LAND CLEARING ON OIL PALM PLANTATION

Sudirman YahyaHariyadi

LAND CLEARING

• MINERAL SOIL (ULTISOL), • SWAMPY AREA• PEAT SOIL

ULTISOL (MINERAL soil) LAND CLEARING

Depending on :

• VEGETATION, • TOPOGRAPHY,• METHOD

VEGETATION :1. PRIMARY FOREST : virgin environment, tree stem diameter > 1 m, high plant density 1. SECONDARY FOREST : previously managed/cultivated/logged, smaller tree diameter < 50 cm., middle plant

density3. BUSHES : after shifting cultivation, small tress diameter < 20 cm, low plant density 4. Wild grasses, Imperata sp : after shifting cultivation, Wild grasses5. CONVERTION AREA : from other agricultural activities, such as plantation (coconut, rubber etc) or upland

food crops

BUSHESFOREST IMPERATA CONVERTION

slashing

Cutting

slashing Slashing / spraying

Cutting

Chopping

Plowing Hump digging

Piling / stacking

harrowingPiling

Cleaning

“slashing” : Cutting the trees/small bushes, diam. < 10 cm

Felling : Cutting the trees with chainsaw or axe for stem diam. > 10 cm

Cutting height above soil surface

Ø < 10 - 20 cm at 40 cm high

Ø 21 – 30 cm at 60 cm high

Ø 31 – 75 cm at 100 cm high

Ø > 75 cm at 150 cm high

Chopping : Chopping : Cutting the fallen trunk and chopping the stem, branches and twigs.

PilingPiling : To pile/ to collect the cut branches and twigs: To pile/ to collect the cut branches and twigs. . Direction of piling, north – south, 50 – 100 m apart. Direction of piling, north – south, 50 – 100 m apart.

TOPOGRAPHY

Risk ?

- soil compaction- Top soil losses

<< 15 % : using heavy duty (BULLDOZER)

>> 15 % : CHAINSAW

0 – 3 % : Flat 16 – 25 % : rolling

4 – 8 % : slightly undulating 26 – 45 % : steep

9 – 15 % : undulating >> 45 % : very steep

LAND CLEARING METHOD

ZERO BURNING- Forest Area - Bushes

1. Manual

2. Mechanical

3. Chemical

- Imperata Area

Manual

Mechanical

Mechanical

Chemical

LAND CLEARING

Manual • diameter of tree or stem < 10 cm , cut with short

sword or axe; >10 cm cut with chain-saw Mechanical Zero Burning Method : stacking-piling and pulling out

and pushing the trunk mechanically, using heavy equipments (bulldozer and excavator).

The weakness of using heavy equipment: Top soil is pealed due to the work of pushing on piling the

stems ; and soil compaction.

CHEMICALS

Use of herbicide:* systemic (Glyphosate group); herbicide is

absorbed and translocated to target part (roots)* contact (Paraquat group); not

translocated

Check the weather before and after spraying; the weather affects the effectiveness of herbicide application

Must be on right kinds, right concentration, right dosage, right time and right procedure or method of application.

Time of land clearing works

Dry season - fire burning easily,- limiting of time, need

accurate planning

Rainy season -Lower work productivity-Difficult on operating heavy equipment

Avoiding of smoking and careless disposing of cigarette butts

LAND CLEARING PLANTING PLANPLANTING PLAN

Too Long/lateToo Long/late

Bush/Imperata Bush/Imperata grassesgrasses

- planting LCC planting LCC (Legume Cover Crop) (Legume Cover Crop) CM CM ((Calopogonium mucunoidesCalopogonium mucunoides))

CP CP ((Centrosema pubescentCentrosema pubescent))

PJ ( PJ (Pueraria javanicaPueraria javanica))- contour terraces - contour terraces (slope > 15 %) (slope > 15 %)

-Risks :Risks :Level of erosion increaseLevel of erosion increaseSoil compactionSoil compactionSurface run-off increaseSurface run-off increase

LAND CLEARING ON SWAMPY AREA

Need Attention on:

1. Depth of the swamp

2. Vegetation

Drainage waterway

Land drained out, quickly drained

No Drainage

NO LAND CLEARING / NO PLANTINGRISKS :

- Waterlogged palms

- Rotten fruits

- Stunted growth

THE STEPS ON LAND CLEARING OF SWAMPY AREA

1. Road Construction

2. Forest Cutting and Felling

3. Drainage Waterway (dw) Construction

Kinds of dw Upper width (m)

Lower width (m)

Depth (m)

Primary 3.0 – 6.0 1.2 – 1.8 1.8 – 2.5

Secondary 1.8 – 2.5 0.6 – 0.9 1.2 – 1.8

Tertiary 1.0 – 1.2 0.5 – 0.6 0.9 – 1.0

LAND CLEARING AT PEAT SOIL (HISTOSOL)

Important consideration

• Depth of peat • Maturity of peat• Characteristics of peat

PEAT SOIL

Meaning Histosol : SOIL which a majority composed by organic

material, C – organic > 25% or has a layer of organic material > 40 cm

KIND OF PEAT SOIL

• Topogen : influenced by topography

• Ombrogen influenced by rain intensity, flood or waterlogged

LAND CLEARING ON PEAT SOIL

Classification according to the DEPTH of peat• Shallow : < 1 m • Medium : 1 – 3 m • Deep : 3 – 8 m• Very deep peat : > 8 m

MATURITY of peat:1. Fibric : immature, coarse fibre, visuallly original matter2. Hemic: half mature, start to decompose3. Sapric : Mature, has been decomposted

Characteristic of peat• Physical character- Soil Color is dark brown, depend on maturity level- High of water content and water holding capacity (15 – 30 x

dry weight)- High of soil porousity- Low of bulk density- Bad drainage, - Easy drying- Irreversible shrinkage- Hydrophobic and subsidence

Characteristic of peat

• Chemical character- Acid (pH < 3.5)- Low fertility - High N- total, but not available for plant, - High C/N ratio- High on Mg , - Low P and K- Low micronutrient especially Cu, B, Zn

- High water buffering capacity

STEPS OF LAND CLEARING ON PEAT SOIL

1. Build boundary channel surrounding area2. Forest clearing 3. Build Drainage4. Constructing roads and bridges5. Compacting of the soil along planting rows

STEP OF LAND CLEARING ON PEAT SOIL

1. BUILD A BOUNDARY CHANNEL- As a boundary channel for the area which will be reclaimed- build 1 year before cutting the tree- Size :upper width 4 m, under width 3 m, depth 2 – 3 m- function : as main channel and ground water table regulator

STEPS OF LAND CLEARING ON PEAT SOIL

2. Forest clearing- cutting and slashing the small trees and bushes < 2.5 cm)⊖- cutting with chainsaw- high of cutting from soil surface

⊖ < 15 cm : 15 cm ⊖ < 15 – 30 cm : 30 cm ⊖ < 30 – 75 cm : 60 cm ⊖ < 75 – 150 cm : 90 cm ⊖ >150 cm : 150 cm

- stacking - Chopping and piling of branchs and twigs

STEP OF LAND CLEARING ON PEAT SOIL

3. Build a drainage

Water way type Upper wide (m)

Under wide (m)

Depth

(m)

Primary (main) 3.0 – 6.0 1.2 – 1.8 1.8 – 2.5

Secondary 1.8 – 2.5 0.6 – 0.9 1.2 – 1.8

Tertiary 1.0 – 1.2 0.5 – 0.6 0.9 – 1.0

On peat soil, Water management system is very important to manage water table height

PRIMARY DRAIN

1. Function: to flow the water directly to final drain area (river or channel)

2. Build over flow and water gate on flooding area

SESECCONDONDAARRYY DRAIN DRAIN

1. To flow to primary drain

2. Function: to catch the water from tertiary drains

3. As a block boundary

4. Distance between two adjacent secondary drains 400 – 500 m apart

TERTIARY CHANNEL

1. To flow water to secondary drain

2. Function: to catch the water from palm area

3. The distance between two of tertiary drains depend on drainage condition of the field, minimum one drain for every 2 palm rows, similar to the path at the upland palm.

4. CONSTRUCTING THE ROAD

1. Road foundation taken from diggings of soil (mineral), soil is compacted with excavator

2. Compaction of the road using wood in diameter 7 – 10 cm, and then piled up with mineral soil as thick as 20 – 30 cm

3. Alternative: build a mini rail train for fruit transport

If constructing road is impossible, inputs and fruits are transported trough water ways by boat

5. COMPACTION OF PLANTING ROWS

1.Required for strong root anchorage, to prevent leaning growth of the palm

2.Compacting mechanically

LAND PREPARATION

1. BLOCKING2. STAKING AND PLANTING SPACE3. DIGGING PLANTING HOLE4. ESTABLISHING COVER CROP (LCC)

BLOCK

1. Block is an unit area of palm that supervised by a supervisor

2. Area of 25 – 30 ha3. Each block is bordered by block roads.4. Block numbering generally starts from East

to West

STAKINGObjectives : - determine planting spots, straight planting

rows - determine planting density or number of palm/ha- determine palm productivity

Planting space :

9.2 m x 9.2 m x 9.2 m 136 palms/ha

(equal-side triangular) field terminology : five eyes

DIGGING PLANTING HOLE

Size 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm or 60 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm

means : size at the base 60 cm x 60 cm or 40 cm x 40 cm size at the surface 60 cm x 60 cm Depth 60 cm

Using pattern made from bamboo or wood lath

Digging procedure :

Upper part of the soil (top soil) is separated from the lower part (subsoil), example; top soil is placed at the left side, and sub soil at the right side of the hole.

LCC ESTABLISHMENTBenefits of LCC• Improve soil structure, loose • Increase organic matter and soil nutrient, mainly N• Prevent erosion• Supress the growth of weeds, especially alang-alang

grass, Imperata cylindrica• Reduce the infestation of certain pathogenic fungi

Dosage of LCC : 12 – 20 kg / ha

CM/CC : CP : PJ = 2 : 1 : 2 or 2 : 3 : 2

The Species of LCC

CM : Calopogonium mucunoides CC : Calopogonium cerelium

CP : Centrocema pubescent PJ : Pueraria javanica

WORKER REQUIREMENT FOR LAND CLEARING OF FOREST

Activities Primary Forest Secondary Forest

Slashing 23 – 27 14 – 17

Tree cutting and felling 28 – 32 18 – 32

cutting and chopping 18 – 22 9 – 16

Collecting and Stacking 20 – 25 11– 15

MANUAL SYSTEM (md / ha)

Mechanical SystemActivities Unit Primary

ForestSecundary

Forest

Slashing md/ha 23 – 27 14 – 17

Trees cutting and felling oh/ha 10 – 14 8 – 14

Branches cutting and chopping md/ha 18 – 22 9 – 16

Collecting and Stacking I oh/ha 7 – 9 4 – 6

Collecting and Stacking II oh/ha 7 – 9 4 – 6

Activities md/ha

Slashing 7 – 9 Trees cutting and felling 10 – 20Branches cutting, chopping, and collecting

18 – 22

Activities unit Slashing md/ha 7 – 9 Trees cutting and felling oh/ha 5 – 7 Branches cutting and chopping md/ha 7 – 9 Collecting and Stacking I oh/ha 4 – 6 Collecting and Stacking II oh/ha 4 – 6

WORKER REQUIREMENT FOR LAND CLEARING OF BUSHES

MANUAL SYSTEM (md / ha)

Mechanical System

Activities md/ha dosage (l/ha)

Consentra-tion (%)

Spray Volume (Ltr)

Spraying I 5 – 6 4 – 5 0.5 400 – 500

Spraying II 3 – 4 1 – 2 0.5 300 – 400

Spot Spraying 1 – 2 1 – 1.5 0.5 200 – 300

WORKER REQUIREMENT FOR LAND CLEARING OF Imperata cylindrica (wild grass)

Plant age (month)

Rotation md/ha Dosage

(l/ha)

Consentra-tion (%)

Spray Volume (Ltr)

1 1

2

8

6

0.40.3

0.5

0.5

80

60

2 1

2

4

2

0.20.1

0.5

0.5

40

20

3 1

2

2

1

0.050.05

0.5

0.5

10

10

4 1

2

1

1

0.05

0.05

0.5

0.5

10

10

5 1

2

1

1

0.03

0.03

0.5

0.5

6

6

6 1

2

0.5

0.5

0.02

0.02

0.5

0.5

4

4

7 1 0.3 0.01 0.5 2

WORKER REQUIREMENT FOR WIPING OF Imperata cylindrica (wild grass)

LAND PREPARATION

COLLECTION ROAD

COLLECTION ROAD

BLOCK DESIGNMAIN ROAD

PRODUCTION ROAD

PRODUCTION ROAD

1000 M

300 M

300 M

1000 M

SECONDARY DRAIN

SECONDARY DRAIN

BLOCK DESIGN ON SWAMP AREAMAIN DRAIN (MAIN CHANNEL)

SECONDARY

DRAIN

1000 M

300 M

300 M

1000 M

SECONDARY

DRAIN

Tertiery Drain

OUTLET OF DRAIN PERFORMANCE

X ѵ

LAND PREPARATION

Individual TERRACE

2 m 2 m

2 m 2 m

10 – 15o

A

E

D

CB

B

D

E

BEFORE

AFTER

Individual TERRACE

1 – 1.5 m 2.5 - 3 m

Planting Hole

E

B

D

0.3 m

ditch E

B

D

PLANTING HOLE

60 CM

60 CM

60 CM

40 CM

60 CM

60 CM

40 CM

60 CM60 CM

60 CM X 60 CM X 60 CM 60 CM X 60 CM X 40 CM

60 CM

PLANTING HOLE

60 CM X 60 CM X 60 CM

SUB SOIL

60 CM X 60 CM X 60 CM

TOP SOIL

Top soil Sub soil

Sub soilTop soil

seedling

7.96 M

7.96 M

9.2 M 9.2 M

9.2 M

9.2 M

North STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE9.2 M X 9.2 M X 9.2 M (TRIANGLE)

HOW TO DESIGN IT?

STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE9.2 M X 9.2 M X 9.2 M (TRIANGLE)

9.2 M9.2 M

9.2 M

9.2 M?

4.6 M

cb

a

PHYTAGORAS THEOREME : c2 = a2 + b2 b2 = c2 – a2

= (9.2)2 – (4.6)2

= 84.64 – 21.16 = 63.48

b = Ѵ63.48 = 7.96

G

E

D B C

AF

ABC

DFAB

COMPARATION OF THE AREA OF :

STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE

7.96 M7.96 M

4.6 M

North

ROAD

ROAD

1.99 M

2.30 M

4.6 M

4.6 M

7.96 M

TEMPORARY STAKE (1 M)

REAL STAKE (1 M)

MOTHER STAKE (2 M)

STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE

7.96 M7.96 M

4.6 M

North

ROAD

ROAD

1.99 M

2.30 M

4.6 M

4.6 M

7.96 M

STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE

7.96 M7.96 M

9.2 M 9.2 M

4.6 M

North

ROAD

ROAD

1.99 M

2.30 M

4.6 M

4.6 M

STAKING OF PLANTING SPACE

7.96 M

7.96 M

9.2 M 9.2 M

9.2 M

9.2 M

North

CALCULATING PALM POPULATIONPOPULATION = FIELD AREA / AREA OF STAKE

POPULATION / HA = ------------- 10.000 M2

►

1 HA = 10.000 M2

a

a a

10.000= -------------- ½ a x aV3

POPULATION of a x a x a (triangle space)

Example :Oil Palm plantation area 12 000 ha, planting space 9.2 m x 9.2 m x 9.2 m (triangle)Total palm population ? Field Area = 12 000 ha = 12 000 x 10 000 m2 = 120 000 000 m2 120 000 000 m2Population = ------------------------ ½ (9.2) x (9.2)V3 m2 120 000 000 = ------------------- 4.6 x 9.2 x 1.732 120 000 000 = ------------------- = 1 637 147 palms 73.29824

Or 10 000 m2Population = ------------------------ ½ (9.2) x (9.2)V3 m2 10 000 = ------------------- 4.6 x 9.2 x 1.732 10.000 = ------------------- 73.29824

= 136.4= 136 palms / ha (rounded)

Total Population of 12,000 ha = 12,000 x 136= 1,632,000 palms

NURSERY OF OIL PALM

2 STAGES :

1. PRE NURSERY ( 3 MONTHS)2. MAIN NURSERY ( 12 MONTHS)

SEED SELECTING

ABNORMAL SEED NORMAL SEED

SEED CALCULATION

Age(yr)

Productivity (ton FFB/ha/year)

Certified seed Uncertified seed

3 6.80 2.72

4 12.00 4.80

5 14.50 5.80

6 17.00 6.80

7 22.00 8.80

8 24.50 9.80

9 26.00 10.40

10 26.00 10.40

11 26.00 10.40

12 26.00 10.40

13 26.00 10.40

14 25.00 10.00

15 24.50 9.80

Age(yr)

Productivity (ton FFB/ha/year)

Certified seed Uncertified seed

16 23.50 9.40

17 22.00 8.80

18 21.00 8.40

19 20.00 8.00

20 19.00 7.60

21 18.00 7.20

22 17.00 6.80

23 16.00 6.40

24 15.00 6.00

25 14.00 5.60

Total 461.80 184.72

Average 20.1 8.0

FFB PRODUCTIVITY OF CERTIFIED VS UNCERTIFIED SEEDS

PRE NURSERY (3 MONTHS)

1. Bed preaparation, size 1.2 m (width), + 8.0 m (length)

2. Bed shading by paranet or palm leaf

3. seed selecting

4. Media and equipment preparation

5. Soil sieving for plant media

6. Media (topsoil) is filled into baby Polybag

7. Seed planting on baby polybag

8. Maintenance (watering, weeding, fertilizing, pest control)

9. Thining out of defected seedlings (+ 5 – 10 %)

PRE NURSERY (3 MONTHS)

0.5 m 0.5 m0.5 m1.2 m 1.2 m

Baby polybagBamboosand 2 cm

Top soil

Soil siever Top

soil

MAIN NURSERY (12 months)

1. Media (soil) peparation

2. Watering Installation (pipe / sprinkle / drip irrigation)

3. Media are filled into polybag (20 kg soil / polybag)

4. Seedling planting (polybag space 90 cm x 90 cm x 90 cm)

5. Maintenance (watering, weeding, mulching, fertilizing, pest management)

6. Thinning out of defected seedlings) (+ 5 – 10 %)

Criteria of good seedling

1. Healthy and vigorous seedling

2.Uniform growth

3.Free from pest and disease

4.Seedling morphology at 1 year age :

- Height > 125 cm

- Stem Diameter + 6.0 cm

- Total of + 18 leaves

GERMINATED SEED CALCULATION (per ha)

1. Seeds on pre nursery = 100 %

- damage during transportation = 4 %

- seedling dead = 4 %

- abnormal = 4 %

Seedlings: transplanted to main nursery = 88 %

2. Seedling on main nursery = 88 %

- seedling dead = 3 %

- thinning out I (abnormal) = 5 %

- thinning out II (abnormal) = 3 %

- thinning out III (abnormal) = 2 %

Seedlings: transplanted to the field = 75 %

3.Palms: dead, disease on the field = 5 %

(replanting)

Assumption

Palm population/ha = 136 palms / haReplanting 5 % = 5% x 136 palms = 6.8

(or 7 palms rounded)

GS needed :

(136 + 7) x 100 GS = 191 GS/ha

75GS = germinated seeds

MAIN NURSERY AREA = 1.0 – 1.5 % x FIELD AREA

Means :

1 ha of main nursery for 70 – 100 ha field planting area

Number of seedlings per ha depend on field planting space.

Calculation of Field planting area can be supplied by one hectare

main nursery

Main nursery

space (m)

number of

seedling / ha

Dead Seedling

(3 %)

Sub total

Thinning out (10 %)

transplant to the field (incl 10%)

Planting area

(ha)

1.0 x 1.0 x 1.0

11,500 345 11,155 1,115 10,040 66.9

0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9

14,300 429 13,871 1,387 12,484 83.2

0.85 x 0.85 x 0.85

16,000 480 15,520 1,552 13,968 93.1

0.8 x 0.8 x 0.8

18,064 542 17,522 1,752 15,770 105.1

0.75 x 0.75 x 0.75

20,552 616 19,936 1,993 17,943 119.6

ABNORMAL SEEDLING (THINNING OUT)

Twisted leaves

Grass –like leaves

Grass –like leaves

Poly embrionic

Erect

Dwarf

Chimera

Wide internode

Crown disease

Abnormal crown

Fe deficiency

Abnormal Budding shoot

Narrow internode

Rolled leaf

Etiolation

Unopened leaf

Curve growthRolled growth seedling

PlasmolysisApogonia infested

ABNORMAL IMMATURE PALM (THINNING OUT)

Rolled Leaf

Crown disease

Narrow internode

Male flowering only

Upright crown

infested By Oryctes

MATURE PALM ABNORMALITY