Agroclimate Factors of Oil Palm in Nigeria

Agro temper Factors of cover colour medal in NigeriaEFE S. I.AWARITEFE O. D.ABSTRACT. Using multiple correlational statistics psychoanalysis and student t run, the Agroclimate comp hotshotnt parts of fossil oil ornament production was examined for hug drug years periods. Result showed that Agroclimate detailors ( temperateness, temperature and rainf alone) be highly cor think with oil colour colour colour touch stomach. This is unornamented from a multiple correlation of 74%. It was to a fault disc everywhereed that oil address go is more in the ironic anneal than in the moneyed eon.INTRODUCTIONAny agricultural system is a man-made ecosystem that depends on climate to function just like the instinctive ecosystem. The main climatic elements that affect crop production be solar radiation, temperature and moisture. These climatic parameters and opposite depend on them, largely determine the planetary dispersal of crops paying back and livestock (Ayoade, 199 3). He stresses further that climate elements observe an decided on all stages of the agricultural production chain, including land preparation, sowing, crop emersion and management, harvesting, storage, transport and marketing. This view has earlier be noted by Oguntoyinbo (1983) when he attri simplyed the donation of the cocoa and kola-nut belt in southwest, oil typewriter ribbon tree supply in southeast and the north south ridge of river Niger comprising area of g staffnut, cotton and rice cultivation to these climate vagaries.However, climate entice on oil manage has attracted the at gotion of somewhat scholars everywhere the years. Amongst whom are Manning (1956), Broekman (1963), Oshodi (1966) and Hartley (1988). An examination of their views shows that Manning (1956), defined the pelting requirements of selected food and commercial crops grownup in West Africa, and he opined that the mean annual rain for oil ornamentation is between 1500 3000mm in West African Countries. Devuyst (1963) correlated oil plow return key with the regularise of pelting alone using the concept of efficacious rainfall. His work provided showed a positive correlation. He regarded rainfall as the sole factor influencing oil typewriter ribbon yield, and consequently considers any(prenominal) yield maxima to originate in flush season. Broekman (1963) accepted the view of Devuyst but differs in his finding. He stress that dry season rainfall is positively correlated with oil care yield.To him, it is reasonable to except that the amount of rainfall during the dry season pull up stakes be of particular importance, as moisture is a limiting factor during this period. On the other hand, Oshodi (1966) computed the strong growth energy index for some selected crops in Nigeria. The index was however based on only temperature and rainfall. The useful Growth Energy (E.G.E) for oil thread in Nigeria is 250-300F. Harley (1988) stated that oil palm yields are corr elated with dry season rainfall with measures of core groupive cheer, which take into account the distribution of such rainfall in the dry season. It is clear from the foregoing that rainfall and temperature correlation with oil palm has been substantiated, however, the race between sunshine and oil palm yield, as tumesce as the joint contribution of sunshine, rainfall and temperature, has not be substantiated. Similarly at that place are divergent views on the relationship between the seasons and oil palm yield.Also, since the establishment of Nigeria Institute for Oil wield seek (NIFOR) in 1939 in that respect have been a relative neglect in the development of Agroclimatological Research Unit in the institute. While other research units (Agricultural Economics, Agricultural engine room Research, Agronomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Extension and On-Farm Adaptive Research, Entomology, Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology and Statistics) have been developed. Wha t exists in that unit is a dilapidated hold up station where climate infos are stack away and never utilize for research purposes. So, the give way case of Agroclimatic factors of oil palm yield in Nigeria is borne out of the disposition not only to fill the in a higher place gaps, but to proffer useful suggestion that will guide both the oil palm farmers, and the NIFOR officials on the need to plan with the climate of the area. Therefore, the aim of the study is to examine the utmost to which temperature, sunshine and rainfall correlate with oil palm yield.STUDY reachThe Nigeria Institute for Oil palm tree Research (NIFOR) is located approximately 29km jointure West of Benin City, Edo State in Nigeria. It was established in 1939 as Oil Palm Research Station (OPRS) by Nigeria Department of Agriculture. It was interpreted over in 1951 as West Africa Institute for Oil Palm Research (WAJFOR) by West African Research Organization (WARO). This electronic organ was dissolved in 1960 after independence, and the station was renamed Nigeria institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) by Nigeria Institute Act no. 33 of 1964 rule extend to Coconut, Raphia and Date palm research.The undercoat in NIFOR is acidulated type of sand which is an important oil palm growing alter in Nigeria (Hartley, 1988). The soil are well drained and acidic with carcass content in varying proportion at different depths. The soil are deficient in plant nutrient hence the huge need for fertilizers application to cultivate palms in NIFOR. NIFOR belongs to the tropical equatorial climate belt of the world, and falls within the tropical rainfo ride out belt of Nigeria. The character is characterized with high rainfall and temperature. Rainfall is over 2066mm per annum, and temperature of 30 33C. phytology here is luxuriant type dense tropical rainforest, which comprises of evergreen trees such as mahogany, Walnut etc. The research institute today has sub-stations and experimenta l stations all over the country where crops are cultivated repayable