Step by Step Oil Palm Production in Nigeria

By Iyorkaa Nater

 

Site selection

The best soil suitable for cultivating the crop should be deep, well drained, medium textured, non-gravelly and non-lateritic.

 

Land Preparation

The land preparation operations involve broadly clearing the existing shrubs, felling of the existing trees and burning. These operations should begin 2 to 3 months before the time of burning. The felled trees should be packed or burnt. The land should be ready for planting at the beginning of the rains in April/ May.

After land clearing the field could be lined out with wooden pegs on planting points at a triangular spacing of 9m x 9m x 9m giving a density of about 140 – 150 palms per hectare. The palm rows should run in a north-south direction. This orientation and planting arrangement permit maximum solar interception by the individual palm.

Since the soil is usually left bare after burning, erosion may cause serious problems to the soil. As such it may be necessary to plant legume covers to protect the soil from erosion and to check the invasion of troublesome weeds. The legume cover crops widely planted are Calopogonium mucunoides, Peuraria phaseoloides and Centrosema pubescens. The legumes are sown after the onset of the rains.

 

Recommended Variety

Tenera hybrid variety from the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) is recommended for Nigeria across agro-ecological zones for high yield. Sprouted nuts or raised oil palm seedlings which can be obtained through the NIFOR, A.D.P’s and Tree Crops Unit (TCU). Tenera hybrid variety starts fruiting 3 – 4 years after field planting. Relatively, it is resistant to a number of palm diseases and has a yield potentials of 15-18 tonnes fresh fruit bunches (fib) per hectare per year as against 2-3 tonnes of the wild and improved Dura varieties.

 

Nursery

A nursery is necessary for growing the germinated seeds to produce strong, healthy and viable seedlings for the field establishment. Recommended system of raising oil palm seedlings is the single stage poly bag nursery in which seedlings are grown in polybags until they are ready for transplanting into the field.

The system involves the use of 400- 500 gauge black polythene bags (usually about 40 x 35 cm lay flat). The bags are filled with top soil from the nursery area and placed in square formation at 45 x 45cm spacing. The bags are filled to the top and made firm by watering for a least a week before planting.

 

Sprouted Seed Planting

When sprouted seedings are received, they are planted almost immediately after their plumule and radicles are well differentiated to prevent planting the seed upside down (planting the seed upside down results in delayed shoot emergence and twisted seedling that never does well). The depth of planting should not be more than 2.5cm, taking care not to damage the radicle and plumule.

Planting starts in mid April and ends in June (when rain stabilises) in order to ensure uniform seedling emergence and good take-off. As soon as planting is done, mulching with partially shredded oil pahn bunch refuse or dry grass.

Seedlings raised in polybags have higher rate of survival, faster field establishment and minimum transplanting shock.

 

Fertilizers Application in Nursery

Application of a compound fertilizer NPK Mg in the ratio 12: 12:17:2 at the rate of 14g (i.e. one table-spoonful) per seedling per application in two doses at 2 and 8 months after planting is recommended.

The fertilizer should be spread in a ring about 7.5 cm away from the seedling to avoid scorching of the leaves.

 

Nursery Watering

During the dry season, the seedlings should be watered with 2 litres of water applied in two equal doses per week. A large amount may be required in severe harmattan conditions in which watering may be carried out both in the mornings and evenings daily because oil palm seedlings are vulnerable to any measure of water stress. Mulching also helps to conserve moisture.

 

Pests of Nursery

The three main insect pests of oil palm nursery are termites, grasshoppers and beetles.

  1. Termites: They attack and destroy the root system of seedlings in the soil which cause the seedlings to be pale, stunted or dead in heavy infestations. Termites can be controlled culturally by increasing the frequency and volume of watering during the dry season from November to onset of the next rainy season. Termites can also Furadan 3G at 1 Og/seeddling (1 tea spoon) or ultracide 40SCW at 6% concentration.
  2. Grasshoppers: These feed on the leaves and can cause considerable deterioration to nursery seedlings. The young nymphs are the most destructive stage of these Grasshoppers can be controlled by handpicking and destroying the nymphs at low infestation intensity or by spraying of a good insecticide.
  3. Beetles (Small Weevils): The adult weevil lays eggs on cut parts or tiny holes, it finds on the petioles, leaf bases or bulb of seedlings. The eggs later develop into larvae which eat through the affected parts of the seedling. In severe cases the affected part will cause wilting and later death of the seedling.

In order to minimize its attack, it is advisable to provide light shading during the dry season or period of drought during July- August. The insect can also be controlled culturally by avoiding wounding any part of the seedlings. It is advisable to uproot affected seedlings and burn. Chemical control of the insect is by spraying with a good insecticide.

 

Transplanting to the Field

The Ball-Of earth method of transplanting is the best method. Polybag seedlings are best transplanted with all the soil in the bag. Transplanting of seedlings should commence when they have attained the age of 10 – 12 months. The operation should start as soon as the rains become regular and be completed at least 2 months before the rains cease.

 

The following steps are involved in this method of transplanting:

  1. Dig hole big enough to accommodate ball-of-earth
  2. 2. Separate top soil from sub-soil
  3. Lift polybag seedlings carefully to planting point to avoid disturbing the ball-of-earth.
  4. Tear off polybag carefully and slide ball-of-earth into planting hole
  5. Make sure that surface of ball-of-earth levels up with soil surface
  6. Fill gap with top soil and ram gently with stick to avoid water logging and ensure firm establishment of seedling.

 

Weed Control

Always maintain a clean field especially round the plant

 

Harvesting

Oil palms can be harvested the 4th year after planting if they are given the proper care and management. The correct time to harvest bunches is when a few of the fruits become loose and can be dislodged.

NOTE: Always contact your nearest Farm Warehouse office for advice when you observe changes in leaf colour and yield

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