Param Agricultural Soil Surveys (M) Sdn. Bhd. 13TH ISP ... Paramananthan... · Crop selection Time of planting ... Miri Series Serai Series (deep sandy) ... FAMILY Dysic, isohyperthermic

S. PARAMANANTHAN

B.Sc. (Hon), Dip. Trop. Agron., D.Sc.,

FIGM, FMSSS, FISP, FASc

Param Agricultural Soil Surveys (M) Sdn. Bhd.

13TH ISP NATIONAL SEMINAR 2017

100 YEARS OF OIL PALM: SURGING FORWARD

17-19TH JULY 2017 SUBANG DORSET HOTEL

SUBANG JAYA, SELANGOR

Temperate Soils

Alternating Hot/Cool temperatures

Wet/dry season

Partial weathering/ Leaching

Moderate/ High Fertility soils

Soya Bean/ Rapeseed/ Citrus

Tropical Soils

Continuously high temperature

Continuously high Rainfall

Low Fertility

Oil Palm/ Rubber/ Cocoa/ Coconut

Acidic – pH <5.5

• [<12 cmol (+) kg-1 clay]

Low Cation Exchange Capacity

Often Low Base Saturation (<10%)

• leaching losses are high

Profiles deep (>2 m)

• leaching and soil erosion

High rainfall (>200 mm/month)

OBJECTIVE OF PAPER

Oil Palms first planted:

• TENNAMARAM Estate – in 1917, 100 Years Ago

How did Oil Palm perform over the 100 years?

What is the future outlook?

What was the role of soils?

● Soils did not play a role in land selection /

Management

● Early crops: Rubber / Sisal Hemp / Coffee /

Coconut / Oil Palms

● No land selection

● Systematic soil surveys only since 1950

● Based on land availability/ Accessibility

● Planted on problematic soils

● Carey Island

Acid sulfate soils

Below sea level

● Highland/ Lowland Coastal Areas

Acid Sulfate soils/ Organic soils/

● Guthrie

Lateritic soils

● Sabah - BAL Estate

Highly weathered soils

● Sarawak

Organic soils / Steepland

EARLY OIL PALMS

On problem soils

Incentive for

research

FIVE MAIN GROUPS OF PROBLEM SOILS

Highly

weathered Lateritic Acid sulfate Sandy Organic

● Iron-rich parent material

Serpentinite/ Basalt/ Andesite/ Schist

● Earlier considered class 1 soil – rubber Oil Palm

Deep, friable, red coloured soils

Low CEC <2 cmol (+) kg-1 clay

Very low base saturation <10%

High levels of Ni, Cr

High porosity – Pseudosands / Silts – aggregation by

iron

Moisture stress

Leaching losses of applied fertilizers

High P fixation

Segamat

Series

Prang

Series

Kuantan

Series

Example TOP SOIL SUB SOIL

Total Available Total Available

Pinianakan 813 1 819 1

Jeram 301 2 241 1

Tanjong Lipat 183 8 113 2

Kumansi 154 2 114 1

Kuah 202 4 183 4

Lundang 313 3 236 3

Buran 506 2 393 5

Organic Clay 453 10 224 7

Notes:

Release of P – Band Placement

– Frond Heap

– Organic Manures

– EFB

Crop selection

Time of planting

Mulching EFB / Frond stacking

No lime or maintenance dose

Band placement / Organic manure / Compost / EFB

Comparison of ASYP and actual yields achieved for mature

palms on Kawang Series soils (Source: Kee et al., 1998)

Iron-stone gravels >35%

>25 cm band

Within 50 cm depth

Platy Laterite Lateritic Gravels

Tan and Thong (1975) – Dunlop Estate

2 years delay to harvest

Yields 30% lower than deep soils (>100 cm)

High fertilizer

Frequent moisture stress rates

● Soil map – delineate shallow (<50 cm) soils

● Special attention – additional fertilizers

● Frond stacking / EFB mulching

Comparison of yield performance of oil

palms on Malacca and Bungor Series soils (Source: Phang et al., 1977; Goh et al., 1994)

Yield performance on Malacca series with

old and new management practices (Source: Phang et al., 1977; Goh et al., 1994)

ACID SUFATE SOILS

SULFIDIC MARINE CLAY

FeS2 Microbical

Oxidation

Yellow

Jarosite

KFe3 (SO4)2 OH6 + 9H+

MICROBICAL OXIDATION UNDRAINED

Potential acid sulfate soils

smell of Hydrogen Sulfide(rotten eggs)

