EFForTS OPMX: Plants, plots and treatments
Oil palm plantations are popular agricultural systems in tropical regions. The plantations are intensively managed, with high fertilizer and herbicide input [3]. This negatively impacts climate, soils, water and biodiversity [5]. On the other hand, the use of fertilizer and herbicides reduces labor input, which makes the crop a profitable land-use option for smallholders. Therefore, the aim of OPMX is to evaluate whether alternatives to current fertilizer and weeding management practices can reduce the negative impacts on ecosystem functions and biodiversity while maintaining high production levels. The multidisciplinary experiment is conducted at PTPN VI. This is a state-owned company that engages in producing, selling, and exporting palm oil, rubber and tea. The EFForTS OPMX oil palm plantation encompasses 2025 ha, which equals about 2836 football fields. On site, they compare four different treatment combinations:
- Reduced fertilization + mechanical weeding
- Reduced fertilization + chemical weeding (with herbicides)
- Conventional fertilization + mechanical weeding
- Conventional fertilization + chemical weeding (with herbicides)
Soil organisms were measured, as well as soil nutrients and functions, oil palm productivity and the condition of the palms. Also, the plantation gross margins were calculated [3].
The oil palm used at PTPN VI is called Tenera. It is a cross between Dura and Pisifera palms. Hybrid Tenera fruits produce up to 30 percent more oil than their parent plans. They can be identified due to their thin shell around the kernel.
Tenera plants were first planted on the OPMX site between 1999-2002. They were set 8 m apart from each other. Per hectare, 144 to 160 palms were planted [3].Within oil palm plantations, there are usually three different management zones (see below).
The palm circle (A) is centered around each palm tree within a 2 m radius. Fertilizer is applied there and it is regularly weeded in the OPMX treatment. The frond pile area (B) is where the pruned senesced fronds are stacked. The remaining area is called interrows (C). Regarding OPMX, this is where understory plants and harvest paths are located [3].
