The Use of measuring parameter such as bunch census, male flowering and pollinators as support tools to crop management : experiences at the Agro Caribe Plantation, Izabal, Guatemala
Publicación:
Revista Palmas; Vol. 28 Núm. especial, (2007); 185-197
0121-2923
Revista Palmas; Vol. 28 Núm. especial, (2007); 185-197
0121-2923
Abstract
In most of the oil palm growing countries, a high level of technology has been achieved in recent areas. Several indicators have been used to achieve this technological progress and the successful development of researches. These parameters, in addition to providing information on the studies conducted, they can be used as a support tool for the development of crop-related operating and administrative activities. Some plantations have been using these parameters, but in a shyly manner, without giving them the importance they deserve. This paper aims at showing in a very practical manner the way in which a plantation can apply these measuring parameters to support its administrative and operating functions, so as to achieve the best productivity and sustainability results. Many plantations have been using these measuring parameters to support the administrative and operating management, these are: Bunch census or production monitoring, which consists of assessing or measuring every four months the amount of bunches available to be harvested during the next 4 months. This is being done periodically as a support tool for production forecasting and for the administrative and financial management from the cash standpoint. On the other hand, a male flowering and weevils monitoring and a census is being carried out, which consists of recording periodically a predetermined male and female flowering area in anthesis and additionally, a sample of the insects population is taken, one which is representative of the plantation. This information is very useful for the support of the agricultural production of oil palm and improving oil yield. If managed in a methodical manner, these two parameters have contributed to the following aspects: Counting on a production budget every four months, which is properly adjusted to reality with a variation not exceeding + or ? 5% of the figure forecasted. Compared with annual budgets, they show a timely production variation, which can appear at a given moment, which enables an adequate management of the crop. Los altos índices de tecnología alcanzados por el cultivo de la palma han generado parámetros de medición que pueden ser utilizados por las plantaciones como herramientas de apoyo en el desarrollo de actividades operativas y administrativas del cultivo. De hecho, algunas ya vienen haciéndolo, pero tímidamente, sin darles la importancia que ameritan. En Agro Caribe se han venido aplicando dos de esas herramientas: el censo de racimos o monitoreo de producción, que consiste en evaluar o medir cada cuatrimestre la cantidad de racimos que estarán disponibles para ser cosechados en los próximos cuatro meses, y el censo y monitoreo de floración masculina y de población de polinizadores, que consiste en registrar periódicamente de un área predeterminada la floración masculina y femenina en antesis y tomar además una muestra de población de insectos polinizadores que representen la plantación. Esta información apoya el mejoramiento de la producción agrícola en el cultivo y de los rendimientos de aceite. Los dos parámetros de medición manejados metódicamente han permitido contar con un presupuesto de producción cuatrimestral muy ajustado a la realidad, con una variación de alrededor del 5 por ciento de lo previsto. Comparado con los presupuestos anuales, estos muestran con más oportunidad la variación de la producción que se pueda presentar en un momento dado, lo cual permite mejorar el manejo del cultivo y su administración. La evaluación de la presión polínica (insectos polinizadores por hectárea), efecto del monitoreo de floración masculina y femenina en antesis y la población de polinizadores, ha dado como resultado un conocimiento más certero de la situación real del potencial de producción de aceite de la plantación y las posibilidades de mejoramiento usando la polinización industrial.
In most of the oil palm growing countries, a high level of technology has been achieved in recent areas. Several indicators have been used to achieve this technological progress and the successful development of researches. These parameters, in addition to providing information on the studies conducted, they can be used as a support tool for the development of crop-related operating and administrative activities. Some plantations have been using these parameters, but in a shyly manner, without giving them the importance they deserve. This paper aims at showing in a very practical manner the way in which a plantation can apply these measuring parameters to support its administrative and operating functions, so as to achieve the best productivity and sustainability results. Many plantations have been using these measuring parameters to support the administrative and operating management, these are: Bunch census or production monitoring, which consists of assessing or measuring every four months the amount of bunches available to be harvested during the next 4 months. This is being done periodically as a support tool for production forecasting and for the administrative and financial management from the cash standpoint. On the other hand, a male flowering and weevils monitoring and a census is being carried out, which consists of recording periodically a predetermined male and female flowering area in anthesis and additionally, a sample of the insects population is taken, one which is representative of the plantation. This information is very useful for the support of the agricultural production of oil palm and improving oil yield. If managed in a methodical manner, these two parameters have contributed to the following aspects: Counting on a production budget every four months, which is properly adjusted to reality with a variation not exceeding + or ? 5% of the figure forecasted. Compared with annual budgets, they show a timely production variation, which can appear at a given moment, which enables an adequate management of the crop.
Palabras clave:
palma de aceite
elaeis guineensis
instrumentos de medición
censos
polinizadores
inflorescencias
producción de aceite
palma de aceite
elaeis guineensis
instrumentos de medición
censos
polinizadores
inflorescencias
producción de aceite