RSUP (Riau Sakti United Plantations) (Sumatra) mission report, 5th to 14th August 2002

The agronomy trials are well managed. Insecticide needs to be ordered for trial RS CC 07, and especially for launching trial RS CC 09. Entomology trials on Sufetula behaviour are currently being set up. A reliable mineral analysis laboratory needs to be found for mineral nutrition management. Thought needs to be given to renewing the WAT and MYD parent fields to produce PB 121 hybrid seeds ready for when replanting will be required (around 2010). Also arrange for hybrid tests using crosses in the collection. In accordance with a proposal from RSUP management, we are drafting a collaboration project for identifying then solving the coconut meat spot problem. For the commercial plantation, we recommend moving on to totally bare soil, eliminating ferns chemically (this is under way), burning dry fronds in small heaps in the interrows on a monthly basis, and incinerating husks then returning the ash to the foot of the coconut palms as mineral fertilizer. Regarding this last point, pilot incinerators need to be constructed to develop the most cost-effective method in the local context.