Young Palm Research Articles

Insights Into Oil Palm Yield Under Seasonal Rainfall

Young oil palms produce many small fruit bunches. With age, bunch number (BN) declines but single bunch weight (BW) increases, more than the BN decline, raising its yield (FFB, or BN*BW). In a long-term trial in seasonal Southern Thailand, the age trend accounted for 81% of the variation in BN. With irrigation, BN increased 34%, and BW 5%, and the age trend accounted for 90% of BN variance. It was 98% for BW with/without irrigation. Besides age trends, the regular December – March dry season, despite irrigation, combined with intrinsic alternating sex cycles resulted in annual cycles in BN and BW. The BN cycle was more marked in younger palms whose rooting is shallower. The BW cycle persisted throughout, albeit at lower amplitude than BN. Female abortion after high production resulted in a BN semi-annual cycle, with peaks in Mar/Apr and Sep/Oct. A similar cycle for BW in older palms, with peaks in Dec - Feb and Jun-Aug, arose from fluctuating pollination. A three-year cycle in BN of unirrigated palms may be due to exhaustion/replenishment of carbohydrate reserves. Underripe harvesting, causing more yield in a month, and a dearth after, resulted in a 2-month cycle for BN.

Enhancing oil palm segmentation model with GAN-based augmentation

In digital agriculture, accurate crop detection is fundamental to developing automated systems for efficient plantation management. For oil palm, the main challenge lies in developing robust models that perform well in different environmental conditions. This study addresses the feasibility of using GAN augmentation methods to improve palm detection models. For this purpose, drone images of young palms (< 5 year-old) from eight different estates were collected, annotated, and used to build a baseline detection model based on DETR. StyleGAN2 was trained on the extracted palms and then used to generate a series of synthetic palms, which were then inserted into tiles representing different environments. CycleGAN networks were trained for bidirectional translation between synthetic and real tiles, subsequently utilized to augment the authenticity of synthetic tiles. Both synthetic and real tiles were used to train the GAN-based detection model. The baseline model achieved precision and recall values of 95.8% and 97.2%. The GAN-based model achieved comparable result, with precision and recall values of 98.5% and 98.6%. In the challenge dataset 1 consisting older palms (> 5 year-old), both models also achieved similar accuracies, with baseline model achieving precision and recall of 93.1% and 99.4%, and GAN-based model achieving 95.7% and 99.4%. As for the challenge dataset 2 consisting of storm affected palms, the baseline model achieved precision of 100% but recall was only 13%. The GAN-based model achieved a significantly better result, with a precision and recall values of 98.7% and 95.3%. This result demonstrates that images generated by GANs have the potential to enhance the accuracies of palm detection models.

Assessment of acute, subacute genetic toxicities and immunomodulatory activity of palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) buds

Ethnopharmacology relevancePalm buds are a natural green resource of the forest, which are not only rich in nutrients but contain a large number of phenolic acids and flavonoids, among other components. It has a variety of biological activities such as antioxidant and uterine smooth muscle stimulation.Aim of the study: To evaluate the safety of palm buds for use as a nutraceutical product and food by evaluating the toxicity, subacute toxicity and genotoxicity of the young palm buds. Also studied for its immune-enhancing activity. Materials and methodsAcute toxicity tests were performed in mice using the maximum tolerance method, and the manifestations of toxicity and deaths were recorded after administration of 10,000 mg/mL for 14 consecutive d (days) of observations. To assess subacute toxicity, mice were treated with palm buds (750, 1500, or 3000 mg/mL) daily for 28 days. The teratogenicity of palm buds was assessed by the Ames test, the mouse bone marrow cell micronucleus test, and the mouse spermatozoa malformation test. In addition, we evaluated the immune-enhancing ability of palm buds by the mouse carbon profile test, delayed-type metamorphosis reaction, and serum hemolysin assay. ResultsIn the acute toxicity study, the Median Lethal Dose (LD50) was greater than 10,000 mg/kg bw in both male and female rats. There were also no deaths or serious toxicities in the subacute study. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was 3000 mg/kg bw. However, the mice's food intake decreased after one week. The medium and high dose groups had a reducing effect on body weight in mice of both sexes. In addition, the changes in organ coefficients of the liver, kidney and stomach in male mice were significantly higher in the high-dose group (3.23 ± 0.35, 0.75 ± 0.05, 0.57 ± 0.05 g) than in the control group (2.94 ± 0.18, 0.58 ± 0.05, 0.50 ± 0.02 g). Hematological analyses showed that all the indices of the rats in each palm sprout dose group were within the normal range. The results of blood biochemical indicators showed that there was a significant reduction in TP in the blood of male mice in the high-dose group (44.6 ± 7.8 g/L) compared to the control group (58.3 ± 15.1 g/L). In histopathological analysis, none of the significant histopathological changes were observed. The results of the immunological experiment in mice showed that the liver coefficient and thymus coefficient of the high-dose group (8400 mg/kg) were significantly lower than the control group. There was no remarkable difference in auricle swelling between each dose palm bud group (1400, 2800, or 8400 mg/kg) and the control group. The anti-volume number of the high-dose group was significantly increased. ConclusionPalm buds have non-toxic effects in vivo and have little effect on non-specific and cellular immunity in the test mice within the dose range of this experiment. The immunoenhancement in mice is mainly achieved through humoral immunity. In conclusion, our results suggest that palm buds are safe for use as healthcare products and food.

