Cultural Practices in Oil Crop Production

Factors that are observed in raising these crops; Market.  It is futile to raise any crop if there is no market for such a product. Th...

Factors that are observed in raising these crops;

1. Market. It is futile to raise any crop if there is no market for such a product. This statement is true in oil crop production.
2. Transportation facility. Proximity to good roads and better transportation facilities greatly affect the production and marketing of farm products. Good transportation facility can cause reduction of the production cost and an increase of the market profit.
3. Climate and Altitude. Adaptation has been proven in oil crop production. However, it is wise to select varieties of oil crops that will yield more under the prevailing conditions of the geographical region. 
4. Topography or contour of the land. Level land with good drainage is suitable for oil crop production. Gently sloping land, however, is preferable to provide good drainage especially during the rainy season.
5. Water supply. All kinds of commercial oil crops need abundant supply of water especially during dry season. During the growth and development stage, these plants needs higher soil moisture thus adequate water supply is very important.
6. Availability of the sunlight. Oil crop production must be located in places where sunlight is available almost the whole day.
7. Soil. The type of soil that is best suited for oil crop production are those which are well drained, medium-textured, moderately acidic with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

Management Practices of Oil Crop Production
Land Preparation. A thorough tillage operation should be done to fields for oil crop plantation. The frequency of plowing depends upon the presence of weeds, their types and varieties.

Planting and preparation of planting materials. Soybean, sunflower, peanut, and sesame are sexually propagated and planted directly into the soil. Seeds for planting must be treated to make sure that they are free from diseases and to maintain their high percentage of germination.
Generally, planting oil crops is done at the rate of two to three seeds per hill at a depth of three to five cm. two weeks after planting, pull out thin or weak seedlings to prevent overcrowding.
Application of fertilizer. Soil analysis is the basis for application of fertilizers to ensure proper growth of oil crops. Soil analysis should be done before application of fertilizer.

1. Sesame. Four bags of urea per hectare is the recommended rate for growing sesame. Urea should be applied just before hilling-up or 30 to 35 days after sowing five to seven cm away from the plant base within the rows.
2. Sunflower. Two to three bags of urea and two bags of complete fertilizer should be applied per hectare in a sunflower plantation.
3. Soybeans. The general practice in applying fertilizer for soybean is by using complete fertilizer (14-14-14) at the rate of three bags per hectare.
4. Peanut. Complete fertilizer is also recommended for peanut at the rate of three to four bags per hectare. The application of fertilizer is done before or after planting along furrows using the drill method.

Irrigation. The best way to irrigate oil crops is by furrow irrigation. This is an example of surface irrigation wherein water is allowed to flow in furrows until full length of furrows are covered. During dry season, the following general practice of irrigating the field is recommended.

• First irrigation-three to four days before furrowing. This is done by flooding the field.
• Second irrigation- one day after fertilizer application.
• Third irrigation- 40 days after seed emergence.
• Fourth irrigation- 55 days after seed emergence.
• Fifth irrigation- 71 days after seed emergence.

Weed control. Two weeding are generally practiced in oil crop production. the first weeding is often done after thinning or about 15 to 20 days after seed emergence. This is done through off-baring or by plowing the soil away from the plants. The second weeding should be done 14 to 21 after the first weeding.

 Crop protection. Prevention and control of insects pests and diseases is necessary among oil crops.