A review of 15 years of oil palm irrigation research in Southern Thailand

A review of 15 years of oil palm irrigation research in Southern Thailand

by

Palat Tittinutchanon1, Chayawat Nakharin1, Clendon J H1 and Corley R H V2

1- Univanich Palm Oil Public Co. Ltd., 258 Aoluk-Laemsak Road, P.O. Box 8-9, Aoluk, Krabi 81110, Thailand

2- Highlands, New Road, Great Barford, Bedford MK44 3LQ, England

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004

483,200 hectares

483,000 hectares

Planted area of oil palms in Thailand 1969 - 2006Planted area of oil palms in Thailand 1969 Planted area of oil palms in Thailand 1969 -- 20062006

45,000 growers

Thailand’s Oil Palm planted area (Hectares)

First plantings at Univanich

First factory at Univanich

136 149185

231 235 253

304336

286

374

466428

338

507545

505

732

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Estate Fruit Purchased Fruit

Fruit Processed by Univanich 1990 - 2006

Fruit Processed by Univanich Fruit Processed by Univanich 1990 1990 -- 20062006

Thousand tonnes

Recent oil palm plantings are spreading North as far as 150 from the Equator

Recent oRecent oil il ppalm alm plantings are spreading North plantings are spreading North as far as 15as far as 1500 from the Equatorfrom the Equator

Univanich Palm Oil

Krabi Province

Equator

50

150

100

Univanich Soil Water Deficit (mm)Univanich Soil Water Deficit Univanich Soil Water Deficit ((mmmm))

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total1997 3 0 18 58 35 22 0 0 0 0 0 1 119

1998 61 72 149 94 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 376

1999 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 32

2000 72 83 18 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 183

2001 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

2002 24 144 76 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 280

2003 0 86 47 14 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 149

2004 28 94 94 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 260

2005 111 146 22 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 310

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2004 2005 2006 2007

Annual CPO Production (tonnes) 2004 820,800

2005 784,000

2006 1,167,1002007 1,050,500

Thailand’s Monthly CPO Production 2004 - 2007

ThailandThailand’’s Monthly CPO Production s Monthly CPO Production 2004 2004 -- 20072007

Thousand tonnes

Univanich Irrigation TrialsUnivanich Univanich Irrigation TrialsIrrigation Trials

TrialTrial PeriodPeriod ObjectivesObjectives

DIR 90 (Phase I) 1990 – 1999 To compare 150 litres/palm.day(Dripper Irrigation) 300 litres/palm.day

with normal and double fertiliser

MIR 93 1996 – 1999 To compare 4 methods (Methods of Irrigation) - Drippers

- Sprinklers- Microsprayers- Contour furrows

DIR 90 (Phase II) 2000 – 2006 To compare 225 litres/palm.day(Dripper Irrigation) 450 litres/palm.day

with normal and double fertiliserby fertigation

Methods of Irrigation TrialMethods of Irrigation TrialMethods of Irrigation Trial

Dripper Sprinkler Micro Sprayer

Computerised control systemComputerisedComputerised control systemcontrol system

9 drips per palm9 drips per palm9 drips per palm

1 sprinkler 2 palms1 sprinkler 2 palms1 sprinkler 2 palms

2 micros per palm2 micros per palm2 micros per palm

Furrow irrigationFurrow irrigationFurrow irrigation

Methods of IrrigationMethods of IrrigationMethods of Irrigation

Table 1 Yield with different irrigation methodsMean (tons fresh fruit bunches/ha.yr) for 4 years, 1996-1999

Method Rate of irrigation (litres/palm.day)0 120 240 360

Unirrigated control 19.5 - - -Drip - 21.2 23.5 26.6Sprinkler - 22.3 22.7 21.8Microsprayer - 22.5 23.7 22.5Contour furrow - 22.9 25.6 23.4Standard error 1.7Mean, all methods 19.5 22.2 23.9 23.6

Table 2 Yield with different levels of drip irrigation, trial DIR90 tonnes FFB/ha.yr

Irrigation (l/palm.day) Normal Fertiliser Double FertiliserPhase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2

0 (external control) 17.7 17.6 19.8 18.2

150 225 22.3 24.3 22.9 24.1

300 450 23.0 25.0 26.0 28.1

4 drips per palm4 drips per palm4 drips per palm

0 225 450

Irrigation (l/palm.day)

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30Yi

eld

(t FF

B/h

a.yr

)

low fertiliser high fertiliser

Figure 2 Yield responses to irrigation, with and without extra fertilizer, in phase 2 of DIR90 (2002-2006)

0 100 200 300 400

Irrigation (litres/palm.day)

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Yiel

d (to

ns F

FB/h

a.yr

)

MIR93DIR90 ph 1DIR90 ph 2fitted line

Figure 3 Comparison of responses in three drip irrigation trialsThe line is a regression through all data points shown. For DIR90, the unirrigated data are from the external control plots, and the irrigated data are from the plots receiving double the normal rate of fertiliser.

Some practical aspects of irrigationSome practical aspects of irrigationSome practical aspects of irrigation

Some practical aspects of irrigationSome practical aspects of irrigation

digging trenches for dripper lines close to the palm causes root damage and depresses yield up to 2 years after installation

mature palms can obtain water from as far as 36 m away so it is not necessary to irrigate very close to the palm

irrigation of seedlings from time of planting can be done with moveable dripper line coiled around the palm

Drip line every second rowDrip line every second rowDrip line every second row

Moving coil systemMoving coil systemMoving coil system

Moving coil systemMoving coil systemMoving coil system

Irrigated progeny trialsIrrigated progeny trialsIrrigated progeny trials

Irrigated progeny trialsIrrigated progeny trialsIrrigated progeny trials

Conclusions :Conclusions :

the drip system is the best for irrigating oil palms

fertilizer inputs should be increased to obtain maximum response to higher rates of irrigation

with adequate fertilizer the yield response to irrigation was more or less linear, up to 450 litres/palm.day

that response in Univanich Thailand was up to 10 t FFB/ha.year