Nutrient Status of Nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) in Selected Areas of Mindanao, the Philippines

Nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) is a potential source of biofuel which requires the understanding the palm’s nutrition in order to increase sap yield. Initial baseline data on the nutrient levels of nipa were determined from its natural habitats in Mindanao using foliar analysis. Results revealed that nipa palms thrived in a wide variety of soils from clayey, loamy to sandy clay loam types. Elemental variations were observed across sampling sites owing to their locations in the estuaries, human activities, and soil pH. Leaf B levels were shown to be regulated even at extremely high levels in the soil. The nutrient levels in the leaf tissue using leaf rank 2 are as follows: 1.34±0.30% N, 0.13±0.03% P, 0.82±0.14% K, 0.03±0.02% Ca, 0.03±0.03% Mg, 0.16±0.13% Na, 0.53±0.12% S, 0.70±0.11 mg/kg Cu, 4.33±0.94 mg/kg Zn, 20.00±2.35 mg/kg Fe, 64.22±31.74 mg/kg Mn, and 4.45±1.67 mg/kg B. When compared across leaf ranks, mobile elements K and Mg were significantly higher in the youngest fully opened leaf rank 1. For Mn, leaf rank 3 was significantly higher than leaf rank 1, but leaf rank 2 did not vary with either leaf ranks. It is recommended to use leaf rank 2 for foliar analysis on the basis of its intermediate physiological age. Also, Cl level was higher compared to other elements indicating tolerance to saline conditions. Keywords: foliar analyses · leaf ranks · Nypa fruticans · nutrient