Mistakes to Avoid when Applying Fertilizer to Oil Palm Seedlings

Applying Fertilizer to oil palm is an important part of agriculture. Many farmers and planters are not aware that applying fertiliser wrongly might harm their crops.

It is good to take note of the mistakes to avoid when applying fertilizer to oil palm. Fertilisers should be used carefully so that their benefits are maximised and that oil palm plants are not harmed.

Most fertilisers come with a label outlining how they should be used, including the recommended weight per ha. Planters should adhere to the guidelines provided by labels and manuals; otherwise, they endanger the health of their plants. Here are some more frequent blunders that might be made while applying fertilisers:

Using too Much Fertiliser

One mistake to avoid when applying fertilizer to oil palm is using too much Fertilizer. Fertilizer today are sold as dry powders or granules. As a result, the usage amount recommended is given as kilogrammes per hectare or pounds per hectare. It is advised not to exceed that quantity because using too much might harm the roots of your oil palm trees.

An exceptionally high amount of fertiliser can actually burn off sections of the palms, making them prone to diseases from fungus like Ganoderma boninense, which causes white rot.

Not Doing a Soil Test.

To determine what fertilisers your oil palms require, test the soil periodically to see what nutrients have been depleted. When you have such knowledge, you may determine whether to use NPK or micronutrient fertilisers. You will also be able to determine the fertiliser mix ratio.

A soil test will also disclose the acidity and alkalinity of your plantation’s soil, known as the soil pH. Some fertilisers can help to balance the pH of the soil, making it more suitable for oil palm growth.

Not Applying Fertilisers on Time

Fertilisers should be used at least one to two months before the time of fruiting begins. This is especially true for nutrients like nitrogen (present in NPK fertilisers), which take around three weeks to achieve their full impact.

Placing fertilisers after the harvest season may not be a smart idea, since the excess nutrients left over from the main crops might promote the growth of weeds and parasitic plants.

Applying the Wrong Fertilizer

Selecting a random fertiliser is not the best technique. If you see any growth faults in your plants, such as smaller fruit bunches, less meat, browning leaves, and so on, the first thing you should do is do study. If you discover that it is caused by a specific nutrient deficit, apply a fertiliser that contains a high concentration of that nutrient.

Purchasing and applying fertiliser at random might exacerbate or cause new difficulties for your palm tree.

Sustainability and Safety

Aside from the three major nutrients, N, P, and K, you must also pay attention to minor nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, boron, and others to ensure that they are not deficient.

Fertilisers should be used with the long-term health of your plantation in mind. This means that the soil must be sustainable so that future generations can use it.

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