to their different climatic requirements.CONCEPTUAL ISSUESThe most important concept for this study is the concept of climate and agriculture relationship. This concept which have been adopted by Broekmans (1963) Devuyst (1963) Oguntoyinbo (1966) Hartley (1988) and Ayoade (1993) in similar studies. reveals much on how climatic parameters (rainfall, sunshine, temperature, evaporation etc) are closely interrelated in their influence to fall offs. Because of this crops/plants are grown in a climatic belt that is best suited for its growth. Thus all crops cannot thrives well in one climate region. For instance, oats and fruits are best grown in the Mediterranean climate while, root crops such as tapioca plant thrives well in region of abundant rainfall and temperature (Neiwolt, 1982).Similarly, since climate is one of the most important natural factors which controls the growth of plants, plant communities therefore abide gradual changes. And this is because of its ability to cope with the prevalent climatic conditions and similarly to deal for resources of that environment. Hence, the type of plants/crops cultivated in an area is related to the climate. Also, the annual yield and profitability of farming are predicated on weather elements. In fact, in this part of Nigeria, climate vagaries disrupt the efficient practice of agriculture, and climatic variation creates momentous changes for agriculture produces. It is on this that the growth and yield of oil palm is based. Oil palm are found in region with defy rainfall, high temperature and sunshine which enable the fruit to ripe (Hartley, 1988).METHODSThe data used for this study were extracted from the archives of the Agrometerological and harvesting units of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) Benin City. Monthly and annual temperature, rainfall and sunshine data were collected from the Agrometerological division, wh ile the monthly and annual oil palm yield data were collected from the harvesting unit both data were collected for ten year periods. The choice often years was based on accessibility and consistency of data. The seasons were delineated using six months (April October) as wet season and October surround as dry season. Reconnaissance survey was also conducted round the oil palm farms in the institute.Multiple correlation analysis and students ttests were used to analyze the data. The multiple correlation analysis was used to check into the joint relationship between oil palm yield and rainfall, temperature and sunshine. isolated from the joint contribution of the climatic parameters to oil palm yield, it will also enable us to understand the individual contribution of sunshine, rainfall and temperature separately to the oil palm yield (Ayeni, I Q94). Student t test was used to determine the season with highest oil palm yield over the years as well as to ascertain whether the re is any significant difference in oil palm yield in the dry and wet season.DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTSThe data collected from the study are give wayed and discussed in the table below.Table 1 Annual Oil Palm Yield ( loads) Temperature (C) Sunshine (hours) and Rainfall (mm) from 1989 1998.From Table 1 above, the mean annual oil palm yield is 3464 tons, temperature is 32C sunshine 147 hours and rainfall 165mm. This showed a high yield, high temperature and a high sunshine continuance respectively. During this periods, the highest yield of 4961 tons was enter in 1996, this was followed by 4470 tons in 1989, 39O7tonsinl99O38lltonsinl995,325ltonsin 1991,3245tonsin1993,3201 tons in 1992, 3177 tons in 1998,2983 tons in 1997 and the low yield of 1632 tons was enter in 1994. This shows that there is no certain(prenominal) mannequin of oil palm yield rather the oil palm yield has being fluctuating over the year (See figure 1 below).Temperature distribution during this period is mostly high over the years, with the highest temperature of 32.8C in 1997 and the lowest temperature being 30C in 1996. However, there is a little variation in temperature over the years given a direct of 2.8C. Sunshine duration is also generally high during this period. This is evident from the mean of 147 and the highest and lowest sunshine duration of 179 in 1989 and 115 in 1997 respectively. Sunshine did not also follow a definite pattern as it varies with a range of 64 hours. Rainfall also fluctuates over this period of study.Fig. 1 above revealed that the three parameters (temperature, sunshine and rainfall) and oil palm yield followed a similarly pattern. There was a sharp drop in oil palm yield in 1994 occasioned by a drop in all the weather parameters. This gives a rainfall range of 78mm. It is evident from the above, that temperature, sunshine and rainfall influences the oil palm yield. The high yield recorded over the years could be explained to the high temperature, sunshine and rainfall respectively that encouraged its growth, and the ripening of the oil palm fruits. The seasonal distribution of oil palm yield, temperature, sunshine and rainfall is another pointer to the fact that climatic element correlates with oil palm yield. This is illustrated in figure 1. phone number 2 shows that oil palm yield, sunshine and temperature exhibits similar pattern of variation. Oil palm yields increases from 366 tons in January to 435 tons and 432 tons in attest and April respectively. This being the months with the lowest oil palm yield, it then decreases from 288 tons to 186 tons in July and imposing, being the month with lowest palm yield. Thereafter it rises to 2112 in the month of October. Sunshine duration followed a similar pattern, the highest duration of sunshine were noticed during the dry seasons. This showed a duration of 201, 185 and 182 hours in the month of November, declination and January respectively, while the lowest sunshine duration of 70, 8 7 and 97 hours was recorded in July, August and folk being the period of wet seasons. Temperature also exhibits a similar pattern with oil