I NTRODUCTI ON. Oil Palm Immature

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1 I NTRODUCTI ON The objective of the planter is to establish a uniform stand of productive palms in each block in the plantation with the minimal requirement for supply planting, the shortest possible period to the start of harvesting, and the smallest possible requirement for corrective measures to the infrastructure, drainage and palm stand once planting has been completed. The establishment of a new stand of oil palms may be divided into two phases. Phase I includes all operations required up to and including planting. Phase II involves the maintenance of the newly planted stand up to maturity. These two phases are very different in terms of the operations carried out and the management techniques required to produce cost-effective and high quality results. At present, most new plantings are established on land cleared from secondary bush. The soil may already have been degraded due to nutrient depletion (slashand-burn agriculture) and logging (soil compaction). During Phase I there is a requirement for both meticulous planning and improvisation by management. Operations should be planned to take place in an orderly sequence, starting with the acquisition of land and the ordering of seed through to land clearing and preparation, and then planting. However, the manager must also change and adjust his plans to accommodate unexpected events that may occur during Phase I. For example, it may be necessary to delay planting during an unexpectedly dry period but during this time it may be important for drainage works involving heavy machinery to work around the clock. When land clearing, land preparation and planting have been carried out successfully, Phase II proceeds with subsequent maintenance operations (weeding and fertilizer application) as a routine sequence of events. However, it is very difficult or even impossible to bring new plantings under a management routine if Phase I operations have not been carried out properly and systematically. In such cases a disproportionate amount of the manager s time will be taken up sorting out problems in small patches of the estate. Some examples of problems include: a) Patches where palm growth is poor due to planting shock. b) Poor legume cover plant (LCP) canopy due to uneven fertilization. c) Poor drainage in parts of each block. d) Patches of neglected palms along creeks and rivers. e) Incomplete maintenance operations where access is poor. f) Unplanted areas along creek sides. A good development manager will spend most of his time in the field, checking each operation thoroughly and helping his staff to solve problems and rectify poor quality work. He will not allow petty concerns regarding costs to compromise future productivity of the palms and will be renowned by all staff for his meticulous attention to detail! 1

2 PHASE I PLANTATI ON DEVELOPMENT During the period from land acquisition to planting the manager aims to bring each parcel of land to a similar level of development. Planted areas can then be handed over to a separate management unit responsible for the maintenance of newly planted areas (see Phase II). There is considerable scope for managers to improve the efficiency and success of oil palm developments. For example: 1. Time nursery planting so that palms are in optimal condition for planting when lining has been completed. 2. Avoid conflicting demands for heavy machinery during land clearing, drainage and road construction by implementing each operation in an orderly sequence of events. 3. Plan to overlap development events (e.g. planting commences before all the land as been prepared for planting). A simple operations plan helps to keep work on schedule. When properly organized it is possible to bring the first planted palms into production 40 months after seed planting in the nursery! Nursery operations are indicated in blue, Phase I in brown and Phase II in green bars. 2

3 101.0 SURVEYI NG OBJECTI VES To identify the location of plantation boundaries, mark in the main base raja line, and mark the position of main ( M ) and harvest ( H ) roads. To prepare an accurate Estate Map showing the plantation boundaries, drainage system and topography. STANDARDS Surveys must be conducted methodically and all data checked meticulously. Future management operations depend on accurate surveys and area measurements. Maps must be to scale (e.g. 1 :5,000) and include all distinguishing features such as rivers, low-lying areas, hills, and environmentally sensitive areas that should not be planted. North must be clearly marked. An estate map provides essential information for planning and monitoring fieldwork. Ideally, prepare a GIS map using data loggers and satelite positioning systems. EQUI PMENT Dumpy level/theodolite, 1 00 m tape measure, compass. Chainsaw (with maintenance kit) or bushknife to clear survey lines and peg sites, hammer. Global Positioning System (GPS) and electronic measurement equipment. MATERI ALS Fuel and oil for chainsaws. Supply of durable 2.5 m wooden pegs (20 mm x 20 mm), white and red paint (planting point lining), blue paint (road and drain lining). Graph paper (2.5 mm square) and A3 isometric paper for mapping. Rotring pens and stencils. PROCEDURES For more details on surveying, refer to: Perkins, R. B. (1 982) Estate Surveying. The Incorporated Society of Planters, Kuala Lumpur, 208pp. 3

