Effect of fertilizer application base on soil and plant analysis of Thai tall coconut yield

Abstract

Fertilizer use efficiency for Thai tall coconut production must know the level of plant nutrients in the soil and plants. Therefor, the study was to determine the effect of fertilization based on soil and plant analysis suitable nutrient management of Thai tall coconut production. The experiment was conducted at the Chumphon Horticultural Research Center, Chumphon province during October 2021-September 2022 period. The result indicated that the amount of nutrients in the soil contains organic matter, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium were low. The nutrient concentrations in plant leaves had nitrogen concentrations below the standard values, while phosphorus and potassium concentrations were within the standard values. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with eight replications. Treatments were three fertilizer management practices : 1) farmer practice’s fertilization 2) fertilizing according to the recommendations of Department of Agriculture 3) fertilizer application rate base on soil and leaf analysis. The result indicated that coconut yields were not significantly different between treatment but fertilizing according to the recommendations of Department of Agriculture would give the most average yields per tree about 46 fruits per tree. Yield components including total fruit weight fruit Weight peel weight shell weight meat weight and water weight were not significantly different between treatment However, fertilizer application rate base on soil and leaf analysis caused weight of coconut fruit and other components had the highest weight about 3,308.8 3,178.3 485.3 487.0 904.3 and 1,803.5 gram respectively.