Study on the effect of soil compaction due to mechanisation in oil palm estate

Abd Rahim S., . and Mohd Haniff H., . and Wahid O., . and Ahmad Tarmizi M., . and Chan K. W., . and Mohd Basri W., . and Mohd Faiz M., . (2009) Study on the effect of soil compaction due to mechanisation in oil palm estate. [Proceedings Paper]

There is an increasing concern about the long-term effects of soil compaction due to the increasing weight of agricultural equipment. Soil compaction can be measured or assessed by a wide range of soil properties such as bulk density. porosity. void ratio and pore size distribution. In this study two parameters are being monitored to assess the degree of compaction i.e. bulk density and soil resistance. A considerable portion of the root growth zone is subjected to the compaction force exerted by wheels during the process of FFB evacuation and field maintenance. This trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of different levels of soil compaction on palms grown in Bernam series soil. The induced compaction is being carried out on treatment plots at J 2 and 3 rounds a month by tractors with weights of trailers at 2 tonnes and 4 tonnes to simulate FFB weight. A split-split plot design was used with 2 x 3 treatments replicated five times. The main plot is split into 2 tonnes and 4 tonnes tractor weight followed by a subplot of one. two and three rounds of compaction a month to simulate harvesting rounds. The trial plots each 4 hectares give a total of 21 ha for the 5 replicates and one control plot which the manual estate practice is. Results obtained after six years of soil compaction treatments show that soil resistance was significantly increased by about JO.6 as compared to control at a soil depth of JO cm. The average soil bulk density was significantly increased by about 11.3 in a 4 t load treatment but was still within the limit tolerated by plants. The present of heavy rainfall and water submerged on the trial plot which coinciding with sampling time could somehow give fluctuating soil bulk density and soil resistance values. Total root biomass and its components were not significantly shown to be affected by soil compaction. although they show a decreasing trend with increasing compaction. Fresh fruit bunch FFB yield was significantly increased by about 5.3 of the control. There was no significant difference on the soil faunal population between the compacted and non-compacted soil. The faunal population was largely concentrated in the top 10 em soil layer.

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Abstract

There is an increasing concern about the long-term effects of soil compaction due to the increasing weight of agricultural equipment. Soil compaction can be measured or assessed by a wide range of soil properties such as bulk density. porosity. void ratio and pore size distribution. In this study two parameters are being monitored to assess the degree of compaction i.e. bulk density and soil resistance. A considerable portion of the root growth zone is subjected to the compaction force exerted by wheels during the process of FFB evacuation and field maintenance. This trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of different levels of soil compaction on palms grown in Bernam series soil. The induced compaction is being carried out on treatment plots at J 2 and 3 rounds a month by tractors with weights of trailers at 2 tonnes and 4 tonnes to simulate FFB weight. A split-split plot design was used with 2 x 3 treatments replicated five times. The main plot is split into 2 tonnes and 4 tonnes tractor weight followed by a subplot of one. two and three rounds of compaction a month to simulate harvesting rounds. The trial plots each 4 hectares give a total of 21 ha for the 5 replicates and one control plot which the manual estate practice is. Results obtained after six years of soil compaction treatments show that soil resistance was significantly increased by about JO.6 as compared to control at a soil depth of JO cm. The average soil bulk density was significantly increased by about 11.3 in a 4 t load treatment but was still within the limit tolerated by plants. The present of heavy rainfall and water submerged on the trial plot which coinciding with sampling time could somehow give fluctuating soil bulk density and soil resistance values. Total root biomass and its components were not significantly shown to be affected by soil compaction. although they show a decreasing trend with increasing compaction. Fresh fruit bunch FFB yield was significantly increased by about 5.3 of the control. There was no significant difference on the soil faunal population between the compacted and non-compacted soil. The faunal population was largely concentrated in the top 10 em soil layer.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Available at Perpustakaan Sultan Abdul Samad Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia. mal TP684 P3I61 2009 vol. 1 Call Number
AGROVOC Term:	Soil compaction
AGROVOC Term:	Oil palm
AGROVOC Term:	Agricultural equipment
AGROVOC Term:	Soil profiles
AGROVOC Term:	Bulk density soil
AGROVOC Term:	Soil porosity
AGROVOC Term:	Tractors
AGROVOC Term:	Plot design
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:14
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12306

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