High Reactive Rock Phosphate Increased Oil Palm Yield

SOUTH AMERICA ROCK PHOSPHATE INCREASED OIL PALM YIELD BY 11%

A leading agricultural research centre has conducted a trial with three types of P source namely medium reactive Jordan Phosphate Rock, a highly reactive South America Phosphate Rock and Triple Superphosphate (TSP) plus a control without Phosphate Rock on immature palms on Bungor series soil (Typic Paleudult).

Results from the trial presented in the paper by Ng et al. (2010) revealed that the plot applied with the South America Phosphate Rock fertilizer gave a higher yield of about 9%, equivalent to 1.7 t/ha/year, than the plot applied with Jordan Phosphate Rock fertilizer over a three year period.

There was an even more significant increase in yield of 11%, equivalent to 2.6 t/ha/year, in the South America Phosphate Rock plot when compared with the Jordan Phosphate Rock plot in the third year of harvesting or fifth year of planting.

*    Table 1:  FFB yields of Year 5 palms (49th to 60th month) for treatments with different P sources.

P Source to palm (reactivity)	FFB (t/ha): 49th to 60th months (Year 5)	FFB (t/ha): Mean 25th to 60th months
Nil	22.2               A	18.1           A
MRP	23.3             AB	19.2           A
HRP	25.9               B	20.9           A
TSP	24.9             AB	20.1           A

*           Ng et al. (2010), p. 11

MRP  –   Jordan Rock Phosphate

HRP  –   South America Rock Phosphate

TSP   –   Triple Superphosphate

Therefore, it is imperative to explore the South America Phosphate Rock as P input.  In this context, the direct application of high reactive Phosphate Rock fertilizer on tropical soils is an agronomic and economically sound management.

Reference:

Patrick Ng, H. C. , Goh, K. J. , Gan, H. H. , Yacob, S. and Zaharah, A. R. (2010) “The Use of Phosphate Rocks For Growing Mucuna Bracteata in Oil Palm Legume Systems To Enhance Sustainability”.