Cover Crops in Myanmar

Chemiseed supplies leguminous cover crop seeds and SoilBoost EA soil conditioner worldwide on request from Malaysia, and quotes for plantation operations and importers serving Myanmar. Cover crops fix nitrogen, hold soil during the immature phase of tree crops, suppress weeds, conserve moisture, and build organic matter on tropical soils.

At a glance: Myanmar context

  • Rubber: Myanmar rubber is concentrated in Mon State and Tanintharyi Region in the south, with additional plantings in Bago and Kayin.
  • Oil palm: Trial plantings and limited commercial oil palm have been established in Tanintharyi Region, with ground cover during the immature phase a recurring agronomic concern.
  • Rice and pulses: Pulses such as black gram and pigeon pea are widely grown alongside rice in the Ayeyarwady Delta and central dry zone.
  • Common challenges: high monsoon rainfall in the south, leaching-prone tropical soils, and the need for early cover at rubber and oil palm establishment.

Cover crop species relevant to Myanmar

Pueraria javanica (PJ): vigorous core legume

PJ (tropical kudzu) has been documented in regional rubber smallholder systems and is suited to Myanmar's wet southern provinces. Seeding rate: about 4 kg/ha broadcast alone (Tropical Forages). The most defensible published nitrogen figure for this species comes from a single rubber-intercrop trial in northeast Thailand, where the cover accumulated up to 250 kg N per hectare per year in aboveground biomass, with 85 to 93% of that nitrogen drawn from the atmosphere (Clermont-Dauphin et al. 2016, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 217:79-88). Treat that as a measured upper reference point from one trial on one site, not as a design value to plan a fertiliser programme against. The same trial also found that the legume cover reduced the drought resilience of the young rubber trees on water-limited ground, which matters on the drier central-zone sites.

Mucuna bracteata (MB): nursery-raised, long-lived cover

MB has been documented in rubber smallholder systems and produces dense, persistent ground cover. It is nursery-raised and transplanted, not broadcast like the other species: MPOB TT No. 501 uses about 320 seedlings per hectare, two per palm point, raised from about 500 seeds (75 g), and Samedani et al. (2015) planted 680 seedlings per hectare on mineral soil. MB tolerates shade through canopy maturation, which is why it is used under a maturing canopy, while PJ thins as the canopy closes. Isotope work puts MB at 67 to 84% of its nitrogen drawn from the atmosphere (Cheah, Zaharah & Aminuddin 2010, Oil Palm Bulletin 60). We do not publish an absolute kg N/ha figure for MB, because no traceable measurement supports one.

Calopogonium mucunoides (CM): fast pioneer

CM establishes quickly and gives rapid early ground cover, making it useful as a pioneer at rubber and oil palm establishment. Seeding rate: usually sown in a mixture, with the rate set on the quotation for your site.

Centrosema pubescens (CP) and Calopogonium caeruleum (CC): shade tolerant

As the canopy closes, shade-persistent legumes carry the cover forward. CP and CC are the successors in that role. CP seeding rate: 3 to 5 kg/ha broadcast (Tropical Forages). CC seeding rate: 1 to 1.5 kg/ha sown with 5 to 7.5 kg/ha PJ (Tropical Forages). Where a mixture is used, the best-cited reference is MPOB TT No. 501 (Information Series 588, June 2012), Table 1 treatment C2: PJ 4 : CP 3 : CC 1, total 8 kg/ha, with 5 g of Rhizobium (RRI strain) inoculant per kg of seed. That is an institutional best-management-practice recommendation drawn from a peat trial, not a primary field measurement.

SoilBoost EA on Myanmar plantation soils

SoilBoost EA is a Leonardite-derived humic acid soil conditioner manufactured exclusively for Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) and Kudzu Seeds Trading. It has pH 3.84 and 0.45% sulfur as sent (25.81% sample moisture), equivalent to 0.61% on a dry-weight basis. Typical analysis. A certificate of analysis for the batch supplied is available on request. On acidic, leaching-prone tropical soils typical of southern Myanmar, a humic acid conditioner supports soil condition and structure. SoilBoost EA is applied by broadcast at 50 to 100 kg/ha or by drench at 10 to 15 kg/ha. It is a soil conditioner: it is not a fertiliser substitute and not a disease treatment.

Request a quotation for Myanmar

Plantation operations and licensed importers in Myanmar can request a quotation; we supply on a quote-only basis. Availability and lead time are confirmed per inquiry based on species, volume, and shipment terms.

Request a quotation for Myanmar

Or message us directly: WhatsApp +62 877 7837 4714. See also how can we help for the right intake form.

Trust and seed quality

Chemiseed cover crop seed lots are tested to ISTA and AOSA methods for germination and purity. Chemiseed exports from Malaysia, so where the destination requires one, consignments travel with a phytosanitary certificate issued by Malaysia's national plant protection organisation, the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (Jabatan Pertanian Malaysia), under the IPPC framework. That certificate is the document described by ISPM 12; ISPM 7 governs an NPPO's export certification system and is not a certification a seed company can hold. Import permits and import admissibility remain the buyer's responsibility. Spec sheets and certificates of analysis are available on request via the document centre.

For Philippine inquiries, see our Philippine sister company, Kudzu Seeds Trading, which is BPI-permitted in the Philippines.

Frequently asked questions

Which cover crops are documented for Myanmar rubber?

Pueraria javanica and Mucuna bracteata have both been documented in rubber smallholder systems in the region. PJ is broadcast at about 4 kg/ha when sown alone (Tropical Forages) and MB is nursery-raised and transplanted rather than broadcast: MPOB TT No. 501 uses about 320 seedlings per hectare raised from about 500 seeds (75 g).

What about cover crops for Tanintharyi oil palm trials?

The same species used in Malaysia and Indonesia apply: a fast pioneer such as Calopogonium mucunoides for early cover, plus Pueraria javanica, Mucuna bracteata, and shade-persistent Centrosema pubescens or Calopogonium caeruleum once the canopy closes.

What does SoilBoost EA do?

SoilBoost EA is a humic acid soil conditioner that supports soil condition and structure on acidic, leaching-prone tropical soils. It is applied at 50 to 100 kg/ha by broadcast or 10 to 15 kg/ha by drench. It is not a fertiliser substitute.

How do I get availability and pricing for Myanmar?

Chemiseed operates on a quote-only basis. Request a quotation through the form above or WhatsApp, and we will confirm species availability, lead time, and pricing for your shipment.

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