Cover Crops in Papua New Guinea: Chemiseed Supply for Oil Palm and Copra

Chemiseed supplies leguminous cover crop seeds and SoilBoost EA soil conditioner to Papua New Guinea (PNG) plantation managers across oil palm estates, smallholder blocks, and copra systems. Cover crops fix nitrogen, hold soil on slopes during the immature phase, suppress weeds, conserve moisture, and build organic matter. The right species depends on the planting stage and the estate or smallholder context.

At a glance: PNG context

  • Oil palm centered in West New Britain (WNB): PNG's oil palm sector is centered in West New Britain, with additional area in Oro (Northern), New Ireland, and Milne Bay provinces. Both estate and smallholder blocks are core to the supply chain.
  • Copra and coconut: coastal provinces host significant coconut and copra production, where ground cover under coconut is well established as a soil-health practice.
  • Smallholder + estate model: nucleus estate plus smallholder out-grower blocks are a defining feature of PNG palm; cover-crop programs apply across both.
  • Common challenges: heavy tropical rainfall, sloping ground in many estate blocks, acidic mineral soils, and replanting cycles requiring fast early cover.

Cover crop species relevant to PNG

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

MB is well established in PNG oil palm estates as a long-lived, dense legume cover. It is nursery-raised and transplanted at about 320 seedlings per hectare (roughly 85 to 100 g of seed per hectare). It is not broadcast like the other species. MB is the shade-tolerant species in this group, which is why it is used under maturing oil palm, 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 We do not publish an absolute kg N/ha figure for MB, because no traceable measurement supports one.

Pueraria javanica (PJ): vigorous core legume

PJ (tropical kudzu) is a vigorous core legume for new and immature oil palm, valued for biomass and nitrogen contribution. Seeding rate: 4 to 6 kg/ha. The most defensible published nitrogen figure for this species comes from a single rubber-intercrop trial in northeast Thailand, where the cover accumulated about 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.

Calopogonium mucunoides (CM): fast pioneer

CM establishes quickly and gives rapid early ground cover, making it a useful pioneer in the first months after planting or replanting. Seeding rate: 4 to 6 kg/ha as a mono stand.

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

As the canopy closes and light at ground level drops, shade-persistent legumes carry the cover forward. CP and CC are the successors in that role. CP seeding rate: 3 to 4.5 kg/ha. CC seeding rate: 3 to 4.5 kg/ha. These species are often combined with pioneers in a mixed cover strategy. 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 for acidic, leaching-prone tropical 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 the acidic mineral and leaching-prone soils common in PNG oil palm regions, 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 availability and quote for PNG

Chemiseed serves PNG estates, smallholder schemes, and importers on a quote-only basis. Pricing and lead time are confirmed per inquiry based on species, volume, and shipment terms.

Request availability and quote for PNG

Or message us directly: WhatsApp +60 17-237 4058. 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. PNG import permits and admissibility remain the buyer's responsibility. Spec sheets and certificates of analysis are available on request via the document center.

Frequently asked questions

Which cover crop is best for PNG oil palm estates?

Mucuna bracteata is widely used as a long-lived, dense cover in PNG oil palm. It is nursery-raised and transplanted at about 320 seedlings per hectare, which is roughly 85 to 100 g of seed per hectare, not a kilogram rate. A pioneer such as Calopogonium mucunoides (4 to 6 kg/ha) is often used in the first months after planting.

Does this apply to smallholder blocks as well?

Yes. The same species apply to smallholder out-grower blocks, with seed and seedling volumes scaled to block size. We work with nucleus estates and smallholder schemes on supply and documentation.

What does SoilBoost EA do?

SoilBoost EA is a humic acid soil conditioner that supports soil condition and structure on acidic, leaching-prone 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 a price for PNG?

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

Related pages