Fertilization

in
COCONUT
Marianita N. Eroy
PCA-Agro –Soils Div.
Davao Research Center
Bago-Oshiro, Davao City

Specialized Course on Coconut Agro-Technology and Extension for PCA Agriculturists

(Mindanao PCA Regions) on April 16-20,2012 at PCA-CETC, Davao City
 CONSIDERATIONS IN COCO
FERTILIZATION

T- type
Q- quantity
T- Timing
F- frequency
A- acceptability by the farmer :
affordable? Accessible?
available? easy to do?
 Fertilizer rates (g/tree) for palms in coastal
areas (within 2 km from coastline)
Age from Ammonium sulfate Potassium chloride Sodium chloride
planting (AS, 21-0-0) (KCl, 0-0-60) (NaCl, 50% Cl)

Field planting 150 100 80

6 months 200 150 120

1 year 500 500 400

2 years 750 750 600

3 years 1,000 1,000 800

4 years 1,250 1,250 1,000

5 years or 1,500 1,500 1,200

more

Note : Use NaCl as a substitute in the absence of KCL

Source: Magat ,2006. Good Agricultural Practices in Coconut production.

 Fertilizer rates (g/tree) for palms in inland areas
(more than 2 km from coastline)

Age from Ammonium sulfate Potassium chloride Sodium chloride

planting (AS, 21-0-0) (KCl, 0-0-60) (NaCl, 50% Cl)

Field planting 150 200 160

6 months 200 250 200

1 year 500 600 480

2 years 750 900 720

3 years 1,000 1,500 1250

4 years 1,250 1,700 1,350

5 years or 1,500 2,000 1,700

more

Note : Use NaCl as a substitute in the absence of KCL

Source: Magat ,2006. Good Agricultural Practices in Coconut Production.
 HOW TO APPLY ?
Flat areas

 Ringweed > 1- 1.5 m

radius

 Broadcast fertilizer

 Fork-in
Hilly Areas

 Dig 8-10 equidistant

holes (5 cm deep)
within 1-1.5 m from
base of palm

 Put fertilizers into

holes

 Cover with soil

 Timing & Frequency of Application

For areas with distinct wet Apply fertilizers every 6

and dry seasons, those months in split application
with irregular rainfall (½ at the start of rainy
distribution and with season and ½ before the
sandy soils end of the rainy season

For areas with uniform Apply fertilizers in split

rainfall distribution (1.5-3 during 1st year and once
dry months annually thereafter
 Sustain the health
1 of your soil
Plant N-fixing shrubs like indigofera as
contour hedges > erosion control , nitrogen
enrichment & organic supplements
2 Plant covercrops/ N-
fixing legumes :
soil N-enrichment

effective weed mgt

preventing soil
erosion
3 Use vermicast / vermicompost as organic
fertilizer and to increase biological
activity of soil
4 Use processed organic fertilizer to
improve plant nutrition, increase soil
organic matter and soil biological activity
5
6
Use farm wastes
as mulch to Use cocopeat
conserve soil especially in light
moisture, enrich soils to improve
soil OM & add water holding
nutrients capacity & add
nutrients
7
Do green manuring using
Flemengia or Rensonni as
hedgerows to improve
soil fertility, add OM from
litters and improves soil
porosity
8
Control grazing to avoid soil
compaction and concentrate
animal manure
9
Practice multi-storey cropping with
permanent crops to provide additional
permanent ground cover , minimize soil
disturbance, increase carbon sinks &
enhance nutrient recycling from litters
FARMERS’ SECRETS
COCO FARMERS’ SECRETS
Adon’s Farm, Tawan-tawan, Davao City

High- yielding hybrid

(PCA 15 - 1)

Intercropping with
annuals (corn - peanut)

Application of combined
animal manure (goat manure)
& common table salt or
NaCl since field-planting
 Dumandan Farm at Calinan, Davao City

Intercropping with cacao

Mulching > farm wastes

Commercial organic
fertilizer/soil conditioner on
coco and intercrops
 Approx. nutrient concentrations (%) of organic fertilizers

Kind Moisture N P K Ca Mg S Cl
(%)
Chicken dung 61 5 3 2 6 1
Cattle manure 73 2 0.4 1
Pig manure nd 3 4 2
Bat guano nd 0.5 3 0.1
Quail manure 17.4 3.35 1.68 1.51
Coffee pulp husk* .002
Cacao pod husk* 20 22 5 90 8 4
Cocopeat-based BOF** 30-35 0.70- 0.43- 0.44- 0.55- 0.7- 0.30- 0.32-
1.48 7.72 1.58 6.86 8.53 0.37 0.58
Corn cobs 2.11 440 8.83
ppm
Ipil-ipil 4 0.2 1.49

Sources: Magat,S.S.1993. Knowing soil fertility management and fertilizers, * - Lecture note on
INM of cacao and **-Eroy, Caro and Arancon,2004 and 2005. PCA-DRC/ASD AR
 Nutrient concentrations (%) of various fertilizers
Kind N P K Ca Mg S Cl
Urea 46
Ammo sulfate 21 24
Ammo chloride 25 66
Cocogro 14 5 20 0.20 4.5 15
Ammophos 11 21
Super phosphate 8 20 14
ammo phosphate 16 9
KCl 50 44
Triple 20 14
superphosphate
Rock phosphate 15 35
Dolomite 44 12
Kieserite 16 23
Epsom salt 10 13
Gypsum 23 18
Take care of your coconut and
it will also take care of you!

Fertilize your coconut !