Oilpalm pests and their Management

  Oilpalm Insect Pests Spindle bug Root grub Rhinoceros beetle Red palm weevil Caseworm IPM for Oilpalm Spindle bug ...

 

Oilpalm Insect Pests

1. Spindle bug
2. Root grub
3. Rhinoceros beetle
4. Red palm weevil
5. Caseworm
6. IPM for Oilpalm

Spindle bug

Biology:

• Egg: Eggs are laid singly between the leaflets of the spindle. The eggs hatch in 9 days.
• Nymph: There are five nymphal stages and it is completed in 15-24 days. The light violet brown nymphs have greenish yellow border.
• Adult: Adult bugs are brightly color red and black

Damage symptoms:

• Spindle bug - generally noticed in nursery seedlings and plantation planted young seedlings.
• Adults and nymphs of spindle bug live in the innermost two to three leaf axils.
• Suck sap from the spindle of leaves
• Necrotic lesions which later on turn into dry brown patches.
• In severe infestation the spindle fails, to open.

Natural enemies of Spindle bug:

Predators : Kingcrow, Ground beetles, Wasp, Spider

Root grub

Biology:

• Egg: These beetles lay eggs in soil mostly up to 10 cm depth. Eggs hatch out in about three weeks.
• Larva: The grub period with three instars is completed within 7 to 8 months.
• Pupa: The pupation is in soil in cocoons of mud. This period lasts about one month.
• Adult: The adult beetle is chestnut brown in color.

Life cycle:

Damage symptoms:

• Root grubs or „white‟ grubs occur mostly in sandy and sandy loam soils.
• They are voracious feeders on roots. Adult beetles emerge during May-June few days after receipt of pre-monsoon showers, between 6.30 to 7.30 PM.
• The early instar grubs feed on the roots of grasses and other humus. The second and third instar grubs of these beetles feed on tender and mature roots of the palm. In severe cases, the bole of the palm is also eaten up. They feed on roots of intercrops like banana, cocoa, tapioca, yams etc.
• In oilpalm seedlings, the feeding on roots results in dropping and drying of leaves
• Affected seedlings come off easily since the entire root system is usually eaten up. Palms with few years of infestation show a sickly appearance, with yellowing of leaves, tapering of stem, and reduction in yield.
• The palms may topple in case of severe loss of root system

Natural enemies of Root grub:

• Parasitoids: Scoliids wasp
• Predators: False vampire bats, Garden lizards,Wild boar

Rhinoceros beetle

Biology:

• Egg: O. rhinoceros eggs are yellowish-white, measuring 3 mm in diameter and laid inside rotting vegetative matter. Initially oval in shape, they begin to swell about a week after laying and hatch within 11-13 days.
• Grubs/larvae: The larval stages are usually yellowish-white in color and may grow to about 60-100 mm long. Development of the larva takes 80-200 days: first instar takes 10-21 days, second instar takes 12- 21 days and third instar takes 60-125 days.
• Prepupae: The prepupa is somewhat similar in appearance to the larval stage, except that it is smaller than the final larval instar. Shrivelled in appearance, it shakes its body actively when disturbed.
• Pupae: Pupa is yellowish-brown in color and measures up to 50 mm in length. The pupal stage lasts 17- 30 days.
• Adults: Stout-looking adults, dark brown to black, shiny, 35-50 mm long and 20-23 mm wide, with a prominent horn on head. The males having a relatively longer horn than the female. The males can be differentiated more accurately by having a rounded shiny terminal abdominal segment while the female has a relatively hairier tail. Adults may live up to 6 months or more.

Life cycle:

Damage symptoms:

• O. rhinoceros adults feed in the crown region of both coconut and Oil palm.
• On oil palms they bore through petiole bases into the central unopened leaves. This causes tissue maceration and the presence of a fibrous frass inside the feeding hole is an indication of its activity within.
• Usually, a single attack is often followed by others on the same palm.
• These attacks subsequently produce fronds which have wedge-shaped gaps or the characteristic serrated cut (fan-shaped fronds)

Natural enemies of Rhinoceros beetle:

Predators: Tiger beetle , Squirrels, Barn owl

Red palm weevil

Biology:

