Sustainable Oil Palm Farming / Applying potassium (K)
Download: Module 4: Fertiliser Application
Contents
Goal
- Provide oil palms with sufficient potassium to produce optimum yields;
- Limit the loss of potassium to the environment.
Standard
Potassium fertiliser is applied according to the 4R principle: right type, right amount, right place, right time.
Timing
Not during very wet periods.
Frequency
- Most soil types: 2—3 doses per year (once every 4—6 months);
- Very sandy soils and peat soils: 3—4 doses per year (once every 3—4 months).
Labour time required
2—4 hours per hectare.
Equipment and materials
- Bucket, bag or wheelbarrow
- Kitchen scales
- Black marker pen
- Bowl of 1.5—2 L
- Fertiliser
Dosage
See: Table 4; Table 5; Table 6; Table 7.
Who
Farmers and their families or hired labourers.
How
Apply potassium fertiliser by following these steps:
| Step 1. | Before application, remove noxious weeds and slash ground cover to 50 cm height. |
| Step 2. | Weigh the amount of fertiliser to be applied in a bowl or cup, using kitchen scales. |
| Step 3. | Mark the bowl / cup at the right amount using a black marker pen. |
| Step 4. | Break up any fertiliser clumps into small pieces before application (see Figure 21). |
| Step 5. | Apply the fertiliser in the following way:
If palms are on the edge of a river, road or ditch, avoid applying fertilisers on the side of the palm closest to the edge (if fertiliser is being broadcast). |
Data recording
Every fertiliser application should be recorded in a log book as shown in the example below.
| Date | Time | Location | Activity | Input type | Input amount | Input costs | Labour input | Labour costs | |
| People | Hours | ||||||||
| 16/01/13 | Field 3 | Fertiliser: K | KCl | 150 kg | 840000 | 1 | 4 | 40000 | |
References
- ↑ H. Othman, T.M. Ahmad, T.D. Mohd, Bunch ash: an efficient and cost-effective K fertilizer source for mature oil palm on peat under high rainfall environment, MPOB Information Series, 258 (2005).
Acknowledgements
The material from Applying potassium (K) is sourced from Smallholder Oil Palm Handbook and put together by Lotte Suzanne Woittiez (Wageningen Universit) and Haryono Sadikin, Sri Turhina, Hidayat Dani, Tri Purba Dukan, and Hans Smit (SNV) in August 2016. See Module 4: Fertiliser Application for more information.