Impact of recurrent intermittent flooding on the yield and growth of Elaeis guineensis

AbstractIncreased frequency and severity of flooding are linked to global warming. Flooding stress can severely affect crop yields and plant survival, and therefore the livelihoods of farmers. An oil palm breeding trial plot consisting of six progenies in Terengganu, Malaysia, happened to be inundated with flooding within a year after planting and annually for 2 years thereafter. Flooding recurred at the 8th year of planting and several times after that within the 14‐year period of monitoring. Due to the uneven terrain in this trial, palms were exposed to various flood levels and were categorized into two flooding groups. Yields and survivability of the palms were not affected by low‐flood levels, in contrast to the palms in lower areas that experienced higher flood levels. Compared to neighbouring non‐flooded trials, palms exposed to high floodwaters generally experienced lower fruit yields, and reduced vertical growth with poorer canopy cover. However, one of the progenies that exhibited a moderate survival rate in high‐flooded areas outperformed the other progenies in terms of yield in these areas. Generally, young oil palms exposed to low floods were able to survive and produce yields that were comparable to palms in non‐flooded areas, though 10%–20% of the low‐flooded palms produced poor yields in the first 3–5 years. In high‐flooded areas however, oil palm survivability ranged from 45% to 73% during the early 3 years and 46%–89% thereafter. Hence, young palms exposed to recurrent flooding of approximately more than 1 m during their early years are likely to become poor yielders with poor survival rates. Observations from this study may assist oil palm farmers in the management of this crop in the event of unexpected flooding.

Using date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) as bio-monitors of environmental quality for exposure assessment and pollution source tracking

The entry of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment has been raised as a problem for various countries. So, this study aimed to investigate the PTEs concentration in the environment. In this cross-sectional study, Ahvaz city, the capital city of Khuzestan province, was divided into 5 areas. At each site, three-date palms were selected. Leaves and mesh fibers samples were collected from the young palm (3 years) with a maximum trunk height of 3–4 m. Plant leaves samples were separated from the middle section of the main leaves area of the plant and mesh fibers were selected from the different parts of the palm data trunk (top, middle, and bottom of the palm data trunk on all four sides of the palm). Then, data palm samples were divided into two groups of washed/unwashed. Soil samples were collected from the closest point to the palms date at a depth of 0–50 cm including at two depths (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm), and then combined to make a composite soil sample. After the preparation of samples, PTEs were measured by ICP-OES. The highest PTEs concentrations were found in industrial and high-traffic sites and the lowest was obtained at the control site. The largest bioconcentration factor (BCF) was related to copper (2.34–7.49) in mesh fibers samples and in the leaves (1.65) in the control area. Principal component analysis (PCA) results showed metal(loid)s (copper, nickel, zinc, lead, iron, arsenic, and cobalt) are mostly related to brake wear and tire of vehicles and asphalt and road dust, while the metals (Manganese, chromium, and cadmium) mostly originate from industrial sources. Palm leaves, mesh fibers, and soil can be used as a cheap biomonitoring factor for PTEs analysis, especially in industrial and high-traffic regions.