4 1. Reconnaissance The Field Manager must visit the site with the surveyors and other staff to familiarize themselves with the landscape and identify features of particular interest (e.g. swampy area, rocky cliffs). Locate the boundary markers (if available) using government survey department maps and known reference points. Install permanent concrete markers before any field work commences. A thorough survey by an experienced planter, soil surveyor, and drainage expert is required to determine land preparation requirements. Cross check the location of boundaries with local village leaders and government authorities to avoid costly disputes during the development phase. Inspection from the air provides an excellent overview and helps with the identification of problem areas. Prepare annotated sketch maps and take photographs during the flight. 2. I nitial site overview An advance team cuts rentices on a parallel grid at approximately 1,000 m intervals. The grid interval should be decreased where additional information is required (e.g. in a swampy corner the grid may be decreased to 1 00 m x 1 00 m to plot the extent of the problem). Consider the future road system when establishing rentice lines to minimise work duplication. The survey team inspects the grid. Experts identify the soil types, inspect the drainage system, and identify potential access problems. Samples (water, soil) and observations are taken, and their point of origin noted and mapped. Sample points are usually located at the intersection of main grid lines using a reference system. The best system is to designate east-west lines alphabetically and north-south lines numerically to provide an alphanumeric references for each point (e.g. J34). The grid reference system is marked on 2.5 mm square graph paper or plotted by computer if a Global Positioning System (GPS) has been used. The Field Manager must inspect the preliminary site maps frequently to check for errors and to note features that may affect future plantation development. A GPS is invaluable for the initial stages of survey and mapping to locate markers accurately and to develop maps. It may be necessary to hire a surveyor trained in GPS interpretation. More sophisticated equipment such as electronic range finders, altimeters and direction finders are also now being adopted for use in plantations. Where possible, ortho-corrected aerial photographs should be used. Maintain and regularly update a master Estate Map containing all relevant information. 3. Base survey. The initial survey work on a new area is usually carried out by a qualified (e.g. ISP certified) estate surveyor or survey contractor, particularly if satellite technology is to be used. If in any doubt about the location of a boundary point, seek assistance from the local government survey department. 4

5 Future mechanization should be considered during the design and layout of the plantation. The base survey procedure is as follows: 1. Clear sight lines or rentices along the boundaries. 2. Install permanent concrete posts (2 m x 1 0 cm x 1 0 cm) at all 'benchmark' boundary stations and mark their position on the master Estate Map. Do not use streams, rivers or trees as permanent reference points. a) Flat areas The planting density is selected before surveying begins and is taken into account when marking out the location of roads. Sub-main ( S ) roads are aligned to meet the main ( M ) haulage roads at approximately 1,000 m intervals and, wherever possible, at right angles. Harvest ( H ) roads meet the S roads at intervals dictated by the harvest carry distance, or the distance that the collection unit must travel in the case of assisted collection (e.g. mechanized or draught animal transport). The most common palm block sizes are m wide, and 1,000 m long with 1 0 m wide roads (scupper drain to scupper drain). This gives a palm block area of ha and a road density of about m/ha. b) Hilly areas In hilly areas, all roads are initially planned to suit the specified planting density as though the area was flat. The location of each road is then adjusted to accommodate obstructions (e.g. a rocky outcrop) using a contour map overlay, and unsealed roads are realigned to give a road gradient that does not exceed 1 :1 0 (1 0%). In terraced areas, the roads must dissect the terraces at intervals equal to or less than the maximum carry distance along the terrace. c) Swampy areas In flat swampy areas requiring drainage (e.g. coastal clay and peat soils), flying (spot) levels should be taken along the rentice lines to identify low lying areas where drainage may be difficult. In peat swamps and coastal clay areas, strategic points for the installation of water gates should be identified at an early stage of the survey. 5

6 A toposequence of soil types observed from a newly installed drainage canal. The Field Manager must take advantage of every opportunity to improve his understanding of the natural resource base of the plantation. d) Survey completion From the working sketch, an Estate Map is produced showing main drains, roads, and an estimate of the size of each planting block. In the event of a dispute over the location of a boundary, the matter is referred to the relevant local government land authority. After planting, a full isometric survey of the planted area is carried out and used to calculate the total planted area in each block (i.e. total number of planted points planting density = actual planted hectarage, Refer to Appendix A8). If GPS technology has been used, an accurate Estate Map showing boundaries and areas can be produced and overlays showing drainage, roads and other reference points can be added to the base map to produce a geographical information system (GIS). Later on, the digitized maps can be linked to a database containing all relevant agronomic data to produce maps showing key agronomic information. Refer to Appendix A9. The Field Manager, Nursery Manager and field staff should review the completed Estate Map during field reconnaissance walks so that land clearing and field planting can be planned and coordinated properly. Adjustments and requests for re-surveys should be arranged at this stage. It is often convenient to carry out a soil survey at this stage. For more details on soil surveying in Southeast Asia, refer to: Paramanthan, S. (1 987) Field Legend for Soil Surveys in Malaysia. Universiti Pertanian, Malaysia, 92pp. Buringh, P. (1 979) Introduction to the Study of Soils in Tropical and Subtropical Regions. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, 1 24p. 6

7 FREQUENCY A main survey and mapping exercise is carried out before any new planting is done. A fresh survey may be necessary in replanted areas. Estate Maps must be updated after replanting. TI MI NG Surveying must be completed at least three months before palm point lining is started. Overlays of planting layout, roads and drainage must be completed two weeks before lining for planting begins. TASK md/ha Baseline survey Full survey RECORDS An annotated sketch map must be produced and regularly updated as new information is gathered, to provide a dynamic model of the field. Digital information recorded on GPS equipment should be stored for future reference ENVI RONMENT A full environmental assessment should form part of the feasibility study for new plantings and replantings. Do not plant unsuitable land (e.g. steep land, difficult to drain swamps)! Do not contaminate waterways with fuels or lubricants. SAFETY Bushknives are sharp cutting instruments and must be used and maintained carefully. Make sure operators are properly trained in the safe use of chainsaws. Sharp handtools Chainsaw NOTES Refer to Sections and for more details on roads and drains. Two general rules are: Fit the planting to the terrain not the terrain to the planting and Fit roads to the planting point layout not the planting point layout to the road system. 7