Best Management Practice for Maximum Economic Yield in Oil Palm (BMP-OP II)

The best management practice (BMP) concept for yield intensification in existing mature plantings has been developed and refined by IPNI and its partners over a period of 8 years. In this approach, a set of site-specific BMPs are identified and implemented in a representative number of full-size management blocks in each estate to achieve crop management objectives related to productivity, profitability, sustainability, and the environment. Through this process, estates identify better ways to implement BMPs for yield intensification, and decisions on larger investments in BMPs are based on practical, commercial-scale evidence.

In 2008, IPNI conducted a preliminary review of its project on yield intensification conducted in partnership with six collaborating plantations in Sumatra (North, South) and Kalimantan (West, Central, and East), Indonesia. In late 2008, BMP implementation at the six project sites ranged from 12 to 22 months. Yield advantages with BMP were significant at all projects except site 1 where current yield is probably close to the site’s yield potential. Considering all data available for this preliminary analysis, fruit yield with BMP was 3.1 t/ha or 13% greater compared to the standard practice. Except for site 1, yield advantages with BMP ranged from 1.7 to 5.9 t/ha.

These encouraging yield improvements achieved through the implementation of BMPs at sites broadly representative of the oil palm industry underline the general applicability of the BMP concept. Clearly, a short harvesting interval and full crop recovery is a prerequisite for closing current yield gaps at project sites. The next step in the yield intensification process will require a thorough analysis of the data at each site to determine the site-specific requirements for wider implementation of the selected BMPs.

The BMP concept was presented at the 6^th Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil, 18-20 November 2008, in Indonesia. It drew significant interest. In late 2008, IPNI launched two new oil palm related web sites: 1) the IPNI Crop Portal on Oil Palm (http://oilpalm.ipni.net) provides up-to-date information on evolving strategies in oil palm agronomy, and 2), the new IPNI Oil Palm Forum (http://forum.ipni.net/oilpalm) provides planters with a venue for exchange of ideas and experiences.

Priorities in 2009 include the development of a Handbook and Training Video on the BMP approach as well as the development of a training course for estate managers. Southeast Asia-03