Vol. 19 October - December 2014 Issue. 4

From the Director’s Desk

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Dear Readers,

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEWYEAR

Water and nutrients play a critical role in determiningoil palm productivity in India, where the crop ispromoted as an irrigated crop, due to long dry spellsespecially during summer months. Increasing oil palmproductivity through improved water and nutrient useefficiency would be the Flagship programme of theInstitute for the XII Plan. In the recent years, waterand nutrients have become cost l ier and theiravailability is highly limited. Hence, the Institute haschosen this Flagship programme mainly to producemore oil from minimum quantity of water andnutrients.

Under this programme, use of sensors for assessingsoil ferti lity and offer precise location-specificrecommendations to meet the actual crop requirementwould be studied. Crop management methods forimproving water and nutrient use efficiency would beevolved in addition to the identification of critical levelsfor nutrients in different stages of crop growth.Nutrient mapping data from ICAR-NBSS&LUP wouldbe extensively utilized along with oil palm leaf nutrientstatus data to be collected in various regions to offerlocation-specific recommendations on fertilizerschedule. Better utilization of Plant Growth PromotingRhizobacteria for increased Resource Use Efficiencywould be attempted for ensuring higher returns fromthe inputs. Screening of germplasm and progenieswould also be initiated for identification of accessionsand hybrid combinations with better water andnutrient use efficiency.

Oil palm is a heavy feeder and requires a large quantityof fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers are costly and posing

threat to agro-environment. Microbial inoculants orbio-fertilizers are identified as substitute for chemicalfertilizers. Of late, there is an increasing awarenessin favour of adopting biological routes of soil fertilitymanagement for preventing soil fertility degradationand sustaining production. Considering the vital roleof biofertilizers in oil palm production, there is anurgent need to take up systematic and comprehensivestudies on effect of microbes on growth and yield ofmatured oil palm under Indian conditions to assessthe soil microbial and fertility status in rhizosphere;identification of beneficial micro-flora present in therhizosphere of oil palm and to study the interactionbetween microbes and chemical fertilizers; to studythe impact of microbes on plant growth, nutrientuptake and yield; to study nutrient use efficiency todetermine the amount of chemical fertilizers that canbe saved by using microbes and an economic analysisof the treatments. Nutrient availability, uptakeefficiency of both macro and micro nutrients,functioning of biofertilizers and soil health status canhave direct impact on the productive potential of theoil palm garden which is very essential to bridge yieldgap. Maintenance of soil productivity and soil healthwill ensure better management on a long term basis.Information generated out of these studies willcertainly improve the nutrient use efficiency in oil palmthat would help in cost reduction and better returns.

S. ArulrajDirector

We are pleased to inform our stakeholders that DOPRhas been upgraded as Indian Institute of Oil PalmResearch (IIOPR) with effect from 28th November,2014. We are thankful to all concerned for enablingus to receive this Recognition and we pledge to striveto serve our stakeholders in a better way in the yearsto come.

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RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTSSeasonal variation in the FFB (Fresh FruitBunches) production in dura palmsIn the dura palms of Palode source planted atPedavegi in the year 2000, it was found that the FFBproduction (both in terms of bunch number and bunchweight) starts increasing sharply from the month ofApril to August and gradually decreases with theonset of winter (October onwards) up to March. Morethan 65% of FFB production was observed during the4 months of May to August.

Breeding for dwarfness in oil palmHybridization using Dumpy material from Malaysia wasdone and seven crosses were developed to evolvedwarfing materials. Further, inter se crosses and selfswere developed with dwarf tenera. Inter-specifichybridization (five Eo x Eg crosses, 2 Eg x Eo crosses,and one self of 37Eo) using E. guineensis andE. oleifera and one back cross (11Eo x 39F1) utilizingexisting ISH’s were effected.Breeding for high yieldAdvanced planting material (germinated seed) of 29crosses (26 DxDs and 3 TxTs) was supplied to AICRPon Palms centre – Bagalkot, Karnataka State forraising the seedlings and to layout an improvementtrial. The germinated seeds were planted in theprimary nursery at AICRP Centre.Introgression of exotic Duras for high FFB yieldThe exotic germplasm sources viz., Guinea Bissau,Zambia, Tanzania and Cameroon which were plantedduring 1998 at PCKL plantation, Athirapilli have beenevaluated for yield, bunch and vegetative character-istics. As a part of breeding for high yielding oil palm,selected duras from the germplasm population plantedat Athirapilli has been introgressed to Palode durasfor developing female parents with high FFB yield.The germinated seeds of the material have beenplanted in the nursery for the proposed new field genebank to be maintained for future utilization and partof the materials will be supplied to AICRP on PalmsCentre – Pattukottai in Tamil Nadu State. The pedi-gree details of the materials are given below.

