LEGUMINOUS COVER CROPS IN MALAYSIAN OIL PALM FIELDS: THE SPECIES, SEED TECHNOLOGY, FIELD PRACTICES AND FUTURE TRENDS

Leguminous cover crops (LCCs) in Malaysian oil palm fields are a living mulch with multiple benefits.The roots have a symbiotic association with rhizobia, which fix atmospheric nitrogen (N), promoting the growth and development of oil palms at reduced N fertilisation.The creeping vines and their leaves conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, add organic matter, control erosion and manage weeds.This article deliberates a review on the choice of LCCs, seed availability, seed quality and scarification techniques practiced among Malaysian planters.The application of seed technology in extending the shelf life of seeds is presented to support consolidated shipments.Some cost-effective fertilisation techniques are also mentioned for facilitating the ground cover by LCCs in the oil palm fields.As more consideration is paid to the oil palm production systems in Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification to meet the market needs, this review is hoped to encourage the cultivation of LCCs among planters who have yet to gain benefits from these ground cover plants while reducing synthetic fertiliser inputs, nitrate leaching and carbon footprint in the production of this economically important crop.