Crown Rot in Palms… How to prevent it before harvest? Any effective methods? CPI has solutions.
When crowns of palm trees require nutrients simultaneously, insufficient supply can lead to premature rotting before harvest. Even if fertilization and soil conditions appear uniform across different plots, the symptoms may vary due to inherent genetic differences among palm varieties.
For larger, mature crowns intended for sequential harvesting, adequate nutrient accumulation supports individual crowns. Thus, carefully managing feeding and nurturing can prevent symptoms from manifesting in 1-2 crowns at a time.
Causes of Crown Rot in Palms
• Occurs in palms aged 1-3 years, a period of rapid growth with vigorous trunk expansion and abundant leaf production. If palms develop crowns during this phase when the tree is not yet mature, the crowns may fail to set properly, leading to premature rotting and withering before maturity.
• Failure of pollination results in non-setting fruits, which become withered and prone to fungal infections.
• Insufficient nutrient reserves in the palm tree can’t adequately support the crowns.
• During dry periods, water scarcity exacerbates the problem, contributing to crown withering and rotting.
Here are 5 effective methods to prevent and remedy crown rot in palms
1.) Apply fertilizer according to the complete formula and required amount, selecting based on the age of the palm or adhering to the quantity of bunch production.
1.1) Fertilizer Application Based on Palm Age (Suitable for young palms before harvesting)
• 2-year-old palm: Apply 3 kg/tree
• 3-year-old palm: Apply 4 kg/tree
• 4-year-old palm: Apply 6.5 kg/tree
• 5-6-year-old palm: Apply 7 kg/tree
• 7-9-year-old palm: Apply 7.5 kg/tree
• 10-year-old and older palm: Apply 8 kg/tree
1.2) Fertilizer Application Based on Bunch Production
• Bunch yield 3 tons/ha/year: Apply 7 kg/tree/year
• Bunch yield 3.5 tons/ha/year: Apply 7.5 kg/tree/year
• Bunch yield 4 tons/ha/year: Apply 8 kg/tree/year
• Bunch yield 4.5 tons/ha/year: Apply 8.5 kg/tree/year
• Bunch yield 5 tons/ha/year: Apply 9 kg/tree/year
Recommendations:
• Divide fertilizer application into 1-2 kg/tree per time.
• Recommended fertilizer ratios: 2-1-5 or 3-1-5, e.g., 15-5-25+TE, 14-7-35, 15-5-30. In areas where palm fertilizer is scarce or expensive, other fruit or plant fertilizers can be used. It’s advised to use ratios that closely match the recommended ones. Organic fertilizers or compost can be used, but they may have lower nutrient content, affecting palm and bunch production, as oil palms require chemical fertilizers for optimal yields.
2.) Apply Dolomite at 3 kg/tree/year Symptoms of palm bunch rot stem from poor fruit setting, often linked to direct calcium fertilization, which is derived from dolomite application.
3.) Apply Boron at 200 grams/tree/year To address poor fruit setting issues.
4.) For palms in their first 1-2 years, recommend removing all bunches to maximize growth potential.
5.) It’s crucial to keep detailed records of each harvest cycle and overall annual yield for the entire plantation.