• Egg: Eggs are creamy white, oblong and shiny. The average size of an egg is 2.62 mm long and 1.12 mm wide. Eggs hatch in 3 days and increase in size before hatching.
• Grub/larva: The larvae can grow up to 35 mm long and can be recognised by the brown head and white body. The body is composed of 13 segments.
• Prepupa: The prepupal stage lasts for about 3 days.
• Pupa: pupal period varies from 12-20 days. Pupae are first cream colored but later turn brown. The surface is shiny, but greatly furrowed and reticulated. The average length of pupae is 35 mm and the average width is 15 mm.
• Adult: Adult weevils are reddish brown, about 35 mm long and 10 mm wide and are characterized by a long curved rostrum (snout). Dark spots are visible on the upper side of the middle part of the body. The head and rostrum comprise about one-third of the total length. In the male, the dorsal apical half of the snout is covered by a patch of short brownish hairs, the snout is bare in the female, more slender, curved and a little longer than the male. The longevity of the weevil ranges from 2-3 months, irrespective of the sex. In captivity, the maximum life span of the adult was 76 days for the female and 113 days for the male.

Life cycle:

Damage symptoms:

• It is very difficult to detect R. ferrugineus in the early stages of infestation. Generally, it is detected only after the palm has been severely damaged. Careful observation may reveal the following signs which are indicative of the presence of the pest
• Some holes in the crown or trunk from which chewed-up fibres are ejected. This may be accompanied by the oozing of brown viscous liquid
• Crunching noise produced by the feeding grubs can be heard when the ear is placed to the trunk of the palm
• A withered bud/crown.
• Chewed plant tissues in and around opening of tunnels with a typical fermented odor
• Fallen empty pupal cases and dead adults around a heavily infested palm
• Breaking of the trunk or toppling of the crown in case of severe and prolonged infestation.
• Drying of Offshoots in date palm

Natural enemies of Red palm weevil:

Predators: Dendrocitta vagabunda parvula

Caseworm

Biology:

Pteroma pendula was the dominant bagworm species infesting oil palm Plantation. This species had six instar stages. Dimorphism was observed in pupa and imago stages. Female emerged as apterous and vermiform-like, and male emerged as moth. P. pendula had a lifespan of 50.4 ± 1.8 days.

Damage symptoms:

• Holes on the leaves
• Occasional defoliation
• Cone shaped bags on the underside of leaves

Natural enemies of Caseworm:

• Larval parasitoid: Pediobius anomalus
• Predator: Oecophylla smaragdina

IPM for Oilpalm

 

 

To know the IPM practices for Oilpalm, click here.

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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28 ratings and

Oilpalm Pests

1. Pests of National Significance
1. Insect pests
2. Diseases
2. Weeds
1. Broad leaf weeds
2. Grassy weeds
3. Rodents
4. Vertebrate pest
5. Pest of Regional Significance
6. IPM for Oilpalm

Pests of National Significance

Insect pests

• Spindle bug: Carvalhoia arecae (Miller) (Hemiptera: Miridae)
• Root grub: Leucopholis burmeisteri (Brenske) (Coleoptera:Melolonthidae)
• Rhinocerous beetle: Oryctes rhinoceros (Linneaus) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
• Red palm weevil: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
• Case worm: Pteroma pendula (de Joannis) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae)
• Acaria sp.

Diseases

• Stem wet root/ stem bleeding: Theilaviopsis paradoxa (de Seynes)
• Bud rot disease: Phytophthora palmivora (Butler)
• Basal stem rot: Ganoderma lucidum (Karst)
• Bunch rot: Marasmius palmivorus (Sharples)
• Anthracnose: Botryodiplodia palmarum (Cooker)
• Leaf spot: Pestalotiopsis spp
• Bacterial bud rot/Spear rot: Erwinia spp

Weeds

Broad leaf weeds

• Crofton weed: Eupatorium odoratum L. (Asteraceae)
• Sensitive plant: Mimosa pudica L. (Fabaceae)
• Siam weed: Chromolaena odorata (L) R.M. King & H. Rob (Asteraceae)
• Carrot grass: Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae)
• Coat buttons: Tridax procumbens L. (Asteraceae)
• Horse purslane: Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Aizoaceae)
• Pig weed: Amaranthus viridis Hook. F. (Amaranthaceae)
• Common purselane: Portulaca oleracea L. (Portualacaceae)
• Plantation bindweed: Convolvulus arvensis L. (Convolvulaceae)
• Painted spurge: Euphorbia geniculata (Ortega) Klotzsch & Garcke (Euphorbiaceae)
• False Mallow: Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke (Malvaceae)