Pyrite (FeS2)

DRAINED

True acid sulfate soils

Yellow jarosite mottles

pH <3.5

ORGANIC POOR

Light Grey, Wet sticky,

Dry harder

e.g., Kranji Series

ORGANIC RICH

Brown, Friable

e.g., Linau Series

ORGANIC POOR

Light Grey, Jarosite,

pH<3.5, Wet sticky, Dry hard

e.g., Parit Botak Series

ORGANIC RICH

Brown, Jarosite,

pH<3.5, Friable

e.g., Sedu Series

ACID SUFATE SOIL CROSS SECTION

PROBLEMS – True Acid Sulfate

Strongly acidic pH <3.5

Poor rooting

Potassium locked in Jarosite

(Source: Paramananthan and Noordin Daud, 1986)

Water management

No liming

Flush drains in rainy season

Close controls to retain water end of dry season

EFB application (Prudent use)

Yields in Carey Island – increased to over 30 mt/ha/yr

Effect of increased drainage

and subsequent raising of

water table on yield of oil

palms on severe acid

sulphate soils (Source: Toh and Poon, 1982)

Effect of water management on FFB

production in oil palm planted on acid

sulfate soils (adapted from Hew et al., 1974)

SANDY SOILS

Soils with clay content

<15%

Bleached albic horizon

Cemented / weakly cemented

spodic horizon

Spodic can be humus-rich

Frequent moisture stress

No spodic to 100 cm – deep

sandy soils

SANDY TERRACES

Rudua Series (moderately deep

spodic)

Jambu Series (deep sandy)

Baging Series (deep sandy)

BEACH

RIDGES

Baiayo Series (shallow spodic)

Buso Series (shallow spodic)

Karamatoi Series (moderately deep

spodic)

Miri Series (moderately deep

spodic)

Serai Series (deep sandy)

Organic Sand Lintang Series (deep sandy)

Sg. Buloh Series

(deep sandy)

IN-SITU

SOILS

Silantek Series (moderately deep

spodic)

Bako Series (moderately deep

spodic)

Tika Series

Sandy textures

- Low fertility

- Low water holding capacity

Cemented spodic horizon

- Flooding in wet season

- Moisture stress in dry season

Erosion above spodic on undulating land

Poor vegetation

- Heath / Kerangas forests

Wind damage to Oil Palm

Soil erosion on

sandy soils (Source: Paramananthan, 2014)

Vegetation on sandy

soils (Source: Paramananthan, 2014)

Mulching with EFB

Maintain good cover - Mucuna - planted near stack row

Additional rock phosphate

Scupper drain

construction (Source: Paramananthan, 2014)

Yield

performance

of oil palms

On podzols

and deep

sandy soils (Source: Goh, 1974)

Yield

performance

on Rudua

Series (Xaviar et al., 2004)

Temperate Area

Sphagnum / grasses, sedges

Little or no wood

Sapric / Hemic / Fibric pyrophosphate test

Tropical Area

Wetland forests

Wood common – No wood / Decomposed wood / Undecomposed wood

Sapric / Hemic / Fibric rubbing test

Dome shaped

CATEGORIC LEVEL CRITERIA USED EXAMPLE

ORDER

• Minimum thickness

– 50 cm in upper 100 cm or 50% of

Solum if less than 100 cm

HISTOSOLS

SUB-ORDER • Well drained

• Poorly drained

FOLISTS

GAMBISTS

GREAT GROUP

• Thickness of organic layer

– 50-150 cm

– 150-300 cm

Topogambist

Ombrogambist

SUB-GROUPS • Dominant material in Middle (50-100

cm) Tier Sapric Ombrogambist

SOIL FAMILY • Nature of substratum

• Soil temperature regime

Marine clayey

Isohyperthermic

SOIL SERIES • Wood Classes

• Mode of origin

Kenyana Series

Undecomposed wood

Autochthonous

SOIL PHASE

• Ash content

• Reaction Class

• Salinity

• Nature of Surface Tier

• Drained Phases

• Depth Phase

Low ash, dysic, non-saline, sapric,

drained, very deep

Categoric Level

Keys to Soil Taxonomy

(Soil Survey Staff, 2010)

Malaysian soil Taxonomy – Revised

Second Edition (Paramananthan, 2010)

