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21:35, 10 October 2016 [[Image:SNV logo.png|right|100px|link=http://www.snv.org/]]
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Download: [http://intothefield.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Module-4-3rd-edition-2016-08.pdf Module 4: Fertiliser Application]
===Goal===
* Provide oil palms with sufficient nitrogen to produce optimum yields;
* Limit the loss of fertilisers to the environment.
===Standard===
Nitrogen fertiliser is applied according to the 4R principle: right type, right amount, right place, right time.
===Timing===
* After it rains, when the soil is still moist;
* Not when the soil is water-logged;
* Not in the dry season when no rain is expected;
* '''Note:''' For urea, apply in the morning of a day when rain is expected soon (in the afternoon or on the next day).
===Frequency===
At least 2 doses per year (once every 6 months) and optimally 3 doses (once every 4 months) because less nutrients are lost.
===Labour time required===
2—4 hours per hectare.
===Equipment and materials===
[[Image:oil-palm-4.6-figure19.png|thumb|right|200px|Figure 19: Application of urea in the weeded circle]]
* Bucket, bag or wheelbarrow
* Kitchen scales
* Black marker pen
* Bowl (1.5—2 L)
* Fertiliser
===Dosage===
See: [[Sustainable Oil Palm Farming / Fertiliser recommendations | Table 4; Table 5; Table 6; Table 7]].
===Who===
Farmers and their families or hired labourers.
===How===
Apply nitrogen fertiliser by following these steps:
{| style="border: 1px solid #72CDFF" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|width="15%" valign="top"|'''Step 1.'''
|Make sure the plantation is well maintained, noxious weeds have been removed and ground cover has been slashed to 50 cm height.
|-
|width="15%" valign="top" style="background:#f0f8ff;" |'''Step 2.'''
|style="background:#f0f8ff;" |In a bowl or cup weigh the amount of fertiliser to be applied with kitchen scales.
|-
|width="15%" valign="top"|'''Step 3.'''
|Mark the bowl/cup at the right amount using a black marker pen.
|-
|width="15%" valign="top" style="background:#f0f8ff;" |'''Step 4.'''
|style="background:#f0f8ff;" |Break up any clumps of fertiliser into small pieces before application.
|-
|width="15%" valign="top" |'''Step 5.'''
|Apply the N fertiliser in the following way:
* For palms less than 10 years after planting, apply fertiliser in the weeded circle;
* For palms greater than 10 years after planting, broadcast the fertiliser evenly in the circle or in the inter-row area, excluding harvesting paths (see [http://akvopedia.org/sandbox/File:Oil-palm-4.6-figure19.png Figure 19]) <ref>K.J. Goh, R. Härdter, T. Fairhurst, Fertilizing for maximum return, in: T. Fairhurst, R. Härdter (Eds.) The Oil Palm - Management for Large and Sustainable Yields, Potash & Phosphate Institute of Canada, Potash & Phosphate Institute, International Potash Institute, Singapore, 2003, pp. 279—306.</ref>.
If palms are located on the edge of a river, road or ditch, avoid applying fertilisers on the side of the palm closest to the edge.
|}
'''Note:''' A good (and cheaper) way to provide part of the N is by sowing legume cover crops (see [http://intothefield.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Module-3.pdf Module 3: Plantation Maintenance]).
===Data recording===
Every fertiliser application should be recorded in a logbook as shown in the example below.
{|border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|rowspan="2" |'''Date'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Time'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Location'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Activity'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Input type'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Input amount'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Input costs'''
|colspan="2" |'''Labour input'''
|rowspan="2" |'''Labour costs'''
|-
|'''People'''
|'''Hours'''
|-
|16/01/13
|<!--empty-->
|Field 3
|Fertiliser: N
|Urea
|150 kg
|360000
|1
|4
|40000
|}
===References===
<references/>
===Acknowledgements===
The material from ''Applying nitrogen (N)'' is sourced from Smallholder Oil Palm Handbook and put together by Lotte Suzanne Woittiez ([http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/wageningen-university.htm Wageningen Universit]) and Haryono Sadikin, Sri Turhina, Hidayat Dani, Tri Purba Dukan, and Hans Smit ([http://www.snv.org/ SNV]) in August 2016. See [http://intothefield.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Module-4-3rd-edition-2016-08.pdf Module 4: Fertiliser Application] for more information.
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