Reducing runoff loss of applied nutrients in oil palm cultivation using controlled-release fertilizers

• Main Authors: Bah, Alagie, Mohd Hanif, Ahmad Husni, Teh, Christopher Boon Sung, Yusop, Mohd Rafii, Syed Rastan, Syed Omar, Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2014
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35185/1/35185.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35185/; http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aag/2014/285387/abs/
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Controlled-release fertilizers are expected to minimize nutrient loss from crop fields due to their potential to supply plant-available nutrients in synchrony with crop requirements. The evaluation of the efficiency of these fertilizers in tropical oil palm agroecological conditions is not yet fully explored. In this study, a one-year field trial was conducted to determine the impact of fertilization with water soluble conventional mixture and controlled-release fertilizers on runoff loss of nutrients from an immature oil palm field. Soil and nutrient loss were monitored for one year in 2012/2013 under erosion plots of 16 m2 on 10% slope gradient. Mean sediments concentration in runoff amounted to about 6.41 t ha−1. Conventional mixture fertilizer posed the greatest risk of nutrient loss in runoff following fertilization due to elevated nitrogen (6.97%), potassium (13.37%), and magnesium (14.76%) as percentage of applied nutrients. In contrast, this risk decreased with the application of controlled-release fertilizers, representing 0.75–2.44% N, 3.55–5.09% K, and 4.35–5.43% Mg loss. Meanwhile, nutrient loss via eroded sediments was minimal compared with loss through runoff. This research demonstrates that the addition of controlled-release fertilizers reduced the runoff risks of nutrient loss possibly due to their slow-release properties.