Crosses Name of the Indigenous Progenitor ofexotic source source male parent

222 × 58 Tanzania Palode 271D ×266D287 × 58 Tanzania Palode -do-67 × 58 Zambia Palode -do-168 × 58 Guinea Bissau Palode -do-57 × 58 Zambia Palode -do-157 × 58 Tanzania Palode -do-

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFEROfficers trained: Organised training on “Nurserymanagement in oil palm” to 6 officers from Tamil Naduand Andhra Pradesh States during November 19-21,2014. Lectures on subject matter were delivered,demonstrated nursery management techniques andprovided literature to the participants.Orientation training programme to AICRPScientists: An ‘Orientation Programme on researchmethodologies for oil palm’ was organized for AICRPScientists at IIOPR, Pedavegi during October 8-10,2014.

Orientation Programme on research methodologies for oil palm.

Farmers Trained: Six one day training programmeson ‘Oil Palm Cultivation’ were organized to 247farmers from Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujaratand Telangana states.Three on farm training programmes on recommendedpractices for juvenile oil palm cultivation wereorganized to 165 farmers in Andhra Pradesh andTelangana.Farmers Field Schools Organised: Farmers FieldSchools on “Fertilizer management in Oil Palm” wereorgansied on 15.10.2014 and 17.10.2014 at in KolasibDistrict, Mizoram wherein 60 farmers participated.Another field school were organised on 15.11.2014in West Godavari District, A.P. wherein 30 farmersparticipated. Group approach techniques wereadopted to disseminate the fertilizer managementtechniques.Block demonstration launchedBlock demonstration on Oil Palm Crop Managementwas launched in Bhuchangpai and Khamarang blocksof Kolasib district in Mizoram State. Sixty adult oilpalm plantations were selected for demonstratingfertilizer management techniques to enhance oil palmproductivity. Fertilizers were distributed and skilldemonstrat ions were organized on fert i l i zerapplication.

Block demonstration on Oil Palm Crop Management.

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NMOOP (DAC, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt of India)funded state level training programme on ‘Oil PalmProduction Technology’ was organized at IIOPRResearch Centre, Palode to 15 participants from KeralaState during November, 24-25, 2014.

Training programme on ‘Oil Palm Production Technology’.

Extension activities• Dr. B. N. Rao delivered a talk on ‘Fertigation and

Nutrient Management in Oil Palm’ which wastelecasted in ETV-Annadata on 23.11. 2014.

• Dr. M. V. Prasad delivered talks on Managementof bunch rot affected oi l palm plantations(telecasted in ETV Annadata on 18.11.2014),Management of cyclone affected oi l palmplantations (telecasted in ETV Annadata on25.11.2014), Farmers field school on FertilizerManagement in Oil Palm (telecasted in ETV2Jaikisan on 27.11.2014) and Ablation – Removinginflorescence by using IIOPR developed ablationtool in juvenile oil palm plantations (telecasted inETV Annadata on 05.12.2014).

Participation in Exhibtion• Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research participated

in the Exhibition on Plantation Crops organized atthe sidelines of the venue of PLACROSYMXXI(International Conference on Plantation Crops:Converging Technologies for Sustainability) atKozhikode, Kerala during December 10-12, 2014.Exhibits depicting oil palm cultivation practices andtechnologies were exhibited. Distributed literatureon oil palm to the farmers.

IIOPR stall in the Exhibition on Plantation Crops organizedduring PLACROSYMXXI.

• Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research participatedin the Exhibition on the occasion of Vegetable fieldday organized by Dr. YSR Horticultural University,Venkataramannagudem, A.P. on 10.12.2014.Exhibits depicting oil palm cultivation practices andtechnologies were exhibited. Literature on oil palmwas distributed to the farmers who visited the stall.