Naman Series Kenyana Series Naman Series Kenyana Series

ORDER HISTOSOL HISTOSOL HISTOSOL HISTOSOL

SUBORDER SAPRIST SAPRIST GAMBIST GAMBIST

GREAT GROUP HAPLOSAPRIST HAPLOSAPRIST OMBROGAMBIST OMBROGAMBIST

SUB-GROUP Typic Haplosaprist Typic Haplosaprist Sapric Ombrogambist Sapric Ombrogambist

FAMILY Dysic, isohyperthermic Dysic, isohyperthermic Marine-clayey,

isohyperthermic

Marine-clayey,

isohyperthermic

SOIL SERIES Criteria used,

non-applicable

Criteria used,

Non-applicable

Non-woody,

autochthonous

Woody-

undecomposed,

autochthonous

PHASE Criteria used,

Non-applicable

Criteria used,

Non-applicable

Low ash, dysic, non-

saline, sapric, drained,

very deep

Low ash, dysic, non-

saline, sapric, drained,

very deep

Soil

Management

Group

Soil Map Units

(examples)

Characteristic/

Limitation

Management Practices

Needed

Yield Potential

(mt/ha/yr)

Oa

Erg/sh/1

Erg/md/1

Lku/d/1

Lku/vd/1

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep

(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) sapric material, non-

woody. Poorly drained. Low fertility.

Compaction of planting rows.

High planting density.

Water control and management.

Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B

and Zn.

26-28

Oawd

Kba/sh/1

Kba/md/1

Tel/d/1

Tel/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) sapric material with

decomposed wood. Poorly drained.

Stunted growth common after five years.

Termites. Low fertility.




Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B,

Zn.

Thinning of stunted palms.

24-26

Oawu

Sui/d/1

Sui/vd/1

Krp/d/1

Krp/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) sapric material with

undecomposed wood. Poorly drained.


Termites. Low fertility. High cost of drain

construction.





Zn.


22-24

Oe Nps/sh/1

Nps/md/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) hemic material, non-

woody. Poorly drained. Low fertility.




Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B

and Zn.

24-26

Oewd

Gli/sh/1

Gli/md/1

Gdg/d/1

Gdg/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) hemic material with

decomposed wood. Poorly drained .


Termites. Low fertility. Moderate drain

construction costs.





Zn.


22-24

Soil

Management

Group

Soil Map Units

(examples)

Characteristic/

Limitation

Management Practices

Needed

Yield Potential

(mt/ha/yr)

Oewu

Aln/d/1

Aln/vd/1

Tku/d/1

Tku/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) hemic material with

undecomposed wood. Poorly drained .



construction.




Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B, Zn.


20-22

Oi

Clk/sh/1

Clk/md/1

Arg/d/1

Arg/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) fibric material, non-woody.

Poorly drained. Low fertility.




Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B and

Zn.

22-24

Oiwd

Mkh/sh/1

Mkh/md/1

Slh/d/1

Slh/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) fibric material with

decomposed wood. Poorly drained.



construction.






20-22

Oiwu

And/d/1

And/vd/1

Tjr/d/1

Tjr/vd/1


(100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very

deep (300+ cm) fibric material with

undecomposed wood. Poorly drained.

Low bulk density. Stunted growth common

after five years. Termites. Low fertility.

High cost of drain construction.






18-20

YEARS YIELD OF

OIL PALM

(2003-2013) (Source: VELOO ET AL, 2015)

Soil Series Soil Management Group Mean Range Standard

Deviation

Naman/deep Oa (organic, sapric, no wood) 19.50 18.71-

20.62 0.89

Telong/deep Oawd (organic, sapric, decomposed

wood) 22.92

19.65-

25.18 2.26

Bayas/very

deep

Oewd (organic, hemic, decomposed

wood) 13.37

11.71-

15.33 1.31

Gedong/very

deep

Oewu (organic, hemic,

undecomposed wood) 9.467 8.17-10.70 0.91

Bako Mineral soil 13.65 10.28-

16.01 2.19

MEAN COST OF DEVELOPMENT (COD) TO MATURITY BY SOIL

TYPE AND SOIL MANAGEMENT GROUP (Source: VELOO ET AL, 2015)

Soil Series Description of Soils N

Cost of Development

Mean Range Standard

Deviation

Naman/deep

(150-300 cm)

Oa (organic soil, sapric, with no wood);

underlying material marine clay. 4 5,552 5,470-5,630 75.19

Suai/very deep

(>300 cm)