Grassy weeds

• Cogon grass: Imperata cylindrical (L.) Raeusch. (Poaceae)
• Goosegrass: Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner. (Poaceae)
• Burmuda Grass:Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae)
• Rabbit/crow foot grass: Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd (Poaceae) Sedges
• Purple nutsedge: Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae)
• Flat sedge: Cyperus iria L. (Cyperaceae)

Rodents

• Lesser bandicoot: Bandicota bengalensis
• Soft furred plantation rat: Millardia meltada
• Common house rat: Rattus rattus

Vertebrate pest

• Common mynah: Acidotheres tristis
• Forest crow

Pest of Regional Significance

Insect and Mite pests

• Scale: Aspidiotus destructor (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
• Mealy bug: Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)
• Termites: Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) (Isoptera: Termiitidae)
• Nettle caterpillar: Thosea andamanica (Holloway) (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)
• Mite: Tetranychus piercei (McGergor) ((Acarida: Tetranychidae)

IPM for Oilpalm

To know the IPM practices for Oilpalm, click here.

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

2.9   

 

40 ratings

Oilpalm Beneficial Insects

1. Parasitoids
2. Predators
3. IPM for Oilpalm

Natural Enemies of Oil plam Insect Pests

Parasitoids

Predators

IPM for Oilpalm

To know the IPM practices for Oilpalm, click here.

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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32 ratings

