Cover Crops for Oil Palm in West Africa

Oil palm in West Africa is grown on large estates and by many smallholders, and every replant leaves bare soil exposed to heavy rain until the canopy closes. Legume cover crops protect that soil, add nitrogen and hold back weeds. This page sets out what the research shows, including studies from Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, which species fit, and how buyers in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon order from Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia by quotation.

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Quotation by country: Nigeria | Ghana | Côte d'Ivoire | Cameroon

Aerial view of an oil palm plantation at sunset

At a glance

  • Where cover crops fit: new plantings, replants and immature blocks.
  • West African data: soil recovery after replanting in Côte d'Ivoire, soil structure under a cover in Nigeria, and the African rhinoceros beetle in Nigerian replants.
  • Species: PJ, CM, CP, CC and nursery-raised MB, with published rates below.
  • Supply: by quotation from Malaysia; the importer arranges permits in the destination country. Country page: Nigeria.

New planting in Ghana

In August 2026 the chief executive of Ghana's Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) said the government aims for self-sufficiency in palm oil by 2032, and the government is targeting 100,000 new hectares of oil palm in 2026 (MyJoyOnline, 14 August 2026). New plantings need ground cover through the immature years.

What the research shows

Soil recovery after replanting in Côte d'Ivoire

At two replanting sites in Côte d'Ivoire with contrasting soils (an Arenosol and a Ferralsol), keeping logging residues and sowing a legume in the inter-row sped up the recovery of soil functions after clear-cutting of rubber; the legume cover mainly improved the recovery of carbon transformation (Perron et al. 2022).

Erosion on replant ground

In a young rubber plantation where runoff was measured for three years on 1 m2 plots, sowing a Pueraria phaseoloides cover in the inter-row reduced runoff by 88% and soil loss by 98% compared with bare soil, and combining the legume with logging residues almost eliminated both (Perron et al. 2024). Small plots tend to give large relative reductions, and the crop was rubber, but the problem is the same one any replant faces: bare soil between young trees in heavy rain.

Soil structure under a legume cover in Nigeria

In a cover crop trial on an Ultisol at Oban, Cross River State, Nigeria (2017 to 2022, 160 palms per hectare, 12 replications), surface soil (0 to 15 cm) had a bulk density of 1.11 g/cm3 under Mucuna bracteata against 1.40 g/cm3 where no cover crop was grown (Awelewa et al. 2024, Table 1). A lower bulk density means a looser soil that roots and water move through more easily. It is one site and one study, so read it as a local data point rather than a promise.

Nitrogen from a Pueraria cover

Legume covers fix nitrogen from the air through their root nodules. The best-documented field figure for a Pueraria cover comes from a four-year trial under young rubber in northeast Thailand: the cover accumulated about 250 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year in its above-ground biomass, with 85 to 93% of that nitrogen from fixation depending on the year (Clermont-Dauphin et al. 2016). It is one trial on one site, not a design value for your plantation. The same trial found that, at the top of the slope, the cover reduced the young trees' ability to survive intense drought. Legume cover contributes nitrogen; adjust your fertiliser programme only after soil and leaf analysis shows what the cover supplies on your block.

Weeds

In a Universiti Putra Malaysia trial in oil palm on mineral soil, weed dry weight was 97.3 to 99.9% lower and weed density 94.77 to 99.73% lower than in unweeded plots across the cover crop treatments together, 9 to 24 months after planting (Samedani et al. 2015).

Replanting and the African rhinoceros beetle

Old palm trunks left to rot after felling are where the African rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes monoceros, breeds. At Ubima, Rivers State, Nigeria, adult beetles collected by hand in three replanting cycles (2018, 2020 and 2022) peaked between 18 and 25 months after planting (Riley et al. 2026). The authors list a well-established cover crop among their recommendations, together with chipping or shredding felled trunks, biological control and continued monitoring. The idea that a legume cover hides rotting trunks from the beetle comes from earlier work they cite; their study did not test it. Our rhinoceros beetle page sets out what is known about pheromone trapping of this beetle.

