Foliage Residue Decomposition and Nutrient Release in Peach Palm Plantations for Heart-of-Palm
Production. (5476)
Authors:
M.G. Wagger* - North Carolina State Univ.
P. Luna-Orea - North Carolina State Univ.
T.J. Smyth - North Carolina State Univ.
A. Alvarado - Univ. of Costa Rica
Abstract:
The peach palm cropping system for heart-of-palm production is characterized by relatively low nutrient exports from the field and a considerable amount of residue and nutrients left as mulch. Our objective was to characterize residue
decomposition and nutrient release patterns of peach palm foliage left in the field after harvest. The third leaf, of the five leaves cut during harvest of the stem portion, was air-dried and placed in 1-mm mesh nylon bags. Bags were placed on the soil surface and retrieved at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 wk. Resource quality characteristics of the residues were considered to favor net N
mineralization, with an initial mean N concentration of 26.2 g/kg and C:N ratio of 16:1. The residue decomposition rate was 0.1472%/wk, while nutrient release rates ranged from 0.0297 to 0.2998%/wk. The general order of nutrient release was N=K, P, Mg, Ca. The potentially available nutrients on an annual basis ranged from 93 to 107 kg N/ha, 14 to 15 kg P/ha, 90 to 116 kg K/ha, 19 to 23 kg Ca/ha, and 13 to 14 kg Mg/ha. These values represent on average 65, 49, 64, 50, and 59% of the total nutrients left in the field as mulch, respectively. The relatively rapid decomposition and nutrient release rates would seem to be ideal for this perennial cropping system, where plants are continuously absorbing nutrients during the year to support the growth of the offshoots that eventually become harvestable stems.
Speaker Information: Michael Wagger, North Carolina State Univ., Department of Soil Science Box 7619 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7619;
Phone: 919/515-4269; E-mail: [email protected]
Session Information: Tuesday, November 2, 2004, 1:00 PM-5:00 PM Presentation Start: 1:00 PM (Poster Board Number: 2654)
