Oil Palm: Plant Breeding

Oil Palm Genetic Improvement

Introduction
Germplasm Resources
Improvement Objectives
Breeding Techniques
Future Prospects

INTRODUCTION

A. Origins

The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), which is the oil palm of commerce, is endemic to tropical Africa stretching from the Atlantic coast (Guinea) in the west to Zanzibar and the island of Madagascar in the east and from the sub-Sahara in the north (Senegal, 16 °N) to the south of Angola (15 °S) bordering Namibia (Hartley 1988; Latiff 2000). The center of origin and diversity appears to be concentrated in the tropical rain forests of west and central Africa (Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Zaire). They occur naturally as semi-wild groves in swamps and riverine forest fringe areas in the plains usually close to settlements but are also found on drier and higher grounds up to the altitude of 1500 m above sea level. The American oil palm (Elaeis oleifera) which also produces an oil in smaller quantities consumed by the natives and is of interest in breeding because of some of its desirable attributes, however, is endemic to tropical Latin America stretching from Mexico in the north to the Amazonas of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru in the south and straddling the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. They also occur naturally in groves in open grasslands and riverine areas and their distribution appears to be associated with indigenous Indian migratory movements (Santos et al. 1986). The distribution of the groves tended to be more discontinuous.

The genus Elaeis, which belongs to the Cocoideae subfamily of the Palmaceae, has an American or African center of origin. The two oil palm species were presumed to have diverged when the American and African continents drifted apart in prehistoric times (Zeven 1965). There are two lesser-known species of Elaeis: E. odora (South America) and E. madascariensis (Africa).

B. Crop status

Crude palm oil extracted traditionally from the fruit pulp of the semi-wild oil palms was the source of dietary fat and certain vitamins (A and E) of the indigenous populations of tropical Africa and America. Interest in the oil palm as a crop arose as a substitute for animal fat in the manufacture of soap, candle wax and margarine. Plantations were started in the East Indies (Indonesia, Malaysia) by the European colonists to ensure a steady supply of the raw material (Hartley 1988). Two seedlings each from the botanic gardens of Amsterdam and Mauritius, the thick-shelled or dura form (Plate 1A) derived presumably from the same palm in West Africa, were taken and grown in the Bogor Botanic Gardens, Java, Indonesia in 1848. With the expanding interest in the crop, subsequent hybridizations and selections were made from these four Bogor palms and the progenies distributed to the Deli province in Sumatra and thence Malaysia (Malaya then) to become known as the Deli dura population (Rosenquist 1986). This uniform high oil yielding Deli dura was the commercial planting material for the rapidly expanding plantations in the Far East from 1911 till the early 1960s. With the revelation of monogenic inheritance of the shell gene by Beirnaert and Vanderweyen (1941) and that the hybrid progenies of the thick-shelled dura and the shell-less female sterile pisifera are 100% thin-shelled teneras having thick-mesocarp and thence higher oil yield (Plate 1A), the change to the tenera hybrid planting material was very rapid as teneras from West Africa had been imported and bred earlier by researchers in the Far East and they became the source of the pisiferas (Hartley 1988).

Plate I. A) Thick shelled dura (D), shell-less pisifera (P), and thin shelled hybrid tenera (T) fruits of oil palm

The oil palm is the second most important oil crop next to soybean and is poised to become the dominant oil crop early in the new decade (Mielke 2000; Yusof and Mohd Arif 2000). Palm oil constitutes 19% of the world’s oils and fats production and is the dominant oil of international trade. The oil is produced from about 6 million hectares of plantations in the countries of the humid tropics i.e. Colombia, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, with Malaysia accounting for 48% and Indonesia 31% of production. With the rapid expansion of the world population particularly in the third world countries where dietary fat intake is still very low, per capita oil and fat consumption is likely to increase tremendously and the oil palm being the most productive and profitable oil crop will continue to expand in its cultivation to meet this demand.

