Ultisols & Oxisols (PB)

For a long time the economy of Malaysia and many other countries in the tropics is dependent on oil palm, rubber and cocoa productions. In terms of the R&D efforts on these crops, Malaysia takes a leading role. However, only a few books on soil/agronomic practices leading to their sustainable production are available. This book is therefore written to alleviate the dearth of information on the arts and sceinces of their production. The innovations that have been put in place to sustain crop productivity are explained in detail. The book is written in six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the subject matter to the readers. Chapter 2 describes in detail the physic-chemical properties of Ultisols and Oxisols in the tropics on which oil palm, rubber and cocoa are usually planted; here the concept of sustainable soil management is introduced. Chapter 3,4 and 5 review the soil/agronomic practices that have been put in place to sustain the productivity of the respective crops. Chapter 6 summarizes the write-up in terms of soil properties, management practices and future research for sustainable production.