New research shows that lower-intensity management of coconut palm plantations can sustain or increase yields while improving soil health. The study, published in Plants, People, Planet, found that reduced intervention lowers harmful pathogens and supports beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.
The research was conducted in Côte d'Ivoire at a long-term experimental coconut plantation using DNA-based soil biodiversity inventories. The work was carried out by Imperial College London's Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet and Centre for Environmental Policy, together with the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique.
Co-author Ben Roberts said, "Palm species are fantastic and extremely important crops. Oil palm, for example, produces over 40% of the world's vegetable oil while using less than 6% of the global land allotted to vegetable oils. If we can find ways to maintain these high yields while reducing the environmental issues which palm crops are so famous for, that's really quite exciting."
Researchers tested a range of management intensities, from systems with cleared undergrowth to those retaining ground vegetation. The results show that intermediate-intensity management can maintain yields and, in some cases, increase them compared to high-intensity systems.
The findings are linked to soil biology. Mycorrhizal fungi support coconut roots by improving nutrient uptake, while intensive practices disrupt these relationships and allow pathogens such as Pestalotiopsis and Lasiodiplodia to develop.
Professor Vincent Savolainen said, "Lower-intensity management that preserves ground vegetation can enhance both crop yields and soil health by fostering beneficial soil biodiversity."
The study also indicates economic outcomes. Under typical planting densities and market prices, lower-intensity management could increase income by around US$800 to US$1,200 per hectare annually, equivalent to 1,800 to 2,700 additional coconuts per hectare.
Professor Savolainen added, "By fostering a diverse soil community, lower-intensity practices suppress harmful pathogens while promoting beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. This combination supports both crop health and soil resilience."
Two of the researchers, Ben Roberts and Hamish Duncalf-Youngson, have launched a company, Rhynco, to apply these findings. Roberts said, "As well as deforestation and biodiversity loss, a key sustainability issue facing palm plantations is waste management. In plantations which cover a global area over twice that of the UK, waste trunks and fronds are continually produced in vast quantities. These are often burned or abandoned, presenting an environmental and social hazard through greenhouse gas and pollutant release.
"At Rhynco, we're using insects to convert hazardous waste from coconut and oil palm growers into useful products, including oil, protein, and fertilizer. The aim is to sustainably strengthen production and livelihoods, providing the financial incentive for smallholders to adopt sustainable practices."
Source: Phys.Org
