The Effect of Planting Density on the Yield Components of Oil Palm (<i>Elaeis Guineensis</i>)

Abstract

SUMMARY Yield components in oil palm were recorded in a spacing experiment comparing 56, 110, 148 and 186 palms ha −1 . The higher densities reduced the number of female inflorescences (due to a decrease in the proportion of female to total inflorescences and an increase in the proportion of leaves with aborted inflorescences), the weight of the frame and the number of flowers per inflorescence. The results suggest that the production of seed per bunch can be increased by at least 15% by thinning around selected palms in seed gardens. The sex ratio and the components of flower number per inflorescence were more sensitive to competition for light than the weight of the frame and floral abortion. Components determining the oil and kernel extraction showed no response to density when assisted pollination was used, but with the successful introduction of insect pollinators, oil and kernel extraction increased with planting density as a result of an increase in fruit per bunch.