The Effect of Microbe Plus and Phosphorus Fertilizers on the Vegetative Growth of Oil Palm (Elaesis guineensis, Jacq.) Seedlings

The main objective of this study was to improve the growth of oil palm seedlings by using microbe plus to enhance phosphorous availability from rock phosphate under oil palm nursery was evaluated at Oil Palm Research Institute of Ghana, Kade-Kumasi. The study consisted of 16 treatments replicated 3 times in a 4 × 4 factorial experiment arranged in Randomize Complete Block Design. The factors tested were: Phosphate fertilizers (Phosphate only, triple superphosphate, super rock phosphate and Togo rock phosphate) and microbe plus rates (0, 50, 100 and 150%). Data was collected on leaf area, leaf area index and dry matter production. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GENSTAT Version 11.1 (2008). The results showed that the P fertilizers and microbe plus applied alone or their interactions had no significant (P=.05) effect on leaf area and leaf area index values, however, dry matter produced was significantly (P=.05) different from each other. TSPMP150 treated seedlings produced significantly (P=.05) the highest dry weight; 42% increase over the control (No phosphate and microbe plus). The complementary use of microbe plus with triple superphosphate or Senegal rock phosphate proved to be the best options in terms of the parameters measured than the triple superphosphate. Microbe plus can therefore be used in combination with rock phosphate to improve phosphate availability. Field experiment is suggested to validate the effect of microbe plus and these rock phosphates on the performance of oil palm, whereas, additional studies with different application rates, both at nursery and at the field, are recommended.