Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq)

Oil palm with its low land foot print for oil production is the most important global crop of present times. The two oils produced from palm tree are used in a variety of ways, viz. cooking, cosmetics, lubrication, sanitizing, and cleansing. Furthermore, the by-products of palm oil industry have numerous utilities such as feed, fuel, water purifier, etc. Besides all these apparent advantages, this crop also faces huge criticism in terms of GHG emissions, loss of biodiversity, and deforestation. To produce oil palm sustainably, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a voluntary global-level organization, set up the standards for certified palm oil production. These practices include right approach of planting, nutrient and water management, waste recycling, integrated pest management, etc. At present, globally, oil palm cultivation is concentrated in three continents, viz. humid tropical Asia, Africa, and Latin America in 46 countries. Though soil health is not much affected due to oil palm cultivation, improvement in soil condition can be achieved through sustainable management. In this chapter, we discuss suitable soil conditions for oil palm cultivation, how soil health is assessed through suitable indicators, constraints of soil fertility, nutrient management, use of soil amendments, the impact of climate change, soil biodiversity, and technological opportunities available for maintaining soil health and sustaining oil palm production.