Impact of insect pests of female oil palm inflorescences on the quality of palm bunches and palm oil

Oil palm is a major cash crop for many countries. In fact, Côte d'Ivoire is the second largest African producer after Nigeria and the first African exporter. Despite this performance, the cultivation of this plant is limited by a variety of pests that strongly affect its production. These include leafminer Coelaenomenodera lameensis, defoliating caterpillars (Latoia spp), pests of the stipe of young palms (Oryctes monoceros), etc. and pests of female oil plam inflorescences. The latter destroys female inflorescences, which leads to malformation of many fruits, negatively impacting on the production of bunches. The objective of this work was to study the impact of female inflorescence pests on the quality of bunches and palm oil. The study was conducted at the CNRA research station in La Mé. The mosquito net placed on isolated female inflorescences allowed the capture and the identification of three main insect pests of female inflorescences of oil palm. These are the Curculionidae beetles Prosoestus minor and Prosoestus sculptilis and the Pyralidae lepidopteran Elaeidiphylos adustalis. These insects cause significant damage in palm groves, ranging from 60% to 70.98% of seeds damaged. Indeed, the large number of fruits damaged by these insects does not affect the quality of the oil produced because the acidity and fluidity of the oil remain within the quality standards. However, further biochemical studies are needed to elucidate real impact of these insects on the quality of the palm oil such such as fatty acid composition, β-carotene and vitamin E.

EgSPEECHLESS Responses to Salt Stress by Regulating Stomatal Development in Oil Palm.

Oil palm is the most productive oil producing plant. Salt stress leads to growth damage and a decrease in yield of oil palm. However, the physiological responses of oil palm to salt stress and their underlying mechanisms are not clear. RNA-Seq was conducted on control and leaf samples from young palms challenged under three levels of salts (100, 250, and 500 mM NaCl) for 14 days. All three levels of salt stress activated EgSPCH expression and increased stomatal density of oil palm. Around 41% of differential expressed genes (DEGs) were putative EgSPCH binding target and were involved in multiple bioprocesses related to salt response. Overexpression of EgSPCH in Arabidopsis increased the stomatal production and lowered the salt tolerance. These data indicate that, in oil palm, salt activates EgSPCH to generate more stomata in response to salt stress, which differs from herbaceous plants. Our results might mirror the difference of salt-induced stomatal development between ligneous and herbaceous crops.

Nylon nets: a simple pest exclusion barrier technique to manage rhinoceros beetle menace in coconut plantations

Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) is a major pest of palms worldwide. Seedlings and juvenile palms are more vulnerable to beetle damage and in severe cases, inflicting palm death. The present study was to develop a physical pest control technique for juvenile palms using nylon nets as a pest exclusion barrier. The unopened spear leaf with –two to four adjacent leaf bases were loosely wrapped with the nylon nets of different mesh size during June - December 2017 (N = 40). Results revealed that the damaged leaves were reduced from 61.02 to 7.53% (t = 17.23; p < 0.001). Further experiment was up scaled in 120 palms during June – December 2018 and the beetles trapped in nylon nets were recorded at weekly intervals. Nylon nets entrapped 618 adult beetles that comprised 61.80% females and 38.18% males with corresponding sex ratio of 1.61: 1. Thus, use of nylon nets as a pest exclusion barrier guarded the young palms from beetle attack and additionally acted as passive trap by entrapping 20.6 beetles/week/120 palms without any insecticidal intervention.

Assessment of Inoculation Methods of Thielaviopsis paradoxa (De Seynes) Höhn into Oil Palm Seedlings under Greenhouse Conditions.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq. and Elaeis Oleifera Cortes) is one of the most important oil crops in the world. Colombia is the fourth-largest oil palm producer worldwide. However, oil palm diseases are a significant factor affecting yield. Thielaviopsis paradoxa (De Seynes) Höhn is a pathogen that affects young palm trees, causing spear rot. Four disease establishment methods were studied to replicate, in a controlled environment, the symptoms of the disease found in the field. Young palm trees were inoculated with a suspension of endoconidia using either local infiltration, drip, scissor cut, or direct contact with agar blocks bearing mycelia and conidia. The effects of the inoculation methods were studied in dose-method-disease severity experiments conducted in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. All four methods resulted in T. paradoxa infections and the development of symptoms of the disease. The disease severity was correlated with the method and dose of inoculation. In trials to test Koch’s postulates, T. paradoxa was isolated from areas of disease progression in the inoculated trees, but the teleomorph Ceratocystis paradoxa (Dade) Moreau was not observed. A photographic record of the infection process at different times post-infection was compiled. Given that establishing the disease through artificial inoculation is essential for assessing plant pathogenesis, this study determined that the local infiltration method (1 × 106 endoconidia mL−1) and a 3–7 day incubation period were critical for the development of symptoms as severe as those observed in natural infections in the field.