C. Uses

The oil palm fruit bunch produces two types of oil, “palm oil” from the mesocarp (20%) and “palm kernel oil” from the kernel (3%). Crude palm oil extracted from the sterilized mesocarp is refined, bleached from its original orange-red color, and deodorized to give refined palm oil used solely or blended with other oils in cooking oil, salad oil, margarines and spreads. The refined oil is fractionated to give olein and stearin and with further fractionation gives fatty acids and alcohols, intermediate commodities traded and used in food and oleochemical industries. Palm oil can be used as a biofuel as with other vegetable oils. About 80% of palm oil, however, is used in the food industries although its other uses are increasing. Palm kernel oil is a competitor for coconut oil and has more uses in the oleochemical industries. Fig.1 is a summary chart of the fractionated products and their uses.

Enlarge Fig. 1: Uses of palm oil

Secondary and waste products from the palm oil industry are assuming economic importance prompted largely by health and environmental concerns. Carotene from the crude palm oil can be processed into Vitamin A supplement and a natural dye for snack foods e.g. instant noodles. Likewise, tocopherols and tocotrienols can be extracted from palm oil for industrial Vitamin E production (Choo 2000; Jalani et al. 1997). Kernel cake and sludge cake, wastes from the palm and kernel oil extraction processes, respectively have use as animal feed while the fruit bunch stalk fiber waste can be used directly in the plantation as an organic mulch or processed into an organic compost.

Reference
Soh, A.C., Wong, G., Hor, T.Y., Tan, C.C. and Chew, P.S. 2003. Oil palm genetic improvement. In: Janick, J. (ed.). Plant Breeding Reviews Vol. 22. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, pp. 165-219

Note: The full list of references quoted in this article is available from the above paper.

Introduction to Agro-management

In Southeast Asia, plantation tree crops comprise mainly oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) and cocoa (Theobroma cacao). Their management by large plantation companies has always been based on scientific principles and results, and the old adage taken from Sanskrit, the classical, literary language developed from about 1500 B.C. by the Hindus in Northern India (Johnson, 1995):

“Upon this handful of soil our survival depends. Husband it and it will grow our food, our fuel and our shelter and surround us with beauty. Abuse it and the soil will collapse and die taking man with it”.

In Malaysia, field experimentation on plant breeding and agronomic requirements of oil palm commenced in the 1920s but intensive research only took off from the late 1960s coinciding with the increased interest in oil palm as an alternative crop to rubber. This was in line with the country crop diversification programme in the early 1970s. Research on the cultivation of rubber has a longer history but unfortunately, interest in the crop started to wane from the late 1980s resulting in a sharp decline in research activities in Malaysia. Although the current rubber prices make it an attractive second perennial crop and commonly more profitable than oil palm on marginal soils, they came a tinge too late as most areas have been converted to oil palm. However, if the current prices and prospect continue to be good, it might be worthwhile to seriously consider replanting oil palms on existing marginal and unsuitable soils with rubber, if it is more profitable. Cocoa, a once potential plantation tree crop was debilitated by low soil pH, vascular streak dieback and cocoa pod borer apart from unsubstantiated and unproven cultivation techniques for the locality. It is now just a smallholder crop in much of Southeast Asia. Coconut has always been largely a smallholder crop or a shade tree for cocoa although some plantations have been planting the newer, high yielding variety called MATAG.

Traditionally, successful tree crop cultivation requires matching crops to soils, maintaining if not improving soil fertility, understanding the crop habit and management requirement, adapting technology to changing scenarios particularly labour and the environment, control of production cost and business consideration including marketing. However, in today’s ideology, crop production research and management is insufficient to sustain the crop. We need to consider transparency, traceability, ecology, environment and social responsibility in the sustainability of a crop. Perhaps, we could modernise the adage from Sankrit by simply changing the word “soil” to “environment”, although it is yet to be proven and substantiated to be most relevant to agriculture in particular when it is way beyond the boundary of agricultural land, and most of all, it is yet to be understood.

We shall start off this write-up with the management of oil palm, the largest plantation tree crops in the World. However, this website presents only our views and published work on the best agro-management practices for tree crop plantations. Those interested in the details should refer to the following books:

1. The oil palm by Corley and Tinker,
2. Rubber by Webster and Baulkwill, and
3. Cocoa by Wood and Lass
4. Coconut by Ohler

We shall appreciate your views, comments and suggestions on the topics and papers presented here.

