Table 7 Ing

Table 7. Summary of Technical Advice Received from Consultants on Oil Palm Cultivation Practices
C.W.S. Hartley - 1964
	Management staff and research time dedicated to oil palm is minimal
	Stop harvesting green fruit.
	Avoid severe leaf pruning.
	DxP planting materials should be used in place of DxD
	Grasses represent a severe maintenance problem.
	Circle meeding of young palms is deficient.
	Avoid cattle within oil palm plantations.
	Replace ladder harvesting with pole and knife method.
	Needs better circle weeding of old palms to prevent the loss of loose fruit.
	Continue fertilizer experiments over many years.
	Obtain oil palm literature for staff to use.
	Management and research personnel should visit outside oil palm plantations.
J.J. Hardon - Oct. 1967
	Higher yields are possible when agricultural practices are improved
	Leguminous cover crops should be utilized
	Grass competition with young oil palms is severe
	Slow development of young palms attributed to grass competition and low fertilizer rates
	Need agronomic research on grass control and fertilization.
	Purchase commercial seed from West Africa or Malaysia.
P.G. Martineau - April, 1969
	It seems a pity to leave tall palms unharvested. Socfin uses double and even triple bamboo poles to cut tall palms.
	Socfin believes that grass control in young palms is the overall most important practice in palm cultivation.
	If tall palms are not going to be harvested they should be cut down to reduce interpalm competition and cultivation costs.
J. Meunier - July, 1974
	Plantation practices are poor, including:
	Severe grass competition
	Nutrient deficiencies.
	High harvest losses.
	Poor genetic material.
	Poor palm selection in the nursery.
Toh Peng Yin - June, 1975
	The infestation of Pestalotiopsis in San Alejo could be considered severe.
	San Alejo leaf analysis shows N and P deficiencies.
	The use of castration in young palms is recommended.
	Use sickle and pole for harvesting tall palms.
	Periodic technical assistance should be obtained.
	Employees should attend Malaysian oil palm conferences.
G. Blaak - July, 1977
	Plant progenies in progeny blocks in both the nursery and the field.
	The production staff needs training and access to a planters manual.
	Loose fruit losses are high and harvest cycles too long.
	Nursery techniques need improvement.
S.C. Ooi - August, 1977
	Existing nutrient deficiency symptoms are of some concern.
	He personally prefers a two-stage nursery.
E.A. Rosenquist - Jan. 1979
	Soil compaction due to excessive mechanization and an inadequate road network is reducing yield.
	Destruction of the litter-layer on the soil surface may be more damaging than the compaction.
	Quepos has a phosphorus deficiency.
	Fertilizer schedules for young palms are inadequate.
	Drainage must be improved before replanting.
	A pure legume cover policy must be adopted.
	Bad fertilizer placement and timing are reducing fertilizer effectiveness.