IMPACT OF PROLONGED DRY PERIOD ON OIL PALM YIELD AND MILL EXTRACTION RATIO: A CASE STUDY

Based on current trends in climate change, El Nino and La Nina events are likely to become more frequent, with the former having a more significant negative impact on oil palm growth and production. Since 1980, ten El Nino events or prolonged dry periods have been recorded in Indonesia, of which three and five events have been categorised as severe and moderate, respectively. The most severe of the three El Nino events occurred in 1997, followed by a more recent one in 2015. This paper is a case study which examines the impact of the 2015 El Nino event on the fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production of two generations of oil palms planted in two neighbouring estates and oil extraction ratios (OER) of a mill receiving crop from the latter two estates. Four consecutive months of low rainfall in 2015, resulted in annual water deficits of 280 - 313 mm, which was followed by a decline in FFB production over two distinct periods i.e. 4 to 12 months and 24 to 30 months after the El Nino event, respectively. In both cases, a sharp decline in the number of harvestable bunches was the main contributing factor, likely to be due to an increase in inflorescence abortion and lowering of inflorescence sex-ratio. Average bunch weight (ABW) generally remained unaffected. The initial impact of the drought was more severe on the younger palms, but due to a better recovery rate, the overall yield decline (23%) over a 12-month period in the following year, was significantly lower than in older palms (30%). Analysis of 14 years’ yield and climatic data showed that apart from rainfall, other abiotic and biotic factors such as fruiting activity may also be contributing to the 3-year production cycles (peak crop, decline, recovery, peak crop) exhibited by both estates. As such, it was difficult to accurately apportion yield decline primarily due to water deficit from the other influencing factors. The study also indicated a negative effect of drought on mill OER. Extended dry periods in 2015 (4 months) and 2019 (4 months) were consistently correlated with periods of declining OER, 7 to 14 months later. Like FFB, the prolonged decline could also be attributed to multiple factors. Keywords: El Nino, oil palm, OER, rainfall, water deficit.

Soil chemical properties and heterotrophic bacterial population in the rhizosphere of oil palm plantations under different ages

This study was carried out to determine the soil chemical properties and heterotrophic bacterial population and species that are predominant in the rhizosphere of oil palms (Elaeis guineensis. jack) and to compare the bacteria population in the rhizosphere of matured (10 years and above) fruit bearing palms with those present in young (3 – 6 years) palms that are just bearing fruits for the first few years. Four plantations of different ages were sampled at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) main station located in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State at soil depth of; 0 – 15 cm, 15 – 30 cm, 30 – 45 cm and 45 – 60 cm. The soil samples obtained were analyzed for their physical, chemical and microbial compositions and the bacteria counts found in the various oil palm plantations were tested for significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) using Duncan multiple range test in a Completely Randomized Design. The soil texture of Field 52 (3 – 6 years) was sandy in both top and sub soil (0 – 60 cm) while the older plantations had sandy-loam and loamy-sand at some depth. The nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon content of the soil were also observed to increase with age. The investigation further showed a high presence of bacteria at the top soil (0 – 15 cm and 15 – 30 cm) than in the sub soils (30 – 45 cm and 45 – 60 cm). This was in close relationship with the high presence of carbon and other primary nutrients that were also more at the top soils. On the basis of plant age, the heterotrophic bacteria populations were greater in the older plantations than found in the young (3 - 6 years) plantations. The specific bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere soils were Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Micrococcus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Coryrubacteria spp.

