The Effect Of Age And The Time Of Transplanting On Leaf Area, Specific Leaf Area And Leaf Longevity Of Poly Bag Oil Palm Seedlings In The Field.

Abstract

Experiment conducted at Calaro Oil Palm Estate near Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, to investigate the effect of seedling, age (9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 months) and time of transplanting (the first day of each month from April to September, 1992) on leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf longevity of polybag oil palm seedlings in the field. The results showed that all the factors have varying effect on seedling growth and development. The length of leaf was significantly (P = 0.05) influenced by date of transplanting and age of seedling. The leaf width at the mid-point of fully expanded green leaf blade was also influenced by age and date of transplanting into the field. Thus, the result obtained during the first 18 months seedlings transplanted in April/May had increase in size of leaf blade than those transplanted in other months. There was therefore significant increase in leaf area due to increase in leaf size in April and May and this is the period in which seedling growth and development was most expressed. The result also showed that age exerted significant effect on leaf longevity. Seedlings transplanted earlier at 9 and 10 months recorded more leaf death than those of 12 and 13 months.

It is suggested in this study that at the seedling age of 10 to 12 months, transplanting into the field should be done between in April and May for good performance of the crop in the Calaro area of Cross River State of Nigeria.

KEY WORDS: Age, Time of planting, growth and development, Oil palm seedlings.

Global Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol.3(1&2) 2004: 71-74