Oilpalm Crop Stage Wise IPM

1. Pre-planting
2. Nursery/ Seedling
3. Planting
4. Vegetative growth stage and mature palm

Management	Activity
Pre-planting
Soils	Best-suited soils are moist, well-drained, deep, loamy alluvial soils, rich in organic matter with good water permeability. At least one-meter depth of soil is required. Avoid highly alkaline, highly saline, waterlogged and coastal sandy soils
Variety	Tenera is the ruling hybrid and it is a cross between thick-shelled Dura and shell less Pisifera. Tenera has a thin shell, medium to high mesocarp content and high oil content
Nutrients	Oil palm seedlings are planted in the main plantation in triangular system in pits of 60 cubic cm size at a spacing of 9 x 9 m. The pits are dug during summer season and kept open for soil solarisation. Pits are filled with a mixture of top soil and FYM. Planting is preferably done at the onset of rains during June-July. Apply nutrients based on soil test report and recommendation for the zone.
Weeds	Deep ploughing during summer Ploughing the plantation before planting to destroy existing weeds in the plantation
Nursery/ Seedling
Nutrients	For the newly planted crop, the first dose of fertilizer needs to be applied three months after planting. Add 50-100 kg FYM or 100kg green manure per palm along with the second dose of fertilizer application. Five kg neem cake per palm can also be applied. Broadcast the fertilizers around the clean-weeded basin, about 50 cm away from the palm base and incorporate into the soil with the help of fork. Irrigate the palms immediately after fertilizer application.
Weeds	Use healthy, certified and weed-free seeds for raising nursery. Keep the Primary Nursery and Secondary Nursery (Poly bags) weed-free during the whole year to obtain the healthy Palm seedlings. For conserving the moisture and weed suppression in the basins, apply coconut husk or paddy husk or saw dust, cut leaves or male inflorescence as mulching.
Anthracnose	Cultural control: Collection and destruction of infected shoots
Planting
	Common cultural practices: Best season for planting is June-December i.e., during monsoon. In case of planting during summer, adequate irrigation, mulching and growing cover crops like sun hemp in the basin would help in avoiding hot winds during summer. 12 -14 months old healthy seedlings with 1-1.3m height and 13 functional leaves are recommended for planting. While planting, 143 plants per hectare should be maintained with a spacing of 9m x 9m x 9m (triangular planting). Planting should be done in pit size of 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm (length, breadth and depth)
Nutrients	Manures and Fertilizers: In general, nutrients are applied as mentioned below; Age N P2O5 K2O MgSO4 Borax g/palm/year First year 400 200 400 125 25 Second year 800 400 800 250 50 Third year onwards 1200 600 1200 500 100 Fertilizers should be applied in two equal split doses (in June and September) within 2 m diameter around the palm and forked in. Application of potassium fertilizer may be enhanced depending on the requirement of the palm on soil test basis
Weeds	The Palm basins are to be kept clean by regular weeding. For conserving the moisture and weed suppression in the basins, apply Coconut husk or saw dust or paddy husk or cut leaves & male inflorescence of Oil Palm as mulching. In the juvenile phase, grow the region specific recommended intercrops/ cover crops like gourds and other Vegetables, chillies, turmeric, ginger, pineapple, banana, flowers, tobacco etc.
Termites	Cultural control: Locate termite mounds in or near the oil palm nursery or garden and destroy Adoption of plantation sanitation by disposal of organic matter in nursery soil and covering germinating seeds with a layer of river sand Copious irrigation
Spindle bug	Cultural control: Digging and forking of the soil before and after the monsoon will help in eliminating the various developmental stages of the beetle Biological control: Conserve predators such as wasps, green lacewings, earwigs, ground beetles, rove beetles, spiders, coccinellids, syrphids etc
Mealy bug and Scale	Cultural control: Collection and destruction of infested plant parts Collect planting material from unaffected plantation Insecticidal soap is a safe and effective alternative to conventional insecticides. You can use bleach-free dishwashing liquid (1 and 1/2 teaspoons per one quart of water) in place of commercial insecticide soaps. Homemade control of plant scale can also be achieved with oil spray. Mix two tablespoons of cooking oil and two tablespoons of baby shampoo in one gallon of water. This can also be mixed with one cup of alcohol to help penetrate the insect‟s shell Biological control: Conservation and augmentation of natural enemies such as ladybird beetle etc For mealybug: Release coccinellid beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri @ 10 / tree
Root grub	Cultural control: Fill the seedling bags with the soil free from root grub infestation Exposure of grubs by ploughing or digging the soil during pre and post monsoon periods Mechanical control: Collection and destruction of beetles during their emergence from the soil in the evening hours Install light traps @ 1 trap/acre and operate between 6 pm and 10 pm Biological control: Conserve entomopathogenic nematodes such as Heterorhabditis spp. and 23 Steinernema spp.
Basal stem rot	Mechanical control: Plantation Sanitation: Removal and destruction of the dead and diseased palms in order to prevent the spread of the disease Isolation of diseased Palms: The palms in the early or middle stages of the disease should be isolated from the neighboring palms by taking trenches of 1 m deep and 30 cm wide Irrigate the palms at least once in a fortnight during summer months Biological control: Apply heavy doses of FYM or compost for green manure at 50 Kg/tree/year along with 5 kg of neem cake
Vegetative growth stage and mature palm
Nutrients	Four equal split doses of fertilizers are to be applied starting from June/July at three month interval. For the newly planted crop, the first dose of fertilizer needs to be applied three months after planting. Add 50-100 kg FYM or 100kg green manure per palm along with the second dose of fertilizer application. Five kg neem cake/palm can also be applied. Broadcast the fertilizers around the clean-weeded basin, about 50 cm away from the palm base and incorporate into the soil with the help of fork. Irrigate the palms immediately after fertilizer application