Research Publications• K. Manorama, P. M. Govindakrishnan, Shashirawat,

G. Ravichandran and S. S. Lal (2014). Agroecological zoning and estimation of potential yieldof potato in plateau regions of India. Journal ofAgrometeorology 16 (2): 192-194

• K. L. Mary Rani, M. V. Prasad, S. Arulraj andG. Krishna Hemanth (2014). Software design andapplication for oil palm kisan mobile services inIndia. Journal of Plantation Crops. 42(2): 272-275

• P. Murugesan, M. Shareef, H. Haseela andG. Ravichandran (2014). Hybrid seed germinationin oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) affected by innova-tive dormancy breaking techniques. IndianJournal of Agricultural Sciences 84 (12): 1542–5

• B. Narsimha Rao, A. K. Jha, S. S. Roy, ChandraDeo and Sunil Kumar (2014). Influence ofnitrogen and irrigation on growth, yield andquality of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.)under foothill condition of Manipur. ProgressiveHorticulture, 46(2):255-259

Technical Publications• D. Ramajayam, R. K. Mathur, G. Ravichandran,

P. Naveen Kumar and H. Krishnamurthy (2014).Detection of spontaneous haploids in oil palm,ICAR News, 20(3): 1-2

• K. Suresh and S. K. Behera (2014). Exploringcarbon sequestration potential in oil palm gardens.Indian Horticulture, 59 (6): 17-18

• P. Murugesan, M. Shareef and P. Masilamani(2014). Germplasm conservation in Oil Palm. InNational Seminar On Challenges And InnovativeApproaches In Crop Improvement, December 16&17, AC&RI, Madurai, India pp 67-69

• P. Murugesan and K. Sunil Kumar (2014). DwarfOil Palm for future generation. Indian Horticulture,59(6):10-12

Research papers presented in differentsymposia/seminarInternational Conference on Plantation Crops(PLACROSYM XXI): Converging Technologies forSustainability, December 10-12, 2014, Kozhikode,Kerala

• K. Sunikumar, R. K. Mathur and R. S.N. Pillai(2014). Breeding for dwarfness in oil palm-Perfor-mance of selfed progenies from Dwarf Tenera

• K. Sunikumar, R. K. Mathur and D. S. Sparjanbabu(2014). Pollen longevity of Dura and Pisifera oilpalm types stored under varying temperatures

• P. Naveen Kumar, R.K. Mathur, P. Murugesan,K. Sunilkumar, D Ramajayam, G. Ravichandran andAGK Reddy (2014). Seasonal variation in the FFBproduction of Dura Oil Palm

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Edited by :DrDrDrDrDr. M. V. M. V. M. V. M. V. M. V. P. P. P. P. Prasad, rasad, rasad, rasad, rasad, DrDrDrDrDr. P. P. P. P. P. Naveen K. Naveen K. Naveen K. Naveen K. Naveen Kumarumarumarumarumar,,,,,DrDrDrDrDr. K. K. K. K. K. Sunil K. Sunil K. Sunil K. Sunil K. Sunil Kumar umar umar umar umar and Mrs. A. Bhanusriand Mrs. A. Bhanusriand Mrs. A. Bhanusriand Mrs. A. Bhanusriand Mrs. A. Bhanusri

Published by :DrDrDrDrDr. S. S. S. S. S. Arulraj. Arulraj. Arulraj. Arulraj. Arulraj

Director, Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research,Pedavegi - 534 450, West Godavari District., A. P.

