Research
Paper

Manuscript Number:110912264

 

     

Conceptualization of Info- Crop Oil Palm Nutrient
Modeling In Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research

                                                            

^*Okpamen
U. S., Uwumarongie-Ilori E.G., Okere R.A., Imoisi O.B. and Okolo E. C.

       

Nigeria Institute
for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR, P.M.B. 1030 Benin City, Edo State

 

*Corresponding
Author’s Email: okpamens @ yahoo. com

Abstract:

Following the expensive cost in running fertilizer trials, it is increasingly
difficult to fund most agronomical projects and in order to reduce cost, save
available time and improve on existing data information pool, the idea of info
crop-oil palm nutrient sourcing, processing and transformation into a require
models is now an issue in oil palm industry. This work review areas of interest
done by Universities and Research institutions in Nigeria on the growth and
development of oil palm. It represents advancement in the Info-Crop oil palm
nutrient modeling and its application to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis L.) growing
in diverse tropical environments. The model is based on the regression analysis
of oil palm nutrient data computed to predict various crop nutrients, especially
the oil palm in tropical and subtropical regions. The Info Crop-oil palm
nutrient models were validated with data compiled from approved studies,
comprising agronomical and nutritional experiments conducted in Nigeria (NIFOR)
and Malaysia (MPOB) between 2001 and 2008 in diverse locations. The treatments
included nutrients and varieties of oil palm. Time of first harvest varied
between 3 and 4 years, leaf production varied from 8 to 15 fronds year-1 and
yield ranged from 9000 to 18,465kg wt ha-1 year-1. The regression coefficients
used for validation were generated from field experiments conducted during the
same period. Model validation performance was by using SPSS statistical package
with known conventional procedures. Parameters evaluated were soil nutrients and
climatic elements of the oil palm belts, its zoning and yield output
performances across fields of the main station. It was established that field
measurements had an experimental error of 10-15% and wide variation existed
within treatments. The models reported in the final results adequately explained
the effects of nutrients applied and agro-climatic conditions at varying periods
for only the agro-climatic zone investigated, simulated potential yields varied
from 16 to 24,000kg wt ha-1 year-1 and between 4 to16 bunches per palm stand
(Nigeria) and 6 to 19 bunches per palm stand (Malaysia), depending on
environmental and managerial influences. We established therefore that info Crop
oil palm nutrient modeling could be used to increase the performances of
agronomic experiments for rapid prediction of oil palm nutrient requirements and
yields across the zones when properly developed and adopted in fields and
plantations.
 
Keywords: Info Crop, Info Nutrient -modeling, Regression coefficients,
efficiency, agronomic experiment and validation.