Reference

Corley, R.H.V. and Tinker, P.B. (2003) The Oil Palm. 4 th Edition, Blackwell Science Ltd., England: 562 pp.

Ohler, J.G. (1999) Modern Coconut Management: Palm Cultivation and Products. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Universiteit Leiden, Intermediate Technology Publications, England: 458 pp.

Johnston, A.E. (1995). The Sustainability and Increase of Agricultural Productivity, the Current Dilemma. In: 24th IPI Colloquium, Chiang Mai, Thailand: Preprint.

Webster, C.C. and Baulkwill, W.J. (1989) Rubber. Tropical Agricultural Series, Longman Scientific and Technical, England: 614 pp.

Wood, G.A.R. and Lass, R.A. (1985) Cocoa. 4 th Edition, Tropical Agricultural Series, Longman Group Ltd., England: 620 pp.

Contributor 
Goh, K.J.

AAR Newsletters

Aug 2021	Remembering Dr. Philip Bernard Tinker Adieu, Farewell — Till We Meet Again, Mr. Patrick Game Changer: Getting Smart with Fertilizer Spreaders
May 2017	Oil Palm and The Number 42 AAR Social News AAR New Recruits
September 2016	OIL PALM 101: Everything you need to know about oil palm, exclusively written by the oil palm gurus AAR Social News AAR New Recruits
March 2016	Ganoderma boninense: A rich source of its own enemies Feeding Behaviour of Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in Lab Condition and size estimation at each life stages of wild population in an estate in Johor AAR Social News
October 2015	CAPTURS: An Automatic Palm Tree Counting System Potential Carbon Stock and Management of Carbon in Oil Palm Plantations on Mineral Soils The Growing of Oil Palm : Where are We? AARSRC Highlights 2015 PT AARI Social News AAR Social News
December 2014	Genotype Effect on Oil Palm Tissue Culture Callogenesis and Embryogenesis ISO Quality Management System in AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory AAR Sports Club News AAR New Recruits
April 2014	Nursery Practical Guide: Identifying abnormal seedlings/ramets in the nursery Culling abnormal palms in young fields Symptoms caused by Potassium (K) deficiency, Pesta-Lotiopsis leaf spot disease & genetic orange spotting (GOS) AA+ MULCH: A smart way to raise healthy & uniform young palms in the field AAR Social News
September 2013	Remote sensing & digital technologies for plantation management Sustainable oil palm industry revisited AAR New recruits AAR Social News
February 2013	Message from Mr. Goh Kah Joo (Director of Research, AAR) Message from Dr. Kee Khan Kiang (President Director, PT AARI) Integration of Biotechnological Procedures into AAR Crop Improvement, Plant-Pathogen Interaction and Efficient Nutrient Uptake for Oil Palm. AAR Social News
September 2010	Benchmarking Best Performing Semi-clonal Seeds Against Tenera Clones: Avenue for Superior Ortet Identification AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory ISO 9001:2008 Certification Celebration Official Opening of AAR-UNMC Biotechnology Research Centre AAR Soil Correlation Tour 2010 AAR Agronomy Training 2009 PT AARI 2nd Annual General Meeting 2009 PT AARI Refresher Course Social and Personal
April 2010	Editorial Major Pests of Oil Palm Census for Pest Monitoring in Oil Palm Plantations: Some Basic Concepts Pest and Disease Training Conquering Mount Kinabalu Social and Personal
October 2009	Fertiliser Management and Productivity of Oil Palm in Malaysia A Site Selection – land suitability
May 2009	Special Issue – Remembrance and Tribute to Mdm. Ho Yuk Wah Condolences Editorial New Recruits Promotions
December 2008	Biotechnological Approaches in Producing Oil Palm Planting Material Official opening of AAR Tissue Culture Laboratory Social and Personal
December 2007	Turning POME and EFB into organic fertilizer without waste and discharge Abstracts from published papers Social and Personal
May 2007	Message from Dr. Kee Khan Kiang Mucuna bracteata: a cover crop and living green manure Social and Personal
October 2006	Use of short cuts to extend the lifespan of PB 260 – By Chan Weng Hoong Social and Personal
April 2006	New perspective for rubber planting in a large plantation group – By Chan Weng Hong Impact of phosphate rock and legume planting system on P uptake and dry matter production of Mucuna Bracteata under oil palm – By Patrick Ng, H.C., Goh, K. J., Gan, H. H. and Zaharah, A. R. Social and Personal
October 2005	How much to pay for clonal oil palm? – By Ooi Ling Hoak Evaluation of gaseous stimulation systems for rubber – By Chan Weng Hong Social and Personal
April 2005	Use of mobile GIS to enchance estate management – By Tey Seng Heng & Heng Yong Choon Highlights of International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) Conference in Kun Ming, China (6-12 September 2004) – By Chan Weng Hong Special advisory note on production of budsticks from mature rubber trees – By Chan Weng Hong Social and Personal
October 2004	Some pulverisation techniques of clearing old palms for replanting AAR forestry project – By Chan Weng Hong Some notes on Mucuna bracteata, a new shade tolerant legume – By Teo Chor Boo Woman over 30!
April 2004	Application of geographic information technologies in plantation crops – By Tey Seng Heng Experiences and lessons from oil palm clonal evaluation trials and commerical test plantings – By Tan C.C.,Wong G., Soh A.C., Hor T.Y., Chong S.P. and Gopal K. Special advisory note on the management of Potassium deficiency in mature oil palms – By Curtis Tan Current outlook for investment in rubber – By Chan Weng Hong Social and Personal
October 2003	Direct application of empty fruit bunches (EFB) to mature oil palm fields – By Ooi Ling Hoak, P. Kodiappan and P. Muthukumaran Introducing beneficial plants as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy in oil palm plantations – By Teo Chor Boo Special advisory note on management of Magnesium deficiency in mature oil palms – By Asraf Mohamad Idrus AAR Indonesian substation – By Heriansyah Course on vehicle maintenance and safe driving – By Teo Chor Boo Social and Personal
March 2003	Characteristics of peat and its nutritional requirements for oil palm cultivation – By Arif Sugandi Control of termite infestation in oil palms on peat – AAR advisory article Special advisory note on management of B deficiency in mature oil palm – By Kee Khan Kiang Social and Personal
September 2002	Field Day cum Official Opening at Paloh Substation on 10 October 2002
October 2001	Nursery Practises for production of superior oil palm planting materials Esigel Special advisory note on panel notation in Rubber Social and Personal
April 2001	Innovations to management practices in oil palm estate Fully mechanised sulphur dusting to control Oidium SLF Social and Personal
November 2000	An Improved Field Practice and Mechanisation of FFB Evacuation and Manuring in Oil Palm Plantations Expected Genetic Improvements in Oil Palm Planting Materials Applicability of precision farming for oil palm plantations in Malaysia Social and Personal
May 2000	Causes of Outbreak and Failure to control bagworms in oil palm The Effect of Prolonged Disbudding of Early Yield of Oil Palm Social and Personal
January 2000	Speech by Aik Chin at Poh soon’s farewell dinner Planter’s Toolbox in the 21st Century Water Cycling and Balance in mature Oil Palm Agroecosystem in Malaysia Advances in Oil Palm Agronomic Recommendations Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for Management in Plantation Crops The Potential of LANDSAT TM Remote Sensing Images for Oil Palm estate management 1999 AAR Sports Club Highlights
October 1999	Fertiliser Management in Oil Palm – Agronomic Principles and Field Practices Social and Personal
May 1999	Yield Improvement Project Social and Personal
January 1999	An Update of the Oil Palm Industry Low OER problems Liquid suspension culture-a potential technique for mass production of OP clones An integrated weed management system for Asystasia gangetica sup. Micrantha in OP estates Acclimatisation and handling of OP tissue cultured plantlets for large scale commercial production Social and Personal
October 1998	Optimising Return from Fertiliser for Oil Palms:An Integrated Agronomic Approach
May 1998	A Short Note on Effective Service in the Private sector A Career in Development in Plantation Crops Integrated Nutrient Management for sustaining high yields of Plantation tree crops in Tropical Asia Applications of Global Positioning System and Geographical Information System in Oil Palm Estates Abstracts of Paper submitted for 1998 IOPRI Conference Social and Personal
January 1998	1997 AARSB Sports Club Dinner and roll of honour Impacts of the Current Currency fluctuations on Oil Palm estates The Effect of light, fertiliser and planting density on the growth and flowering of Asystica gangetica subsp. Micrantha Social and Personal
October 1997	Oil Palm Breeding and Tissue Culture Rubber Agronomy Oil Palm Agronomy Techno-Economic and Management Plant Protection Information and Management Soil Survey Plantation Forestry Social and Personal
May 1997	Prospect for Precision Plantation Practices in Oil Palm Social and Personal
January 1997	1996 AARSB Sports Club annual dinner and roll of honour Abstracts of papers submitted for 1997 International Planters Conference AAR Sports Club News Social and Personal
May 1996	AAR Seminar/Field day Analysis of 1991 to 1995 cocoa yields Assist: An Expert system to identify soil series
January 1996	Run-off and erosion studies- PM75 Balau Herbicide phytotoxicity on oil palm Clonal propagation programme at AAR Global information system(GIS) and global positioning system(GPS) for plantations Current status of trials on AAR jacket system of exploitation in rubber Rubber Growers’ Conference Direct application of phosphate rocks to plantation tree crops in Malaysia Social and Personal
October 1995	Mechanisation of fertiliser application in OP Comparison between Sime and Guthrie poles Integrated in-field ffb collection and direct loading systems A new technique of leguminous cover crop (LCC) establishment Use of slow/controlled release fertilizers in OP nursery Palm kernel shell (PKS) and cocopeat as light weight planting medium in OP nursery Comparison of slow/controlled released fertilisers in rubber nursery Social and personal
January 1995	As you sow so shall you reap Safe use of Furadan and pesticides Danum valley Trash Removal in Oil Palm loose fruits Social and Personal
May 1995	Industry’s low OER problems – impact outlook and implications Social and Personal
October 1994	An integrated site specific fertiliser recommendation system (INFERS) for high production in mature oil palms Prospective solution to current problems in Hevea exploitation in a large group of estates Sustainability of Oil palm Plantations in Malaysia as assessed by a Framework Approach Maximising and maintaining Oil Palm yield on commercial scale in Malaysia Oil Palm Breeding : The previous and the next 50 years Characterisation of phosphate rock reactivity and implications on manuring practices in Malaysia Commercial yield performance of Oil Palm in Sabah, Malaysia Genetic improvement of plantation crops in Malaysia Comparative performance of plantation companies listed on KLSE Further advances in agronomic management of Oil Palm plantations Utilization of PORIM’s Nigerian prospected materials. Very preliminary results of crosses of Nigerian dura and tenera – selections with AAR’s selected duras and teneras/pisiferas The need for soil information to optimise Oil Palm yields Primary production of cocoa An integrated fertiliser management system for Oil Palm Investigation into Manganese deficiency in mature oil palms (E.guineensis) in Malaysia Fertilizer analysis cross-checks in Malaysia 1992-93 Social
October 1993	Highlights Of Research – Rubber Highlights Of Research – Cocoa Highlights Of Research – Coconut Highlights Of Research – Oil Palm Highlights Of Research – Miscellaneous Abstracts Of AAR Technical Papers
July 1993	Production of Oil Palm plantlets through Tissue Culture Clonal Oil Palm practices Production of AA DxP seeds Controlled Pollination Procedures Preparation, storage and germination of OP seeds Illegitimate Contamination of Commercial DxP seeds
January 1993	Oil Palm breeding Abnormalities in Clonal Oil Palms
October 1992	Rat Baits Micropopagation of pineapple through tissue culture Tissue culture for orchids Laboratory services Rubber Rainguard Oil Palm Breeding & Seed production
May 1992	ISOP International workshop Reflections – Mina Salleh General News-House
January 1992	1991 International Conferences – Highlights
October 1991	Crop news – 1990 Yield Analysis Vetiver Grass Cover Feedback
May 1991	Crop news – Are high cocoa yields possible in AAR advisory estates? Highlights of Workshop – “Phosphate sources for Acid soils in the humid tropics of Asia Home News – Pride of AAR & The Sg.Buloh Tragedy
January 1991	Guest articles – R & D of pesticides Pesticide safety and handling Pesticides Regulation Sulphur Dusting on Oidium in Rubber
October 1990	AAR Research Highlights Cocoa Production cost in N. Sumatra
May 1990	Analysis of 1989 Oil Palm yields of AAR advisory estates 3rd International conference on Crop Protection in the Tropics
January 1990	Assessing Results Analysis of 1989 Cocoa yields 1989 Performance of AAR’s Rubber Advisory Estates
October 1989	Managing For Super Oil Palm New Planting Reduction In Period of Immaturity in Rubber Immaturity Period and High Early yield cocoa
May 1989	Analysis of Crop yields Production of Cost Equation in Cocoa Fertiliser Briefs
January 1989	Regional Rainfall pattern The Biotechological Explosion Plant BioTech’88
October 1988	The choice of a foliar fertiliser National Oil Palm Fertiliser Survey of Rat bait prices
May 1988	Editorial-The Third Crop Cocoa Some Agronomic problems in the Sandakan Cocoa Estates BioTechnology Upgraded Oils AAR Cocoa Research programmes
January 1988	Why Our Own R & D programme? AAR Research programmes Rubber’s Growers Conference
October 1987	1987 International Conference Revised International Notation for Exploitation Systems in Rubber Taiko Plantations Managers’ Conference Urea-Tech 1987
May 1987	Excellence in Agronomic Service AAR Recommendations of Rubber Clones: Are you ready for Urea? Crop news: Oil Palm Yield Trends: Cocoa Cropping Pattern in Sandakan P&D News:Pest Control Profile – Leaf eating caterpillars Conference News:Management of the Cocoa Pod Borer
January 1987	Articles: Positive Responses to very low palm oil prices. MAWA coconut make the difference Rubber Growers’ Conference 1986 IDS Seminar 1986 The AA Team

