steer institutional development. We argue that this strategy could be employed to stimulate increased rigor in environmental standards.