| ABSTRACT |
This invention relates to plantation engineering, oil-palm replanting management, precision agriculture, environmental control of agricultural landscapes, microclimate management, remote sensing, sensor-supported farm management and spatial decision-support systems. A method and system are disclosed for managing sequential replanting of an oil-palm plantation while maintaining predetermined plantation conditions. The plantation is divided into a plurality of spatial management units. One or more state variables representing palm age, production, canopy condition, microclimate, soil-water condition and optionally health/disease status are determined for the units. Candidate units are identified for replanting, and the effect of replanting each candidate is evaluated using the state of the candidate and one or more neighbouring or landscape units. A candidate unit is selected for physical replanting when predetermined spatial, canopy, microclimate, health/disease and/or production constraints are satisfied. Where removal would violate a constraint and health conditions permit, an eligible old-palm unit may instead be temporarily classified as a legacy climate-retention unit. Legacy units may later be replanted or transitioned toward site-matched permanent vegetation after replacement canopy is established. The plantation state is updated after each physical action and used for subsequent unit selection. Managed ground cover, field sensors and remote-sensing information may optionally be integrated. The system distributes plantation renewal in space and time to reduce concentrated canopy loss while maintaining agricultural production.
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