Soil compaction under cattle grazing in oil palms

C. C. Wong

Abstract

An experiment was imposed on an on-going stocking rate trial in a young oil palm stand at MARDI Research Station in Kluang, Johor, to study the effect of Kedah-Kelantan cattle grazing on soil compaction and oil palm root growth. About 2 years after commencement of grazing, soil compaction and oil palm root growth were measured between March 1983 and May 1986. Soil compaction as measured by cone penetration resistance increased with soil depth but decreased with increasing distance from the palms. Grazing of cattle at any stocking rate significantly (p <0.05) increased soil compaction in the top soil stratum only. Root dry weight declined significantly (p <0.05) with increasing distance from the palms in all the years of investigation and with increasing depth. The top soil stratum (0–20 cm) had the highest root dry weight, representing 61.9% of the total root mass followed by the second stratum with 20.8%. The third and last strata had 11.6% and 5.4% respectively. Grazing of cattle significantly (p  <0.05) reduced root growth in the top two strata in 1984 and 1986 but not in 1985. The significance of these results was discussed in relations to fresh fruit bunch yield of the oil palms.

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