palm yield and sunshine duration. Generally, temperature is higher in the dry season, than in the wet season. This is evident from temperature of 33.7C, 34C and 35C recorded in the months of December March and February and 3 1C, and 29C in June, July August and September respectively.Rainfall distribution over the years showed a direct verso pattern to sunshine and temperature with the highest amount of 317mm, 312mm and 313mm recorded in the month of July, August and September respectively (see fig. 2). The lowest amount of rainfall (23 mm and 10mm) was recorded in January and December being the dry season in Nigeria. To ascertain whether there is significant difference in the seasonal variation in oil palm yield, the student t test showed that there is significant difference between oil palm yields in the dry and wet season. This is evident fr om the calculated t value of 7560, which is far higher than the small table value of 2.0. at 0.05 significance level. This is another pointer to the above distributional pattern, which shows that the dry season recorded the highest oil palm yield than the wet season.The effect of the climatic factor (temperature, sunshine duration and rainfall) on oil palm yield was also analyzed. Result showed that they jointly contributed 74% to oil palm yield. This is evident from the way out of multiple correlation analysis of yield, sunshine, temperature and rainfall. Thus it can be deduced that sunshine, temperature and rainfall are significantly related with oil palm yield. The rest 26% could be explained by other factors such as edaphic factors, evapo-transpiration, pests, humidity and diseases, etc. The contributions of each climatic factors to oil palm yield was also shown from the multiple correlation result. The result showed that sunshine, temperature and rainfall contributed 70%, 25% and 5% respectively to oil palm yield during this period. From this analysis one could now say that sunshine exerts the highest influences of 70% on oil palm yield than the other factors. This is because, sunshine duration did not only aids in ripening of the oil palm fruits, but also generate photosynthesis, which is the main energy source of all plants. Temperature influence on oil palm yield is as a result of the high sunshine duration. Rainfall, however, has a little influence on oil palm yield most especially during the dry season when plants generally needs moisture in the soil for growth and general survival. asunder from the Agroclimatic factors of oil palm yield, the field observation conducted round some farms in NIFOR, reveals that weeds as well as seasonal extravasations of pests and diseases were prevalent in the farms. Oil palm yield lost caused by these factors may be considerable over the years. More so when the diseases are often weather related, either in terms o f local weather conditions being unfavorable for its growth and development or in terms of the prevailing winds help to import air-borne germs/ spores into a given areas. The pests and diseases were more during the dry season where rainfall is minimised.CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSThe study revealed that Agroclimatic factors (sunshine, temperature and rainfall) exert high influences on oil palm yield. 74% expansion of oil palm yield is attributed to these climate factors. The rest 26% is attributed to other factors such as edaphic factors, pests, diseases, weed, humidity, etc. Sunshine, however, exerted more influence on oil palm yield than rainfall and temperature. Similarly, oil palm yield is more in dry season than in wet season. And there is more prevalence of pest and diseases in oil palm farms during the dry season than in the wet season.To improve oil palm yields and to eradicate pest and diseases there is the need for the fanners and NIFOR officials to plan with the clim ate of this prevailing environment. Thus, oil palm should be cultivated during the wet season because of availability of moisture for its growth, and harvesting during the dry season because of high sunshine for its ripening. The farms should be constantly cleared to eliminate weeds since they accelerate water exhalation by transpiration at the expense of the oil palm. There should be hebdomadally or monthly routine check-up of the oil palm plantation, so that the abnormal stands can easily be treated with the necessary pesticides or insecticides. This will also lid p to prevent the spread of epidemic outbreak across the stands.The use of fertilizer and irrigation system should be intensified than the present level of usage in NIFOR. The irrigation is highly needed in the primal age of oil palm growth during the dry season. The Agroclimate unit of NIFOR should be upgraded to research division and the attached weather station should be well equipped with modem Agroclimatic facili ties/equipment. This division when upgraded will play advisory roles on the effect of climate factors on the various crops that is cultivated by this institute.REFERENCESAyeni B. (1994), Quantitative manner for Geography Students. Research Support Services. Ibadan, pp. 72 81.Ayoade J. O. (1993), installation to Climatology for the Tropics. Spectrum book Ltd. Ibadan, pp. 204 220.Broekmans A. (1963), Growth, bloom and Yield of the Oil Palm in Nigeria. In West African Institute for Oil Palm Research No. 12.Devuyst A. (1963), Annual Oil Palm Yield. West African Institute for Oil Palm Research, No. 12.Hartley C. W. S. (1988), The Oil Palm Tropical Agricultural Series, Longman Group Ltd, London.Manning H. L. (1956), The Statistical discernment of Rainfall Probability and Its Application to Uganda Agriculture. Proceedings of Royal Society Series, pp. 144, 460 480.Oguntoyinbo J. S. (1966), mood and Mankind. Annual Lecture Series Presented to the University of Ibadan.Oshodi F. R. (196 6), Biometerological Studies of Nigerian Crops. Nig. Met. Services Lagos.Nienwolt S. (1982), Tropical Climatology An Introduction to the Climate of the Low Latitude. John Wiley and Sons. Ltd. Chichester.