Weeds	The Palm basins are to be kept clean by regular weeding. For conserving the moisture and weed suppression in the basins, apply Coconut husk or saw dust or paddy husk or cut leaves & male inflorescence of Oil Palm as mulching. Up to the 8 years of planting, grow the region specific recommended intercrops/ cover crops like gourds and other Vegetables, chillies, turmeric, ginger, pineapple, banana, flowers, tobacco etc. In the 8-12 years old oil palm plantations, partially shaded region specific recommended intercrops like Cocoa, Pepper, Heliconia and Ginger lily etc. may be grown between the rows. Whenever intercrop are not grown between the rows slashing and mowing of weed or shallow ploughing of plantation leaving the basin area may be adopted.
Irrigation	Oil palm requires sufficient irrigation, as it is a fast growing crop with high productivity and biomass production. Do not grow oil palm if assured and adequate irrigation facility is not available. For grown up yielding palms of 3 years age and above, a minimum of 150 to 200 liters of water per day is required. However, in older plantations during hot summer this quantity may be increased up to 300 lit Basin method of irrigation is to be taken up when irrigation water is not a constraint. Required quantity of water is to be given at 4-5 days interval Drip or Microjet irrigation method is practiced. If land is of undulated terrain
Ablation	Ablation is the removal of male and female flowers produced in the early stages of plantation. This enables the plant to gain adequate stem girth, vigour and develop adequate root system. Flowering starts from 14th to 18th month after planting. Start ablation immediately after the appearance of inflorescences on the palms. They can be removed easily by hand pulling or using appropriate tools. Ablation can be extended up to 2-1/2 to 3 years depending upon the plant growth and vigour
Pollination	Oil palm is a highly cross-pollinated crop. Wind and insects assist pollination, but wind pollination is not adequate. Effective pollinating insects like Elaeidobius kamerunicus helps in good pollination and fruit set. Release of this weevil after 2-1/2 year of planting is advisable. If the plants are not having good girth and vigour, release the weevils after 3 years
Red palm weevil	Mechanical control: Remove and burn all wilting or damaged palms in coconut gardens to prevent further perpetuation of the pest Avoid injuries on stems of palms as the wounds may serve as oviposition sites for the weevil. Fill all holes in the stem with cement Avoid the cutting of green leaves. If needed, they should be cut about 120 cm away from the stem. Setting up of attractant traps (mud pots) containing sugarcane molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g + longitudinally split tender oilpalm stem/logs of green petiole of leaves of 30 numbers in one acre to trap adult red palm weevils in large numbers. Install pheromone trap @1/2 ha Biological control: Fill the crown and the axils of top most three leaves with a mixture of fine sand and neem seed powder or neem seed kernel powder (2:1) once in three months to prevent the attack of rhinoceros beetle damage in which the red palm weevil lays eggs
Rhinoceros beetle	Mechanical control: Remove and burn all dead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to serve as breeding ground) to maintain good sanitation plant a cover crop to deter egg laying by females as they do not lay eggs in areas covered by vegetation Collect and destroy the various bio-stages of the beetle from the manure pits (breeding ground of the pest) whenever manure is lifted from the pits. Examine the crowns of tree at every harvest and hook out and kill the adults Set up light traps following the first rains in summer and monsoon 200 period to attract and kill the adult beetles Set up rhinolure pheromone trap @ 1/ac to trap and kill the beetles Biological control: Soak castor cake at 1 kg in 5 l of water in small mud pots and keep them in the oilpalm gardens to attract and kill the adults Treat the longitudinally split tender coconut stem and green petiole of fronds with fresh toddy and keep them in the garden to attract and trap the beetles For seedlings, apply 3 naphthalene balls/palm weighing 3.5 g each at the base of inter space in leaf sheath in the 3 inner most leaves of the crown once in 45 days Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown
Mealy bug and Scales	Same as in planting stage
Nettle caterpillar	Cultural control: Cutting and burning the badly affected and dried leaves
Case worm	Cultural control: Cutting and burning affected and dried leaves Biological control: Conservation and augmentation of parasitoids such as Pediobius anomalus
Mites	Biological control: Conservation and augmentation of predatory mites
Termites	Same as planting stage
Stem wet rot	Mechanical control: Improvement in agronomic practices, providing drainage, avoid flooding of the plantation etc Adequate fertilization. Scoop out the diseased tissue with a portion of healthy tissues, burn the exposed tissue and apply molten coal tar
Bud rot	Cultural control: Remove and burn badly affected trees which are beyond recovery If diseases is detected in early stage, remove the infected tissue thoroughly by cutting the infected spindle along with two leaves surrounding it
Bunch rot	Cultural control: Sanitation: Before on-set of monsoon, crown cleaning by means of removing the dead inflorescences, bunch stalks, aborted bunches etc. will help in reducing the inoculums buildup and harbouring of pathogen
Leaf spot	Cultural control: Severely diseased palm, should be removed from plantation and destroyed. Palms should be planted with adequate spacing to allow air to circulate between trees. Remove weeds from around palms
Bacterial bud rot/Spear rot	Cultural control: Oil palm plant varieties with resistance to the bacteria. Rotting tissue on spear leaves should be removed to prevent bacteria spreading to buds.
Common mynah	Cultural control: Cover the fruit bunches with wire mesh or coconut or oil palm leaves after 150 days of fruit set. (Twenty two gauge galvanized iron wire mesh (60 x 90 cm) (the size depending upon the fruit bunches) used to cover the Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) atleast of 3-4 times. At least 10 cm gap between the net and the fruit bunch) Use bird scare devices
Wild boar	Cultural control: Wild boar scaring device may be kept
Bunch failure	Cultural control: The situation can be improved by assisted pollination as well as by adopting hygienic measures like removal of infected bunches and dry male inflorescence

