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 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
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
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
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