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DISCOVERY OF A FACTOR LIMITING YIELDS IN A COCONUT PLANTATION ON PEAT: THE INSECT PEST SUFETULA SPP

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2003

X. BONNEAU
Affiliation:
CIRAD-CP Coconut Programme, TA 80/01, Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
M. HUSNI
Affiliation:
PT.RSUP, Km 9 desa Pulau Burung, Kecamatan Kateman, Kabupaten Indragiri Hilir, Propinsi Riau, Indonesia
R. PHILIPPE
Affiliation:
CIRAD-CP Coconut Programme, TA 80/01, Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
N. SOMCHIT
Affiliation:
PT.RSUP, Km 9 desa Pulau Burung, Kecamatan Kateman, Kabupaten Indragiri Hilir, Propinsi Riau, Indonesia
C. JOURDAN
Affiliation:
CIRAD-CP Coconut Programme, TA 80/01, Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
N. LUBIS
Affiliation:
PT.RSUP, Km 9 desa Pulau Burung, Kecamatan Kateman, Kabupaten Indragiri Hilir, Propinsi Riau, Indonesia

Abstract

On a large coconut plantation planted on a deep peat soil in Sumatra, Indonesia, hybrid coconut yields are stabilizing at values well below their potential, even in plots where known production factors have been mastered since the outset: land preparation, water control, and mineral fertilization. To explain this situation, five hypotheses have been proposed. They were tested one by one in field trials. The authors have demonstrated that the main reason for stabilized yields was the Lepidoptera root pest Sufetula spp. and conclude by considering lines of research for controlling this pest in the context of rehabilitation and replanting.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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