The abundance of soil invertebrates in young and mature palm oil plot in relations to soil physical properties: A preliminary study

The soil biota is considered the biological engine of the earth and is associated with most of the critical functions of the soil in terms of ecosystem services. The knowledge on the impact of land management and agricultural activities on the abundance and diversity of soil invertebrates is still understudied especially in Malaysia. This study was conducted to investigate the relation of the abundance and diversity of soil invertebrates with the soil physical parameters from two different palm oil plots. Sampling methods of soil invertebrates include pitfall trap and Burlese-Tullgren funnel. Invertebrate’s abundance and diversity were measured and invertebrates were identified according to their morphological characteristics under the dissecting microscope concerning taxonomic keys. A total of 621 individuals were documented from both sites with 408 collected in mature palm oil farms whereas 213 individuals were documented in young palm oil farms. Hymenoptera (67.31 %) is the most dominant invertebrate followed by Orthoptera (12.40 %) and Arachnida (10.14 %). Morphospecies diversity, evenness, and richness are highest in mature palm oil plot with Shannon; 1.54, Evenness; 0.32, and Menhinick; 0.67 respectively. Well-developed canopy, plenty of shelters, and reduced agricultural activities in mature palm oil mainly contributed to ideal soil physical parameters (bulk density; 1.23 (g/cm3) ± 0.02, porosity; 55.03 % ± 2.48, temperature; 35.65°C ± 0.30 and moisture; 34.05 % ± 0.60) produces a comparatively more balanced habitat for a diverse community of soil invertebrates. Because of the roles they play in soil biological processes, soil invertebrates may be used as bioindicators of soil health. This study can be used as a baseline for more extensive research that may be applied in future planning on land management in achieving the nation’s agricultural sustainability.

Phytoregulators and stem subdivision in the production of young forage palms (Opuntia ficus-indica and Nopalea cochellinifera)

The propagation of plants through stem subdivision and the incorporation of phytoregulators can be a viable and efficient technique in the large-scale production of young forage palm at a lower cost. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the influence of stem subdivision and phytoregulators on the production of young forage palms under greenhouse conditions. Three experiments (I, II and III) were performed. Experiments I and II consisted of young palm of the Miúda genotype, formed from fragmented stems submitted to solutions containing gradually increasing concentrations of benzylaminopurine (0,0; 0,5; 1,0 e 1,5 mg. L-1) and kinetin (0,0; 0,25; 0,5 e 0,75 mg. L-1) combined with naphthaleneacetic acid (1,5 mg. L-1). An additional control without the use of phytoregulators was also included. These treatments were distributed in a randomized block design (RBD), in a factorial scheme with the additional plot: 4 x 4 + 1. In experiment III, different sized fractions of four forage palm genotypes were tested: Gigante, Orelha de elefante, IPA Sertânia, and Miúda. For this test, the experimental design was RBD, with twelve treatments, distributed in five blocks with five plants per plot. There was no influence of phytoregulators on the characteristics evaluated in experiments I and II. Significant differences were found. However, for the variables length, width, and thickness of sprouts among treatments in experiment III. Therefore, the application of phytoregulators in young forage palms at the dosages used is not recommended. For the Gigante, Orelha de Elefante and Miúda genotypes, the fractional stem size recommended is 5x3 cm whereas for IPA Sertânia, the size recommended is 4x2 cm.

Analisis Heat Island pada Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit: Studi Kasus di Kabupaten Kayong Utara, Kalimantan Barat

Between 2000 – 2017, 3.06 million hectares of primary forest in Kalimantan have been converted into palm oil plantation. This change impacts local climate changes. This study aims is to analyze the heat island in palm oil plantation. The analytical method used surface temperature estimation through remote sensing and zonal statistics. The remote sensing data that are used is Landsat 8 images acquired on 15 July 2018 and 3 August 2019. From this research, we found that young palm oil plantations have an average IHI value of 2.1 ± 1.7oC in 2018 and 1.7 ± 1.4oC in 2019. The IHI value is close to the heat island in a built-up area. IHI for mature palm oil plantation (11-12 years) created a cool island with an intensity close to secondary forest. The decreasing value of IHI for 2018 and 2019 in palm oil plantations is due to the growth of palm oil trees, which decreases surface temperature. The implication of this research is to know heat island effect due to deforestation or land cover changes, especially change into palm oil plantations.

Ecological Studies and Effect Pruning Operator on Infestation of Date Palm Trees with Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliv.) in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt دراسات بیئیه وتاثیرعملیه التقلیم على اصابه اشجار نخیل البلح بحشره سوسه النخیل الحمراء فى محافظه الشرقیه مصر.

The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, (Olive.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered destructive insect pest of the date palm trees plantations of different Governorates in Egypt. The field experiments were carried out in Abo-Hammad district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during successive years 2018-2019. Results indicated that the infestations of RPW were existed in two farms. The percentage of infestation reached to 6.73% in the first season, 2018 while reached to 4.76% in the second season, 2019. The percentage of infestation of severity both seasons cleared that most the infestations were highly severity. The highest infestation was found in Zaghloul variety followed by hayani, while the weakest infestation was in the varieties Aglan, Amry, Bent-Esha and Samani during the two seasons and the infestation of RPW in different ages of palms was the highest in young palms, that RPW preferred trees in age ranged between (6-10 years), while the lowest in age ranged between (10-15years). The infestation reached its maximum in the infested palms in the height ranged between 0.0-2.0 m., while it was minimum with infestation height from 2.1 to above 3.5 from the ground during the two seasons. The highest infestation of RPW were found in suckers , followed by of infestation in off-shoots, while it was decreased in the base of pruning leaves during the two seasons. Palm tree pruning without dusting with agricultural sulfur showed the highest infestation rate while, pruning of date palm and dusting with agricultural sulfur resulted in lower infestation rate during the two seasons.

Pyruvate decarboxylase in minimally processed young palm cladode

The palm is a cactaceous of great global importance, being the young cladodes minimally processed a viable alternative consumption for cooking. Among the studied palm variables, enzymes play a major role in the post-harvest quality of these species, generating oxidation and influencing the sensory attributes of cladodes. Therefore, the objective was to estimate the pyruvate decarboxylase activity in young cladodes of 'Tiny' palms - Nopalea cochenilifera and 'Ear Mexican Elephant' - Opuntia tuna minimally processed. The experiment was conducted in the Laboratory of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Food Analysis Center of Science and Technology Agrifood the Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus Pombal, Paraíba. The young cladodes were minimally processed and the analyzes were performed immediately after processing, with 24 and 48 hours of incubation under controlled temperature (22 ± 2°C). The analyzes performed were activity of the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity, ratio, soluble sugars, total chlorophyll, total carotenoids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds. There was enzymatic activity of pyruvate decarboxylase from young minimally processed cladodes for the species studied, with greater activity in the cladodes of the species 'Tiny'.

Application of Tithonia Compost as Alternative Synthetic Fertilizer Source N and K on Young Oil Palm Plantation

Currently, large oil palm plantations are cultivated on ultisol. Ultisol has various constraints in its utilization for the cultivation of plants, because it has high exchangeable Al, low pH, low soil organic nutrient contained, and soil nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg. Large quantities and continuous fertilizer are needed for a long time. To solve these problems required to look for alternative fertilizers. These alternative fertilizers are expected to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers without decreasing production and are available forever. Efforts to produce that location organic matter are the right choice. Tithonia can be grown in the form of alley cropping at young palm plantations. A series of experiments have been conducted at Andalas University experimental farm in Padang, West Sumatra Province. This study used the Factorial design. The treatments are tithonia compost and Lime application. There are 3 rd compost doses in 3 replication each treatment. The experimental obtained that tithonia compost dosage 25% and 50% + 25% and 50% synthetic fertilizer were changed soil chemical properties such as increased 0.94 units soil pH, availability of nutrient contained; 6.22% C-organic, 0.25% N-total, 0.37me/100g exchangeable K, 2.74 me/100g exchangeable-Ca, 0.29 me/100g exchangeable-Mg, in the soil, as well as the decrease of exchangeable Al. Furthermore supporting plant growth such as (plant height, plant length, and the number of the leaf). Liming not significantly different for soil chemical properties and growth of oil palm. The higher the compost dose is given the better the growth of oil palms. Cultivation of tithonia as alley cropping at oil palm plantation can be used as composite materials for synthetic fertilizer substitute source N and K

Penjor Sebagai Simbol Pencitraan Diri Umat Hindu di Kota Mataram

In contemporary development, the penjor is increasingly being used both as a means of religious rituals and as a profane means. This research focuses on 3 questions 1). What is the process of the emergence of penjor in the city of Mataram? 2). What are the types, functions, and meanings of penjor in the city of Mataram? 3). How is penjor a symbol of the self-image of Hindus in the city of Mataram? This study uses a qualitative descriptive approach that emphasizes the interpretation of denotative and connotative meanings by using the theory of symbolic and semiotic interactionism. Data collection techniques by observation, interview, literature study, and documentation. The results of the analysis include: 1) The appearance of penjor in the city of Mataram began with the history of the attack of the Karangasem kingdom to Lombok. The increasingly safe situation of Lombok encourages the transfer of the Karangasem community to Lombok which carries Balinese Hindu traditions, including penjor, 2) Penjor is divided into 2 types namely ceremonial penjor and ornamental penjor. Penjor ceremony is made from bamboo with curved edges, the trunk is decorated with Ambu (young palm leaves) or Busung (young coconut leaves) filled with accessories. Penjor ceremony functioned as a means of religious rituals (god yadnya) and Manusa yadnya. The meaning of penjor symbolizes the mountain and its contents where the gods come from, as a form of expression of gratitude for the gift given by God and the celebration of Galungan. The commodification of penjor in the city of Mataram is still in a standard form but has begun to use a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients. 3) Penjor is a symbol of the self-image of Hindus, showing internal solidarity with other Hindus and externally to present the front stage as a Hindu that refers to the aesthetic and artistic values ​​of religious ritual symbols that contain the values ​​of the Satyam, Siwam, Sundaram.

Effect of deforestation on prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites and mosquito abundance in a tropical rainforest of Cameroon

Habitat change caused by deforestation can modify the interactions of many biotic and abiotic factors, and in turn influence patterns of diseases in wild birds. Whether deforestation directly or indirectly affects the prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites through their hosts and/or vectors is still not well understood. We sampled understory bird communities (insectivorous, frugivorous, granivorous and nectarivorous birds) and mosquitoes in three habitats showing a gradient of deforestation (pristine forest, fragmented forest, and young palm oil plantation), to assess the effects of habitat changes on avian haemosporidian (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) prevalence and its relationship to bird feeding guilds and mosquito abundance. Blood samples of 845 individual birds belonging to 85 species and 27 families were collected in the three habitat types and screened using microscopy and PCR. Plasmodium infections were detected in 136 individuals (16.09%) and varied significantly among habitat types while Haemoproteus infections were detected in 98 individuals (11.60%) and did not vary significantly among habitat types. However, the prevalence of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in bird feeding groups varied significantly among habitats. Nectarivorous and granivorous birds had the highest Plasmodium and Haemoproteus prevalence, respectively. The abundance of mosquitoes varied significantly among habitat types and the prevalence of Plasmodium significantly and positively correlated with mosquito abundance in fragmented forest. This study highlights the importance of host and mosquito determinants in the transmission dynamics of avian Plasmodium and Haemoproteus infections following habitat changes. Selective logging favored an increase in the prevalence of Plasmodium in insectivores, the prevalence of Haemoproteus in nectarivores and the abundance of female mosquitoes while, the establishment of the palm oil plantation favored an increase in the prevalence of Plasmodium in granivores and Haemoproteus in nectarivores. Species feeding behavior is also an important determinant to consider for a better understanding of patterns of parasite infections in a changing environment.

Manajemen Irigasi Pembibitan Sawit (Elaeis guineensis) Presisi dengan Cropwat 8.0

The accurate water use information at each stage of plant growth is important to better understand the efficient and precise crop water requirement for optimal plant productivity. Nurseries of palm oil are a phase where young palm oil requires extra maintenance, particularly in meeting the plant water needs. The palm oil in the nursery phase require the regular irrigation schedule due to the vulnerable root systems. The purpose of this study was to calculate the oil palm water requirement with Cropwat 8.0 toward the precise irrigation management and provide a scenario for irrigation scheduling in palm oil nursery. The study was conducted in palm oil main nurseries at KP2 Instiper Yogyakarta with site-specific climate data and soil properties. The method used is analyzing climate data and soil properties and simulating crop water requirements, actual water use and irrigation scheduling with Cropwat 8.0. Based on the results, the average of crop water requirement (ETP) of palm oil in main nursery is 3.4 mm / day. Based on the water deficit scenario from rainfall and crop water requirements, irrigation is scheduling in April for 1.4 mm, May for 18.3 mm, June for 3.5 mm, July for 44.1 mm and August for 42.8 mm. On a daily scale and taking into account the availability of soil moisture and the water retention of plant roots, the net irrigation scheduling is given at an average of 2.2 mm / day and gross irrigation of 6 mm / day which is given daily depending on rainfall and plant age.