By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
Ibadan, Jan.18, 2021 Scientists at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan and Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) have begun work on formulation, validation of specialty oil palm fertiliser in Nigeria.
The IAR&T Executive Director, Prof. Veronica Obatolu said this at a workshop tagged “End of Phase 1 Soil Mapping and Fertility Evaluation of Ochocercia sis Control Programme (OCP) funded Oil Palm Specialty Fertiliser Project in Nigeria’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was held on Monday at IAR&T in Ibadan.
According to Obatolu, the scientists are working to develop soil information that would serve as guide for formulation of specialty oil palm fertiliser for land areas under cultivation.
Effective biofertilisers using palm oil empty fruit bunches Pix for representational purpose only.
THERE’S increasing public exposure these days on the potential use of biofertilisers, i.e., the use of natural, organic matter.
Biofertilisers are “natural fertilisers that contain living microorganisms (live biomass or dormant cells of effective microbial strains) which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonises the rhizosphere (i.e., plant-root interface) and promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant”.
The term, “rhizosphere” refers to “the soil zone surrounding the plant roots where the biological and chemical features of the soil are influenced by the roots”.
Cost effective biofertilisers for agriculture 07 Jan 2021 / 16:35 H.
There’s increasing public exposure these days on the potential use of biofertilisers, i.e., the use of natural, organic matter.
Biofertilisers are “natural fertilisers that contain living microorganisms (live biomass or dormant cells of effective microbial strains) which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonises the rhizosphere (i.e., plant-root interface) and promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant”.
The term, “rhizosphere” refers to “the soil zone surrounding the plant roots where the biological and chemical features of the soil are influenced by the roots”.
Views: Visits 12
Mr Fatai Afolabi, Chief Executive Officer, Foremost Development Services Limited and Consultant/Adviser, Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria (POFON), explains ways to revamp Nigeria’s oil palm industry, how the government interventions should look like and the need for smallholder and commercial models of oil palm cultivation and value chains. FEMI IBIROGBA, Head, Agro-Economy, reports.
Nigeria used to be a top palm oil-producing country, but today it imports large quantity of the commodity into the country. How did we get here?
Much has been said about this by other stakeholders that I don’t like to repeat. But I like to emphasise that over the years, the Nigerian oil palm industry has been a victim of neglect and sabotage, the combined effect of which has depressed and almost crippled the capacity of the country to produce palm oil effectively.
How Wildlife-Friendly are Oil Palm Plantations in Malaysia?
Being
one of the megadiverse countries in the world, Malaysia is rich in
biodiversity, from the top of its highest mountains to its deepest seas. However,
many of the biodiversity are currently under threat with some already extinct.
Many initiatives have been taken by various organizations to protect and
conserve the biodiversity to be appreciated by our future generations.
Oil
palm, as the most important commodity crop for Malaysia, has been labelled as a
major contributor that drives the extinction of many flora and fauna in the
country. For example, the decrease of more than 100,000 Orangutans from 1999 to