Weed Management in Oil Palm Plantation

Abstract

The main area of oil palm plantation is location is located in the Southern part of Thailand which has high amount of rainfall. Weed infestation is severe especially during young stage of oil palm. Main weed species in oil palm plantation are : Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. Pennisetum setosum (Swartz.) L.C. Rich, Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin., Pennisetum polystachyon (L.) Schult. Paspalum conjugatum Berg., Rhynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C.E. Hubb., Eleusine indica (L.) Gaerth., digitaria adscendens (H.B.K.) Henr., Brachiaria mutica (Forsk.) Stapf., Axonopus compressus (Sw.) Beauv., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) P. Beauv., Echinochloca nodosea (Kunth) Dandy, chromolaena odorata Linn., Melastoma malabathricum Linn., Lantana camara Linn., Borreria Laevis (Lam.) Griseb, Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore, Ageratum conyzoides Linn., euphorbia heterophylla Linn, Physalis minima Linn., Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lamk., Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thonn., Mikania cordata (Burm.f.) B.L. Robinsom, Passifilora foetida Linn., Commelina benghalensis Linn., Merremia tridentata (L.) Hall, Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott., Stenochlaena palustris (Burm.) Und. Beedd., Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) and Lygodium flexuosum (L.) Sw. Weed management is very important to increas growth and yield of oil palm. It can be done in many ways : mechanical method, using cover crops, inter cropping and herbicide applications. The hervicide application shows higher growth rate of the plant, however, intergrated ways of dointg resulted in increasing crop yield and lower the expenses.