Physical and chemical properties of oil palm land which overgrown with weeds at different plant age

Abstract

Large plantations such as oil palm plantations are usually covered by several weed species which occasionally function as a land cover. Soil samples were obtained through Simple Random Sampling on various types of ground cover weeds, e.g Asystasia intrusa, Eleusine indica, Cyperus kyllingia Endl. and Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum Stapf., in 7-year old oil palm stands, and Asystasia intrusa, Cyperus kyllingia Endl., Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum Stapf. and Cyperus rotundus, in 6-year old stands. Each sample was randomly obtained from each replicate plot at a depth of 0-20 cm (layer 1) and 20-50 cm (layer 2) at 5 points. Variables of soil chemical properties observed were N-total, P-available, K-total, C-organic and soil pH, while the physical properties observed were water content (%) and volume weight, using the gravimetric method. The results showed that the presence of weeds beneath the oil palm stands in plantation areas did not continuously have a negative effect on the growing environment. In this study, the presence of 4 (four) weed species under 6 and 7 years old were found around old oil palm stands and classified as dominant existences actually have a positive tendency to influence the quality of physical and chemical properties of soil under oil palm stands.

Real-Time Monitoring of Parameters Contributing to Soil Quality in Palm Oil Plantation

“…It ranges from 0 to 14, whereby pH below 7 is acidic soil, pH 7 is neutral, and pH above 7 is base. The ideal land condition for Oil palm is fertile, loose soil and a pH of 5.0 to 5.5 (Satriawan et al, 2021). Soil pH in field data ranges from 3 to 7.5, which indicates that the study area has both acidic and basic soil.…”

A systematic map of within-plantation oil palm management practices reveals a rapidly growing but patchy evidence base

“…In addition, deeper leaf litter and higher epiphyte abundance in more mature plantations may provide increased habitat complexity to support a wider diversity of species compared to newly-planted plantations [6]. Heterogeneity in oil palm plantation understory vegetation may increase beneficial chemical and physical soil properties [7], and mature palm leaf litter may increase soil fertility, further reducing the need for chemical inputs [8]. These features of the oil palm plantation environment mean that there is substantial scope to manipulate environmental complexity to support higher species diversity and related ecosystem services [6,9,10], including services that support ecosystem functions and crop productivity [11] as well as potentially reducing the need for chemical fertilizers [12] and pesticides [13].…”