Annual Yield of Eight Commercial Varieties of Oil Palm

Abstract

Yield study of 6 years old of 8 commercial oil palm varieties was conducted at Tha - Chiat Research Station, Faculty of Natural Resources, Prince of Songkla University, Bang Kaeo district, Phatthalung province (7°36'63.9 "N latitude and 100°13'12.2" E longitude). The experiment was conducted in 2018, the planted area is a marshy, flooded area, adjusting the area by digging a single row of drainage flow. A randomized complete block design was used with 8 treatments (varieties) including PR, UT, S2, S7, GT, CP, PS, and CR with three replications (three plants per replication). The bunches number and bunches weight were recorded every months (12 times). The growth characteristics were recorded every 4 months for one year. The result found that PR, GT and PS varieties tend to have the highest yield. Moreover, January, February, and March had higher price than other months. For income, the results showed that  GT oil palm variety gave the highest income at 11,697.5 baht, followed by PR and PS varieties (11,629.7 and 11,553.8 baht, respectively). For comparison of growth characters, the result showed no significant difference among varieties in terns of leaflet length, leaflet width, petiole depth, trunk diameter and leaf area. Moreover, oil yield of PS was not significant different with other varieties, but was significantly higher than PR. So, farmers should be encouraged to grow three varieties above in the same plot for good produce, yield quality, and to raise farm income and oil palm farmer security in Southern Thailand.