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Conferences/Seminars/Workshops (External)

Palm and Lauric Oils Conference (POC) 2013
Date : 4-6 March 2013
Venue : Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysian Society of Soil Science Conference (MSSS) SOILS 2013
Date : 9-11 April 2013
Venue : Bukit Gambang Resort City, Bukit Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

World Biotechnology Congress 2013
Date : 3-6 June 2013
Venue : John B. Hynes Vetrrans Memorial Convention Center, Boston

International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (ICEST 2013)
Date : 18-21 June 2013
Venue : Urgup, Nevsehir, Turkey

10th ISP National Seminar (NATSEM) 2013
Date : 24-26 June 2013
Venue : Kingwood Hotel, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia

ICABBBE 2013 : International Conference on Agricultural, Biotechnology, Biological and Biosystems Engineering
Date : 30-31 July 2013
Venue : Zurich, Switzerland

10th International Congress of Plant Pathology 2013
Date : 25-30 August 2013
Venue : Beijing, China

International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) 2013
Date : 19-21 November 2013
Venue : Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

19th Australasian Plant Pathology Conference 2013
Date : 25-18 November 2013
Venue : Aucland, New Zealand

Conferences/Seminars/Workshops (Internal)

Seminar

AAR Internal Training on Use of Garmin Navigator for KLK Assistant Managers
Date :27-30 Aug 2012
Venue : AAR Main Office, Kota Damansara

AAR Internal Training on Rubber Agronomy
Date :11-14 Apr 2011
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh & Selborne Estate, Kuala Lipis, Pahang

Oil Palm Nursery Training
Date :5-7 April 2011
Venue : Fraser Estate Club House & Nursery

Pest and Disease Training
Date :22-23 Mar 2011
Venue : LPF Estate, Perak

AA Hybrida 1 Seminar
Date :15-16 Nov 2010
Venue : AAR Paloh, Johor

AAR Internal Rubber Agronomy Training
Date :15-19 Mar 2010
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh & Sg. Kawang Estate, Pahang

Leaf and Soil Sampling on Rubber Training
Date :3-4 Mar 2010
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh

AAR Internal Soil Correlation Tour
Date :1-4 Feb 2010
Venue : LPF Estate, Perak

Introductory Training Course to AAR R&D Agronomists
Date :16-19 Nov 2009
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh & Changkat Asa Estate, Perak & Tuan Mee Estate, Selangor

Seminar and Field Day on Pests and Diseases Management
Date :3 Feb 2009
Venue : AAR Paloh, Johor

Agronomy and Statistics Training
Date :1-4 Dec 2008
Venue : Tawau & Lahad Datu, Sabah

AAR Annual Seminar and Officers’ Training
Date :03-06 Dec 2007
Venue : Legend Resort Cherating, Pahang & Ketengah Pewira & Yit Tengah Estate, Terengganu

Field Day on AA Oil Palm Planting Materials & Nursery Demonstration
Date :13 Oct 2003
Venue : Paloh Estate, Johor

AAR Field Day Programme for BEA Sabah & Sarawak Estates’ manager in KK
Date :08 Jul 2000
Venue : Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

AAR Field Day for BEA estate managers
Date :16 May 2000
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh

AAR Field Day for Manager
Date :25 Jan 2000
Venue : AAR Main Office, Sg. Buloh & Coalfield, Selangor

AAR Seminar in Sabah
Date :27 Aug 1996
Venue : Sri Kunak Estate, Sabah

AAR Field Day 1993
Date :23 Aug 1993
Venue : Balau Estate, Selangor

1990 Oil Palm Field Day
Date :20 Dec 1990
Venue : Tuan Mee Estate, Selangor

Taiko Seminar & Field Day
Date :17 Jan 1989
Venue : –

Modelling the Oil Palm Growth and Its Microclimate Environment

The oil palm has been grown commercially for nearly a century and yet little is known about the impact of its canopy architecture on its growth and yield, and microclimate environment. This information is useful in breeding for the ideal palms in relation to the planting density and pattern to maximize productivity. Changing the canopy architecture may lead to easier harvesting, which is currently a major problem in oil palm management, and may lend itself to feasible mechanization. However, the first step coordinator is Dr. Christopher Teh, University Putra Malaysia team members from Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Advanced Agriecological Research S/B.

Some early results are presented in conferences e.g.

Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Tropical Peatland and Global Warming Potential

• To quantify the amount of soil CO₂ fluc under the forest, sago and oil palm ecosystems and to determine the underlying environmental factors related to soil respiration.
• To quantify the amount of CH₄ flux under the forest, sago and oil palm ecosystems and to determine the underlying environmental factors that explain the differences in CH₄ flux among the three ecosystems, particularly the effects of drainage and compaction.
• To quantitatively determine the rates of N₂O emissions from the forest, sago and oil palm ecosystems and to characterize the variations in N₂O emissions and relate them to the environmental parameters that control N₂O exchange between the soil and the atmosphere.
• To quantify the effect of urea under oil palm ecosystem on the seasonal CH₄ variation and to determine the environmental factors controlling it.
• To estimate the relative contribution of the individual GHGs under forest, sago and oil palm ecosystems to the net global warming potential (GWP) of the three ecosystems on tropical peatland.

Some major results are:

Tropical peatlands function as a significant source of atmospheric CO2on a global scale.	Dry season in peatland (photo) Wet season in peatland (photo)	Peat profile
Soil respiration rate was highest in forest ecosystem on tropical peatland compared to oil palm and sago ecosystems.
The oil palm and forest ecosystems on tropical peatland behaved like aerobic system in most months whereas the sago ecosystem remained mainly anaerobic throughout the year. Thus, different factors regulated the activity of greenhouse gases in each ecosystem.
For further details, Meilling, L., Hatano, R. and Goh K.J.(2005). Soil CO2 flux from three ecosystems in tropical peatland of Sarawak, Malaysia. Tellus (2005) 57B:1-11. Meilling, L., Hatano, R. and Goh K.J.(2005). Methane fluxes from three ecosystems in tropical peatland of Sarawak, Malaysia. Soil Boilogy and Biochemistry: 1445-1453.

Poster