Species and published seeding rates

Every rate below is a published figure with its source and its conditions. The species mix and rate for your blocks are set on the quotation.

Species Use and establishment Published seeding rate or planting density
Pueraria javanica (PJ), also listed as Pueraria phaseoloides or Neustanthus phaseoloides Inter-rows of replants and young palms. In pure stands, about 60 to 70% ground cover at around 4 months and 90 to 100% at 8 months (PROSEA 11). About 4 kg/ha sown alone (Tropical Forages)
Calopogonium mucunoides (CM) Early cover in mixtures. Covers the soil 3 to 6 months after sowing, sooner on newly cleared fertile land, with a dense sward at 4 to 5 months; usually the first species to be shaded out (PROSEA 11). Sown in mixtures; the rate for your site is set on the quotation
Centrosema pubescens (CP) Mixtures. A pure sward gives dense cover in 4 to 8 months (PROSEA 11). 3 to 5 kg/ha broadcast (Tropical Forages)
Calopogonium caeruleum (CC) Persists under shade: 3 to 7 t dry matter/ha/yr in the open and 1 to 1.5 t under mature oil palm at about 10% light (Tropical Forages). 1 to 1.5 kg/ha together with 5 to 7.5 kg/ha PJ (Tropical Forages)
Mucuna bracteata (MB) Raised in a nursery and transplanted, not broadcast. About 100% ground cover at 6 months on mineral soil (Samedani et al. 2015); on deep peat, 31% at 6 months, 58% at 12, 75% at 18 and 78% at 24 (MPOB TT No. 501). Keep it off young palms. 680 seedlings/ha at 1.5 m spacing on mineral soil (Samedani et al. 2015); 320 seedlings/ha, two per palm point, from about 500 seeds (75 g) on deep peat (MPOB TT No. 501)
Mixture A published mixture for oil palm on peat. PJ 4 + CP 3 + CC 1 = 8 kg/ha, with 5 g Rhizobium inoculant per kg of seed (MPOB TT No. 501)

Many growers sow a two or three species mix matched to the site: CM for fast early cover, PJ across the inter-rows and slopes, CP and CC to carry the cover as shade increases, and nursery-raised MB in open blocks where the team can keep it off young palms.

SoilBoost EA soil conditioner

SoilBoost EA is a leonardite-derived humic acid soil conditioner manufactured exclusively for Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. and Kudzu Seeds Trading. It may support soil structure and root-zone conditions alongside a legume cover and a normal fertiliser programme. It is a soil conditioner, not a fertiliser, and the application rate for your crop and soil is set on the quotation. Product page: SoilBoost EA 25 kg.

How to order from West Africa

Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysian supplier of legume cover crop seed and soil conditioners to plantations since 2003. We supply buyers worldwide on request, from Malaysia.

  1. Quotation. Tell us your crop, planted area, products and port of destination. We reply with a written quotation from Malaysia that confirms the minimum order, lead time and shipping terms.
  2. Terms. Payment in full before dispatch. Ex Works (EXW) Selangor, Malaysia, unless the quotation names FOB or CIF.
  3. Documents. Seed lots are germination- and purity-tested to ISTA and AOSA methods. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA) for export are available on request.
  4. Import rules. The importer is responsible for the import permit and for any seed or product registration in the destination country. Import rules change and can differ by species and by country of origin, so confirm them before you confirm the order.

Import authorities we have checked

  • Nigeria: the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) issues import permits for plant products (NAQS); for legume seed for sowing, an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate are listed as required (MICOR, Nigeria).
  • Ghana: the national plant protection organisation is the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; for legume seed for sowing, an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate are listed as required (MICOR, Ghana).
  • Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and other countries: confirm the import requirements with the national plant protection organisation before ordering.
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Frequently asked questions

Which cover crop suits oil palm replants in West Africa?

