Wageningen University and Research
Oil palm is the most cultivated oil crop worldwide by volume. Colombian palm oil cultivation has been suffering from the presence of bud rot disease (BD); the introduction of the tolerant interspecific OxG hybrid (E. oleifera x E. guineensis) has provided relief to farmers in Colombia.
This thesis aims to adjust the oil palm crop model PALMSIM to simulate the growth of the fronds of OxG, in accordance with characteristics of the fronds of the OxG hybrid. Comparing the fronds of OxG and E. guineensis, we found the leaf area to be larger, the dry weight to be lower, and the specific leaf area to be higher, and lower photosynthesis rates. The frond dry weight simulated by the adjusted PALMSIM deviated on average by 27 % from the observed values.
To further improve PALMSIM’s simulations of OxG, parameters should be adjusted according to OxG’s characteristics, prioritizing influential parameters on the model’s output. To minimize negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity, oil palm production should sustainably intensify land and resource use by closing existing yield gaps, which can be analyzed using crop models. PALMSIM could provide accessible knowlegde on planting material and help growers practice good farming practices.