Phone: 08812 259532/259524; Fax: 08812 259531.e-mail:dopr2009@gmail.com ; Web site: http://dopr.gov.in

Printed atM / s . M / s . M / s . M / s . M / s . E LE LE LE LE LU R U O F F S E T P R I N T E R SU R U O F F S E T P R I N T E R SU R U O F F S E T P R I N T E R SU R U O F F S E T P R I N T E R SU R U O F F S E T P R I N T E R SR R Pet ELURU - 534 002. 244543

• G. Ravichandran, P. Naveen Kumar, R. K. Mathur,D. Ramajayam, D. S. Sparjanbabu and M. Anitha(2014). Manipulat ion of seed operculumpermeability vis-à-vis viability in oil palm (Elaeisguineensis Jacq.) using solvents

• M. V. Prasad. K. L. Mary Rani, S. Arulraj andB. Mounica (2014) Use of Farmers portal fordissemination of oil palm technology in India” asoral presentation

• S. K. Behera, B. N. Rao, K. Suresh and Manoja,K. (2014). Soil nutrient status and leaf nutrientnorms in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)plantations grown on southern plateau of India

• M. V. Prasad, T. Vidhan Singh and S. Arulraj (2014)Design and Development of Oil Palm Ablation Tool

• D. Ramajayam, R. K. Mathur, G. Ravichandran andP. Naveen Kumar (2014). Spontaneous productionand detection of haploids in oil palm (Elaeisguineensis Jacq.)

7th Indian Hort icul ture Congress – 2014:Horticulture for Inclusive Growth, November 6-9,2014, TNAU, Coimbatore• K. Manorama K. Suresh, S.K. Behera, K. Praveena

Deepthi and B. Narasimha Rao (2014). Potentialof Oil palm trunk at Replanting.

• G.Ravichandran, P.Murugesan, P.Naveen Kumar,R.K.Mathur, D.Ramajayam and M.Anitha (2014).Effect of chemicals on dis integrat ion ofoperculum and breaking of dormancy in oil palm(Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) seed.

• P. Murugesan, K. L. Mary Rani, D. Ramajayam, K.Sunilkumar, R.K. Mathur, G. Ravichandran, P.Naveen Kumar and V. Arunachalam (2014).Genetic diversity of vegetative and bunch traits ofAfr ican oi l palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)germplasm in India.

• D. Ramajayam, R.K. Mathur, P. Naveen Kumar andUmesh K. Reddy (2014). Genetic diversity of oilpalm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) germplasmcollections of India.

• K. L. Mary Rani, (2014) Database system formanagement of fresh fruit bunch analysis in oilpalm

Others

• S. K. Behera, K. Suresh, B. N. Rao, K. Manoja andK. Manorama (2014). Soil nutrient status and leafnutrient norms in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)plantations grown in west coastal area of India.Poster presented in: National Seminar onDevelopments in Soil Science: 2014 (During 79thAnnual Convention of Indian Society of SoilScience) held at Prof. Jayashankar Telangana StateAgricultural University (in collaboration withANGRAU), Hyderabad during November 24-27,2014.

• Dr. P. Murugesan delivered invited lecture entitled‘Advances in planting material production of Oilpalm’ in ICAR – Short course on “Advances in plant-ing material production in plantation crops on20.11.2014 at CPCRI Regional Stat ion,Kayamkulam, Kerala.

• Dr. P. Murugesan delivered invited lecture on‘Germplasm conservation in Oil Palm’ at ‘NationalSeminar On Challenges And Innovative Approachesin Crop Improvement’ held on December 16 - 17conducted by Indian Society of Plant breeders,Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics & Dept. ofBiotechnology, AC&RI, Madurai, India.

Recognition/Awards receivedDr. Sanjib Kumar Behera was awarded GoldenJubilee Commemoration Young Scientist Award byIndian Society of Soil Science, New Delhi for the year2014.

Transfers / New appointmentsMr. Rakesh Bhowmick, Scientist (Agricultural Biotech-nology), has joined at IIOPR, Pedavegi on 14.10.2014.

Smt. S. N. Rahana, Scientist (Plant Breeding) has beentransferred from Sugarcane Breeding Institute,Coimbatore and joined at IIOPR, Research Centre,Palode on 10.11.2014

Mr. M. Naga Sreenivas Rao, LDC, has resigned andwas relieved from IIOPR, Pedavegi on 25.10.2014.

ObituaryMr. A. Nagarjuna Rao, SSS, IIOPR, Pedavegi passedaway on 20.12.2014.

Participation in ICAR Zonal Sports MeetIIOPR Sports contingent participated in the ICAR Zonal(South Zone) Sports Meet organized by IIHR duringOctober 13-17, 2014 at Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Sports Contingent from IIOPR for ICAR Zonal (South Zone)Sports Meet.