AA+Mulch
System – A Procedure for Mulching Immature Oil Palm
QUAH YIN THYE1, REVENTHIRAN,
N.2, THOMAS THOMAS3
AND SOH AIK CHIN1
1Applied Agricultural Research
Sdn. Bhd., Locked Bag No. 212, Sg Buloh P. O., 47000 Sungei Buloh,
Selangor, Malaysia.
2 Batang Jelai estate,
73500 Rompin, Negri Sembilan.
3Paloh estate, K/B
No. 106, 86609 Paloh, Johor.
AA+Mulch is a specially designed polythene sheet used in a mulching system for newly planted oil palms to minimize circle weeding and to reduce frequent fertilizer application rounds. Fertilizers for the palm’s first 12-24 months growth are broadcast in concentric rings in the palm circle between 0.2 and 1.0 m from the palm bases and then covered with two AA+Mulch sheets measuring 1.2m x3.0m each.
Trial results after two years showed no growth differences between palms mulched with EFB or empty fruit bunch (standard estate practice) and palms mulched with AA+Mulch. However, results from observation blocks showed that growth of palms mulched with AA+Mulch was significantly better than palms mulched with EFB. Similar results were also obtained in many other commercial plantings. The better palm growth obtained in the commercial areas was probably because palms mulched with AA+Mulch were less prone to herbicidal spray drift during palm circle weeding. Circle spraying could be carried out just outside the polythene sheets, as there was minimal ground vegetation within the mulched circles. In the trial, circle spraying was carefully done for all treatments to ensure fronds were not sprayed. In addition, the one-off fertilizer application in the AA+Mulch system would ensure that fertilizers were present during the first 12 months of growth whereas in commercial fields, fertilizer applications might be delayed, or palms missed or poorly done.There was no difference in the cost of weeding and mulching between palms mulched with EFB and AA+Mulch at the end of two years, but no mulching at all was cheaper by about 16%. The main savings of AA+Mulch system was labour for weeding. Labour required per hectare was 10.1 man-days in AA+Mulch system, 18.4 man-days in EFB mulching system and 14.9 man-days in no mulching system.
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