RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 26 (2) June 2014, p. 140-145

POPULATION DYNAMICS OF Oryctes rhinoceros IN DECOMPOSING OIL PALM TRUNKS IN AREAS PRACTISING ZERO BURNING AND PARTIAL BURNING

Cik Mohd Rizuan Zainal Abidin*; Abu Hassan Ahmad**; Hasber Salim** and Noor Hisham Hamid*

ABSTRACT

Zero burning concepts during oil palm – to – oil palm replanting has provided ample breeding and foraging sites for the Oryctes rhinoceros beetles. This study investigated the impact of the different techniques of residue management in oil palm replanting to the abundance of O. rhinoceros. Two types of breeding sites, zero and partial burning were selected and the beetle populations were determined between three to 18 months after felling and chipping (MAF). At the sixth MAF, different stages of O. rhinoceros were collected from chipped trunks. The results showed that a high population of O. rhinoceros was detected at the 13th MAF; no beetles were detected at the third, fourth and fifth MAF from both types of breeding sites. The third instar larvae were recorded as the dominant stage detected during the study. The females were found to be more abundant than the males, indicating better food quality and a potential for higher infestation for the coming months. There was no significant differences on the population of O. rhinoceros in both sites. The beetles population tended to increase with MAF. The results of this study suggested that the partial burning of chipped trunks did not decrease the population of O. rhinoceros apart from polluting the environment.

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* Crop Protection Division, FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn
Bhd, Pusat Penyelidikan Pertanian Tun Razak, 27000
Jerantut, Pahang, Malaysia.
E-mail: rizuan.z@feldaglobal.com

** School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia,
11800, Minden, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia