InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - Referring to the researches of Edi Werdiana and Zainal Mahmud, held in 2003, they suggested to choose the right intercrops. It starts from knowing the characteristic of them, such as, they are not higher than palm oil when growing, the root system and the main plantation will be in the soil and the space is in different soil.
Intercrops should not be the main plants for the pests and the palm oil disease and they are not sensitive than palm oil plantation.
The intercrops cultivation will not be harmful for palm oil plantations or they do not make erosion or soil damages; they are fit to the height of 0 -500 above sea level, the rain about 1.500 – 3.000 mm/year and the dry months, maximally 3 months in a row
Intercrops should be tolerant to the shade and light radiation intensity, 50 – 200 W m2, the average temperature about 25-27° C and the moist is more than 80%. Based on the criteria, kinds of intercrops which can be planted in palm oil tree and the climate requirements need can be seen in Table of Intercrops and The Requirements.
It is clear that planting intercrops in palm oil is very possible to do, to choose the suggested plants. By planting intercrops, beside getting the various harvest, the farmers get rising income. Try it!! (T2)
