Table 1. Oil palm growth as affected by different tillage systems

Treatments Months after planting
6 12 18 24
Rachis length (cm)
No-tillage 138 193.20 b 237.25 b 303.84 b
Subsoiling 140.25 204.25 a 253.25 a 317.18 ab
Disking 151 203.00 ab 253.50 a 325.20 a
Subsoiling + disking 144.75 204.00 a 256.75 a 327.51 a
FPLSD NS 10.09 11.29 17.55
Petiole cross section (PxS) (cm2)
No-tillage 2.01 b 2.76 b 4.46 b 5.30 b
Subsoiling 2.20 ab 3.11 a 4.78 ab 5.70 ab
Disking 2.35 a 3.14 a 5.00 a 6.26 a
Subsoiling + disking 2.28 a 3.20 a 4.91 a 6.32 a
FPLSD 0.19 0.3 0.33 0.83
Leaf area (m2)
No-tillage 1.05 b 1.57 b 2.69 b 3.08 b
Subsoiling 1.13 ab 1.81 a 2.97 a 3.27 ab
Disking 1.24 a 1.73 ab 2.91 a 3.40 a
Subsoiling + disking 1.22 a 1.80 a 2.96 a 3.48 a
FPLSD 0.14 0.16 0.14 0.3

    Values in a given column followed by the same letter do not differ at the 0.05 significance level according to fisher protected least significant test (FPLSD).