 

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage

 

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32 ratings

Nutritional Deficiencies of Oilpalm

1. Nitrogen deficiency
2. Phosphorus deficiency
3. Potassium deficiency
4. Boron deficiency
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Manganese deficiency
7. Zinc deficiency
8. Iron deficiency
9. Copper deficiency
10. Other Micronutrients
11. IPM for Oilpalm

Nitrogen deficiency

Severe N deficiency is rarely seen on old palms. Nitrogen deficiency is expressed in uniformly pale, yellow green leaflets and a sharply reduced growth rate. Midrib tissues become bright yellow, Nitrogen deficiency may also be caused by poor drainage.

Phosphorus deficiency

Phosphorus deficiency does not produce leaf symptoms in oil palm. However, the trunks of affected palms are narrow and tapered

Potassium deficiency

Potassium is the nutrient required by oil palm in largest amounts, anddeficiency symptoms develop on most soils unless K fertilizer is applied. Continued K deficiency leads to a progressive decline in yield and plant health. A number of different symptoms indicate K deficiency or an imbalance of K with other elements. The most typical and widespread form of K deficiency is known as “confluent orange spotting” . The first signs of K deficiency are pale green spots on the pinnae of older fronds. In a more advanced stage, the rectangular spots become orange-yellow and transmit light when held up to the sky. Later, the tips of leaf pinnae start to dry up. In very severe cases, entire older fronds may dry up. Some palms show symptoms similar to K deficiency known as “genetic orange spotting”

Boron deficiency

Boron deficiency is expressed in a range of leaf symptoms. However, in all cases the distal end of leaflets at the tip of the frond are most affected. Pinnae are misshapen, stiff and brittle. “Hook leaf” is one typical symptom of B deficiency

 

Magnesium deficiency

Severe Mg deficiency results in the development of bright orange color in  older fronds. The orange discoloration is very pronounced on the upper rank pinnae  exposed to sunlight, whilst lower rank and shaded pinnae remain green. Leaf veins also stay green for a longer period. Older fronds dry up and die under conditions of severe Mg deficiency. Planters should be able to distinguish between Mg and K deficiency and a healthy leaf

Manganese deficiency

Manganese (Mn) deficiency is not common, but has been reported on soils with high exchangeable Mg status and insufficiently compacted peat soils where palms are suffering from drought. Manganese deficiency shows as a yellowing of interveinal areas. In contrast to Mg deficiency, the symptoms are found on young rather than on older fronds. The symptoms are equally pronounced on upper (sun exposed) and lower (shaded) rank pinnae. Manganese deficiency can occur on peat and very sandy soils and is sometimes associated with high leaf Mg status.

Zinc deficiency

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is not common in oil palm but may be induced under high soil P status and occurs on ultrabasic and ultramafic soils with high soil pH. It is also believed to be a factor involved in the “Peat Yellows” condition found on peat soils. Zinc deficiency has also been reported on shallow peat soils overlying sand, particularly where large amounts of soluble P fertilizer have been applied. It appears as small, narrow white streaks on lower and mid-crown fronds. A different condition that produces blotchy leaf symptoms has also been identified tentatively as Zn deficiency.

Iron deficiency

Iron (Fe) deficiency is very rare in oil palm and occurs where soil pH is very high (i.e., more than 7.5). The deficiency has been observed where palms are grown over coral outcrops or on spots where white ant hills have been levelled. It is easily identified, as symptoms appear first on the youngest fronds, which appear droopy and show diffuse blotchy yellowing and white freckles.

Copper deficiency

Copper (Cu) deficiency is common on deep peat soils and occurs also 30  on very sandy soils. It appears initially as whitish yellow mottling of younger fronds. As the deficiency intensifies, yellow, mottled, interveinal stripes appear and rusty, brown spots develop on the distal end of leaflets. Affected fronds and leaflets are stunted and leaflets dry up. On sandy soils, palms recover rapidly after a basal application of 50 g CuSO₄. On peat soils, lasting correction of Cu deficiency is difficult, as applied CuSO4 is rendered unavailable. A promising method to correct Cu deficiency on peat soil, developed by the authors, is to mix CuSO₄ with clay soil and to form tennis-ball sized "copper mudballs" that are placed around the palm and that provide a slow-release source of available Cu.

Other Micronutrients

Micronutrient elements, iron, manganese and zinc are not generally found limiting in the nutrition of oil palm on acid soil conditions. Boron deficiency is occasionally found on young palms in the plantation showing a reduction of leaf area in certain leaves producing incipient "little leaf", advanced "little leaf" with extreme reduction of leaf area and bunching and reduction in the number of leaflets and "fish-bone" leaf. The "fish-bone" leaves are abnormally stiff with leaflets reduced to projections. Leaf malformations including "hook leaf" and corrugated leaflets are some other associated symptoms. Soil application of 50 - 200 g borax decahydrate, per palm, depending on age, and severity of symptoms is practiced for correcting the malady

IPM for Oilpalm

To know the IPM practices for Oilpalm, click here.

Source: NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage