Long term FFB, oil and kernel production for FELDA's lysimeter and two surrounding palms

Felda planted an oil palm in a lysimeter in January 1976 for studies on potential evapotranspiration, potential yield and leaching losses of oil palm. The palm was irrigated beginning May 1978. Yield recording was carried out for this palm and six surrounding non-irrigated palms. From 1982 onwards, bunches from the lysimeter palm and two of the surrounding palms, Palm A and Palm B, were harvested for bunch analyses of fruit and oil components on a monthly basis. This paper examines the relationship between FFB production, oil and kernel yields over a 14-year period (1982 to 1995) for the lysimeter and these two surrounding palms. FFB production fluctuated cyclically and was strongly influenced by bunch number but not bunch weight. However there was an increasing trend in bunch weight despite the yearly fluctuations. Likewise there was a declining trend for mean fruit weight and wet mesocarp to fruit content. No clear patterns were seen for fruit to bunch and oil to wet mesocarp content. However the absolute fruit to bunch content showed an increasing trend while the absolute oil to mesocarp content showed a declining trend. There was also an increasing trend for number of fruits per bunch. Cyclical high and low values were observed for percentage oil to bunch but the cycles differed for all the three palms. However the observations do not suggest any declining trend in percentage oil to bunch. Percentage oil to bunch was negatively correlated with FFB production for the lysimeter palm, but not for Palm A and Palm B. This suggests that when FFB production was very high, percentage oil to bunch was lower. However the obsolute oil to bunch showed an increasing trend up to 1993 due to the increasing bunch weight. The absolute oil to bunch was strongly correlated with FFB production for the lysimeter palm and slightly for Palm A but not Palm B. This suggests that when FFB production was very high the absolute oil to bunch was also increased but less proportionally, as reflected in the lower percentage oil to bunch for the lysimeter palm. For kernel to bunch, there appeared to be an upward trend form 1983 till 1990 after which there was a decline up to 1994. Percentage kernel to bunch was not correlated with FFB for all the three palms. The absolute kernel to bunch content also showed an increasing trend up to 1993. Again this was attributed to increasing bunch weight. Absolute kernel to bunch was strongly correlated with FFB production for the lysimeter palm and Palm B, and slightly with Palm A. This suggests that when FFB production increased, the absolute kernel to bunch also increased proportionally, as reflected in the higher percentage kernel to bunch for all the three palms. Both oil and kernel yields do not suggest any declining trends, but distinct high and low cycles were evident