Oawu (organic soil, sapric with undecomposed

wood); underlying material marine sand. 6 7,123 7,000-7,196 79.79

Bayas/very deep

(>300 cm)

Oewd (organic soil, hemic with decomposed

wood); underlying material marine clay. 5 6,037 5,925-6,120 71.37

Gedong/very deep

(>300 cm)

Oewu (organic soil, hemic with undecomposed

wood); underlying material marine clay. 5 8,545 8,480-8,612 55.02

Bako (weakly

cemented)

(spodic 50-100 cm)

Mineral soil, underlying material sandstone. 6 5,068 4,810-5,820 184.84

FFB Yields on deep peat in United Plantations (Source: Gurmit, 2004)

Half-truth by NGO’s

- GHG emission

NGO’s zero peat

- Global peats high GHG emission

- Moisture stress in dry season

Emission depends on management group

- New findings by MPOB

Social Impact Assessment

High Conservation Value Assessment

Preliminary Soil Survey

Semi-detailed Soil Survey (MUCOS)

If approved

Technically suitable Economically viable

CERTIFY AND PLANT

UNSUITABLE AREAS Soils Unsuitable

High HCV (delineated) Economically not viable

DO NOT CLEAR FOR PLANTING

EXISTING AREAS

Carry out Semi-Detailed Soil Survey using MUCOS

Technically suitable Economically viable

BMPs Compliant

Delineate areas for biodiversity

The next cycle for replanting – re-survey

using MUCOS

Technically unsuitable OR

Economically not viable REHABILITATE TO FORESTRY

OR CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATION

IF BMPs USED (Review at time of replanting)

Soil

Management

Group

Main Characteristic / Limitation Management Practices Needed

Peak

Yield

Potential

Baram River

Basin

Kuala Suai

Complex

Retus (Sibu)

Complex

Melur Gemilang

Complex Total

Mt / ha / yr Ha % Ha % Ha % Ha % Ha %

Oa

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Sapric material, non-woody. Poorly drained. Low fertility.

- Compaction of planting rows. - High planting density. - Water control and management. - Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B and Zn.

26-28 32,788.9 15.9 2,166.1 32.7 7,491.2 45.0 4,677.6 34.9 47,123.8 19.4

Oawd

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Sapric material with decomposed wood. Poorly drained. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility.

- Compaction of planting rows. - High planting density. - Water control and management. - Good fertilizer programme with Cu, B, Zn. - Thinning of stunted palms.

24-26 14,504.7 7.0 3,739.9 56.5 2,394.4 14.4 - - 20,639.0 8.5

Oawu

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Sapric material with undecomposed wood. Poorly drained. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility. High cost of drain construction.


22-24 121,665.2 58.9 709.9 10.8 3,339.4 20.0 8,744.1 65.1 134,458.6 55.3

Oe

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Hemic material, non-woody. Poorly drained. Low fertility.


24-26 82.4 - - - - - - - 82.4 -

Oewd

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Hemic material with decomposed wood. Poorly drained. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility. Moderate drain construction costs.


22-24 17,322.6 8.4 - - 1,414.2 8.6 - - 18,736.8 7.7

Oewu

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Hemic material with undecomposed wood. Poorly drained. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility. High cost of drain construction.


20-22 19,347.7 9.4 - - 1,986.5 12.0 - - 21,334.2 8.8

Oi

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Fibric material, non-woody. Poorly drained. Low fertility.


22-24 - - - - - - - - - -

Oiwd

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Fibric material with decomposed wood. Poorly drained. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility. High cost of drain construction.


20-22 747.3 0.4 - - - - - - 747.3 0.3

Oiwu

Shallow (50-100 cm), moderately deep (100-150 cm), deep (150-300 cm) to very deep (300+ cm) Fibric material with undecomposed wood. Poorly drained. Low bulk density. Stunted growth common after five years. Termites. Low fertility. High cost of drain construction.


18-20 - - - - - - - - - -

Total - 206,458.8 100.0 6,615.9 100.0 16,625.7 100.0 13,421.7 100.0 243,122.1 100.0

New Genomic findings

• Matching planting materials to environment

Use of microbes / Organic matter to improve soil fertility

Increase productivity on existing land

NOT PLANTING OIL PALM NEW LANDS

Documents

Param Agricultural Soil Surveys (M) Sdn. Bhd. 13TH ISP ... Paramananthan... · Crop selection Time of planting ... Miri Series Serai Series (deep sandy) ... FAMILY Dysic, isohyperthermic