Effect of weeds management toward understorey species diversity and soil fertility under oil palm plantation

Abstract

The objectives of this study was to determine soil fertility and types of plants in understorey ecosystems in oil palm plantation stand which are managed in different ways. The data collection method was a direct observation on smallholder oil palm plantation at 15 years of age with different management, namely: 1) weed control using herbicides, 2) without management, and 3) used for beef cattle grazing. The data consisted of soil fertility and identification of understorey species in each management. The soil samples were taken in a composite manner and analyzed in the laboratory, while the plant species samples were gathered using the 1x1 m2 method and identified using an identification manual. From the results, weed control in oil palm plantation with cattle grazing has a positive impact on soil fertility compared to the use of herbicides and without control. The diversity of understorey species in cattle grazing locations is less, namely, as much as 11 species compared to the use of herbicides (15 species) and without control (22 species). Weed management by grazing cows in the oil palm plantation increased land fertility and the dominance of understorey plants as a source of animal feed.