Most programmes use a mixture: CM for early cover, PJ in the inter-rows, CP and CC as shade increases, and nursery-raised MB where palm circles can be kept clear. The mix and rate are set on the quotation for your site.

Is there a page for cocoa?

Yes: cover crops and soil health for cocoa in West Africa covers species choice and management in young cocoa.

Do cover crops replace fertiliser?

No. Legume cover contributes nitrogen; adjust your fertiliser programme only after soil and leaf analysis shows what the cover supplies on your block.

Is the seed tested, and which documents come with an order?

Seed lots are germination- and purity-tested to ISTA and AOSA methods. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA) for export are available on request.

Where do orders ship from, and on what terms?

From Malaysia. Payment is in full before dispatch, and prices are Ex Works (EXW) Selangor unless the quotation names FOB or CIF. The minimum order and lead time are confirmed on the quotation.

References

  1. Perron, T., Kouakou, A., Simon, C., Mareschal, L., Frédéric, G., Soumahoro, M., Kouassi, D., Rakotondrazafy, N., Rapidel, B., Laclau, J.-P. and Brauman, A. (2022). Logging residues promote rapid restoration of soil health after clear-cutting of rubber plantations at two sites with contrasting soils in Africa. Science of the Total Environment 816: 151526. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151526
  2. Perron, T., Legrand, M., Janeau, J.-L., Manizan, A., Vierling, C., Kouakou, A., Brauman, A., Gay, F., Laclau, J.-P. and Mareschal, L. (2024). Runoff and soil loss are drastically decreased in a rubber plantation combining the spreading of logging residues with a legume cover. Science of the Total Environment 913: 169335. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169335
  3. Awelewa, E.A., Umunnakwe, O.C., Effa, E.B., Ebri, B.O., Bisong, O.B. and Ekpenyong, E.I. (2024). Effect of cover crops on soil properties and oil yield of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis L) grown on Utisol of Southern Nigeria. Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science 12(3): 103-109. doi:10.26765/DRJAFS65733477
  4. Clermont-Dauphin, C., Suvannang, N., Pongwichian, P., Cheylan, V., Hammecker, C. and Harmand, J.-M. (2016). Dinitrogen fixation by the legume cover crop Pueraria phaseoloides and transfer of fixed N to Hevea brasiliensis: impact on tree growth and vulnerability to drought. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 217: 79-88. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2015.11.002
  5. Samedani, B., Juraimi, A.S., Rafii, M.Y., Sheikh Awadz, S., Anwar, M. and Anuar, A.R. (2015). Effect of cover crops on weed suppression in oil palm plantation. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 17(2): 251-260.
  6. Riley, S.O., Wiafe, E.K., Impens, R., Beaudoin-Ollivier, L., Samuel, D.O., Okoye, G. and Sule, B.A. (2026). Temporal patterns of Oryctes monoceros (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) in oil palm replanting: a study across three cycles. OCL 33: 8. doi:10.1051/ocl/2025042
  7. Hasnol Othman, Farawahida Mohamad Darus and Zulkifli Hashim (2012). Best management practices for oil palm cultivation on peat: Mucuna bracteata as ground cover crop. MPOB TT No. 501 (MPOB Information Series 588). Malaysian Palm Oil Board.
  8. Tropical Forages: an interactive selection tool, 2020 edition (CIAT and ILRI), species fact sheets. www.tropicalforages.info
  9. PROSEA (1997). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 11: Auxiliary plants. Species entries for Calopogonium mucunoides (Chen Chin Peng and Aminah), Centrosema pubescens and Pueraria phaseoloides.
  10. MyJoyOnline (14 August 2026). TCDA targets 100,000 new hectares to boost Ghana's palm oil self-sufficiency. myjoyonline.com
  11. Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS). Plant quarantine. naqs.gov.ng/plant_quarantine
  12. Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICOR), plant export entries for Nigeria (Desmodium intortum seed) and Ghana (Clitoria ternatea seed) (reviewed July 2026). micor.agriculture.gov.au

Related pages

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