TKP3001 : MODERN AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY

Land Preparation & Management Technologies in

Rubber Plantation

BY

NOOR JANATUN MAQWA JEMALI170199

INTRODUCTION

Soil tillage or land preparation is one of the routine activities in most agricultural

systems. Often, land preparation starts with burning fallow vegetation or previous

crop residues in order to clear the land or to scare away wild animals or snakes. 

Image 1:

This farmer is not only cleaning his field, but also 'cleaning his pockets' by burning

the potential fertility of his soil. (FAO).

Burning is usually followed by soil tillage. Depending on the possibilities of the

farmer, tillage can range from very extensive to very intensive. But why do farmers

plough? 

In the first place to prepare an adequate seedbed which permits a good

germination of the seeds. They think that a soil well tilled, loose, levelled and with a

lot of fine particles favours the contact between the seeds and the soil, which in turn

lead to sowing at an adequate depth. In second place, farmers plough in order to

control weeds. Other reasons for tillage may include enhancement of soil water

storage and retention and warming-up of the soil.

Functions of soil tillage

Prepare seedbed

Manage crop residues

Incorporate fertilizers and agro-chemicals

Control weeds

De-compact dense layers

Increase water infiltration

Shape the soil surface (levelling, ridging)

Unfortunately, the method used to achieve any of the above mentioned objectives

of tillage might produce a conflict with the other objectives. Each additional tillage

operation for weed control also buries more residues and exposes moist soil to the

surface, causing additional water loss. As the number of tillage operations is

increased, the aggregation of soil is decreased leaving the soil more vulnerable for soil

erosion (Godwin,1990).

In this way, tillage operations will eventually have negative effects on the soil

productivity and the economic return of the crops. They are responsible for the

destruction of the soil and crop residues. Tillage also affects the availability of water

and nutrients in the soil. Among the costs of tillage one should also count:

Increased erosion and loss of fertility.

Increased evaporation and moisture loss.

Decreased capability of the soil to hold water.

Eroded soil can move on to other places, like ditches, lakes and reservoirs, water

harvesting tanks or to the neighbour's field, taking with it organic matter, nitrogen,

phosphorus and pesticides. Preventive measures, like the construction of terraces, are

expensive. It is far more effective and cheaper to refrain from tillage and conserve the

residues on the soil surface.

Land Preparation & Management Technologies in

Rubber Plantation

1. Zero Burning

The zero burning technique is a method of land clearing whereby the tree stand,

either logged over secondary forests or an old area of plantation tree crops such as oil

palm are felled, shredded, stacked and left in situ to decompose naturally.

The main benefit derived from zero burning in Malaysia is that nutrients tend to

be released more slowly during decomposition so that they can be utilized by newly

planted trees. This reduces per-hectare inorganic fertilizers needed at the time of

planting (e.g., nitrogen by 738 kilograms, phosphorus by 205 kilograms, potassium by

848kilograms, and magnesium by 487 kilograms).

The organic matter also improves the soil and when used properly, can help with

terracing and the reduction of runoff. One study found that in 1993 the zero burning

technique reduced costs for establishing plantations from 1,070 to 1,415 ringgits (the

Malaysian unit of currency) when compared with plantations where burning was used.

This is primarily because zero burning reduces the fallow time needed by eliminating

the need to dry the cleared forest material for burning. Thus, producers get a portion

of a crop that much faster. This method also exposes soil far less than other methods,

and it lets replanting occur gradually throughout the year whenever there is sufficient

rainfall for the seedlings.

2. Machinery

Field operations, should be organized to maximize the efficient use of the

selected machines. The road and ride pattern of the mechanical equipment should

match the spacing in the plantation.The availability of competent personnel to operate

the machinery and organize and carry out maintenance and repair tasks is essential for

a successful operation. When planning, the following factors should be taken into

consideration: the availability of labor and equipment; cost efficiency; scale of

operation; quality of work and timeliness; and environmental consequences.

Mechanized site preparation can be divided into three phases:

- Removal or clearing the existing herbaceous and woody vegetation (grass, shrub,

bush or trees). This can be either done with or without root extraction;

- Disposal of vegetative debris by wind-rowing, chopping and mixing with soil or

burning;

- Soil cultivation either on strips or entire areas in conjunction, where necessary, with

soil and water conservation techniques.

Rotary tiller

The rotary tiller performs farming operations such as ploughing, pulverizing and

leveling the soil simultaneously, thus saving time and fuel. It can function on both dry

and wet land. It mixes residual matter into the soil through uprooting and chopping

and enhances its fertility. It is also very useful for inter culture, pudding and seedbed

preparations for all crops.

Advance Logging MachineThis machine is a advance chainsaw that cut the tree with a very short time.

This machine control from the tractor by a driver.This new technology is very

effective as it can cut up to 100 trees per hour. It also can cut the tree into section

right after cut it. The branches can be clear just in seconds.

This machine can decrease the cost of logging and clearing with decreasing

no of workers, and day of working. It also a time saving technology which the

production of a day just like 3 days of working.

Bulldozer

This operation uses crawler bulldozers equipped with front-end sharp angle or

straight blades to cut and fell single trees at or near ground level. It used to eliminate

or minimize the competition for nutrients, moisture and light between the existing

woody vegetation and the new plantation. It is also used to quickly achieve medium-

scale land clearing. For medium-scale clearing operations in upland wood or brush

country with sparse standing trees. The bulldozer blade can be used for various

purposes, and can be immediately turned to a new task after felling the trees. Manual

felling is expensive and the necessary machinery is available.It used when the

topography and soil conditions are suitable for a mechanized operation.

3. Drone

If precision technology has driven the farming revolution of recent years, monitoring

crops from the sky will drive the next. With a drone or UAV you can capture highly

accurate images of your fields, covering up to hundreds of hectares/acres in a single flight.

Without the cost and hassle of manned services. At a far greater resolution than satellite

imagery provides, even when there is cloud cover.By using image processing software you

can then transform these shots into one large 'orthomosaic' image. Apply algorithms like

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to this image and you create a

reflectance map of your crop. This map is the key to boosting yields, cutting costs, and

driving your business forwards. It highlights exactly which areas of crop need closer

examination – meaning less time spent scouting, and more time treating the plants that

need it.

Function

Measure erosion channel width & depth

Conduct exploratory excavation to determine drainage tile, depth, size & location

Developing erosion channels

Damage observations

Land management – take ground in or out of production, rotate crops, etc.

4. Drainage system

An agricultural drainage system is a system by which the water level on or in the

soil is controlled to enhance agricultural crop production. The function of the field

drainage system is to control the water table, whereas the function of the main drainage

system is to collect, transport, and dispose of the water through an outfall or outlet. In

some instances one makes an additional distinction between collector and main drainage

systems.

Field drainage systems are differentiated in surface and subsurface field drainage

systems. Sometimes (e.g. in irrigated, submerged rice fields), a form of temporary

drainage is required whereby the drainage system is allowed to function on certain

occasions only (e.g. during the harvest period). If allowed to function continuously,

excessive quantities of water would be lost. Such a system is therefore called a checked,

or controlled, drainage system. More usually, however, the drainage system is meant to

function as regularly as possible to prevent undue waterlogging at any time and one

employs a regular drainage system.

5. Terrace and Contour

When the plantation area have slopes, terraces must be made along the contour

lines. This method used to prevent erosion.The terrace should be 2 metres wide.

Trench need to be dig 0.35 metre deep and 0.35 metre wide. Make the terrace slope

a little against the slope of the land. The stake is 1.40 metres from the trench.

Contour planting is the farming practice of plowing and/or planting across a slope

following its elevation contour lines. These contour lines create a water break which

reduces the formation of rills and gullies during times of heavy water run-off; which

is a major cause of soil erosion. The water break also allows more time for the water

to settle into the soil. In contour ploughing, the ruts made by the plow run

perpendicular rather than parallel to slopes, generally resulting in furrows that curve

around the land and are level. This method is also known for preventing tillage

erosion.Tillage erosion is the soil movement and erosion by tilling a given plot of

land. A similar practice is contour bunding where stones are placed around the

contours of slopes.

Soil erosion prevention practices such as this can drastically decrease negative

affects associated with soil erosion such as reduced crop productivity, worsened water

quality, lower effective reservoir water levels, flooding, and habitat destruction.

Contour farming is considered an active form of sustainable agriculture.

6. SatelliteSatellite images are images that gets from satellite camera. This images can be

used to determine land suitability before planting crop by soil mapping system. The

images give some information to make the best land best decision. Images show the

topography of that area. DEM water source. Some of maps that analysis from satellite

image can indicates type of soil and type of crop that suitable to be plant there.

7. LimingLiming is a method to help farmer to increase the fertility of the land. It can increase

the soil pH to make sure plant can grow on that area . For rubber, lime is needed before

the rubber planting begin. The amount of lime used are depend on the soil pH of the

soil. This method discovered by . It is very beneficial and give a good impact in

improving the soil structure, texture and quality. This method can increase soil

fertility,thus its ca also save cost by not using high fertilizer.

Future Technologies in Rubber Plantation Land Preparation

1. Nutrient Cultivation of soil

2. Soil VaccinesSoil vaccine is technology in biology and pathology to prevent the soil from

bacteria, fungus or disease that may attack plant crop. The function same like other

human or animal vaccine, but this vaccine is specialize for soil problem or disease.

The vaccine can be spread by using good bacteria that can reproduce in the soil and

spread the vaccine.

3. Soil Multipurpose Sensor Soil Multipurpose sensor is a technology that combine many apparatus to get test

on soil. The sensor involve with pH meter, Nutrient contain meter , water table

meter and many more. This sensor build in a hardware and monitor from one

screen. This sensor will help farmer to identify the soil problem and help to solve

the soil problem that faced by the farmer.

4. Logging Air TransporterAir transporter is a transport that replace the function of lorries. Air transporter is

used to transport the log to the out from the area by air. This transporter can reduce

the cost and time of land clearing. The logs can be transfer to the manufa

5. Super Wheel Rotavator This is a tiny yet more effective technology. This rotavator can replace the

function of soil rotavator tractor. Small wheel that can dig into the soil and rotavate

the soil from inside. This machine work faster than soil rotavator. It is easy to handle

as it can be control by controller or automatic system by using GPS technology.