Towards attaining high yields and long term sustainability of second generation oil palm plants on peat in north Sumatera, Indonesia – The Asian Agri experience

Authors:
Manjit Sidhu, Mukesh Sharma, Abdul Aziz, Arusman Limbong, Simon Sihotang and Bukit Sanjaya

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
oil-palm, peat, second-generation, sustainability

Documentfile:
ipc16p107-110a187sidhusharma.etal_.pdf

Summary:

Asian Agri‘s planting of Gen-1 oil palms on peat commenced in 1991. Due to lack of experience with peat,inadequate drainage and zero soil compaction, initial FFB yields were poor peaking at 24 mt/ha, 11 years after planting. Thereafter, FFB yields started to decline and by 18 years, average yield was less than 15 mt/ha. This rapid deterioration in yield was attributed to a significant loss in palm stand due to Ganoderma infection and toppling over of palms due to peat subsidence. In view of uneconomical yields, early replanting with superior Gen-2 DxP progenies commenced in 2006. Right from the start, proper land preparation protocol and BMP‘s for peat were adopted to ensure that history would not repeat itself. Peat compaction was undertaken to minimise future palm-…