How to Prepare Your Nutrition & Soil Management Strategy 

Climate variability is becoming one of the biggest challenges for Malaysian plantations. In 2025, Malaysia is expected to experience alternating periods of El Niño (drought) and La Niña (heavy rainfall / monsoon), according to early climate outlooks by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia): https://www.met.gov.my/

These shifts strongly influence nutrient availability, soil conditions, fertilizer efficiency, crop growth, fruiting, and disease pressure across key crops such as oil palm, durian, paddy, vegetables, and fruits.

To maintain stable yield and plant health, growers must redesign their nutrition programs and soil management practices based on climate risks.

1. How El Niño (Drought) Affects Malaysian Plantations

El Niño typically brings:

• prolonged dry spells
• high evapotranspiration
• reduced nutrient uptake
• smaller canopy and leaf chlorosis
• poor flowering or bud initiation
• increased pest and stress-related disorders

1.1 Nutrients Most Affected During Drought

Dry conditions reduce the mobility and uptake of:

• Nitrogen (N) — volatilization increases
• Phosphorus (P) – delayed flowering
• Potassium (K) — critical for drought resistance
• Boron (B) — affected pollen viability
• Magnesium (Mg) — dry stress accelerates chlorophyll degradation

1.2 Recommended Nutrition Strategy in Dry Conditions

Growers should adjust their approach by:

• using foliar applications for quicker nutrient uptake
• applying Boron, Magnesium, and Calcium to support stress tolerance
• reducing high-N applications to avoid losses
• applying biostimulants to strengthen roots  stress tolerance
• maintaining canopy health to reduce heat impact

Advansia recommended products:

• Axtra Roots — during pre & main nursery stage for enhances root growth and drought resilience,
• Avigα – L Amino acid improve nutrients update & stress recovery
• Amira – Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract promote vigorous flowering, fertility and fruit set.

2. How La Niña (Heavy Rain / Monsoon) Impacts Plantations

La Niña typically causes:

• intense rainfall
• nutrient leaching
• soil erosion
• root suffocation due to poor drainage
• increased fungal pressure (Basal Stem Rot, leaf spot, root rot)
• inconsistent fruit set (especially in oil palm & durian)

Source by https://focusmalaysia.my/

2.1 Nutrients Lost Easily During Wet Season

According to FAO Soil & Water Guidelines (authority reference):

The nutrients most easily leached are:

• N (nitrogen)
• K (potassium)
• B (boron)
• S (sulfur)

2.2 Recommended Nutrition Strategy in Rainy Season

• delay fertilizer applications immediately after rain
• use coated or slow-release fertilizers
• increase foliar applications for Mg, B, Ca and TE mix
• maintain field drainage and avoid waterlogging
• increase nutrient frequency but reduce dosage per application

Advansia recommended products:

• Axtra Roots — helps roots recover from anaerobic stress
• Avigα – L Amino acid improve nutrients update & stress recovery
• Amira – Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract promote vigorous flowering, fertility and fruit set.
• Speedfol – high water soluble fertilizer supporting rapid nutrients uptake, especially when soil condition limit roots access.

3. Why Soil Management Is Even More Critical in 2025

Dry–wet cycles cause rapid soil structure degradation, especially in plantations with heavy machinery, sandy soils, or acidic regions.

3.1 Acidic Soil Under Drought Stress

Acidic soils suffer from:

• phosphorus lock-up
• low Ca/Mg availability
• reduced root growth

3.2 Sandy Soil During Heavy Rain

Effects include:

• high nutrient leaching (N, K, B, S)
• poor nutrient retention
• weak water-holding capacity

3.3 Compacted Soil — The Biggest Risk Under Climate Stress

Compacted soil leads to:

• restricted root penetration
• fertilizer immobility
• water stagnation or severe drought stress

4. Adjusting Your Fertilizer Program According to Climate Forecasts

Malaysia’s climate forecast data source (authority): MetMalaysia: https://www.met.gov.my/

Fertilizer plans should adjust depending on predicted dry or wet phases.

4.1 If Forecast Indicates El Niño (Dry Season)

Growers should:

• increase biostimulant usage
• reduce nitrogen-heavy applications
• strengthen K + Mg programs
• apply mulching to conserve moisture

4.2 If Forecast Indicates La Niña (Rainy Season)

Strategies include:

• prioritizing Ca + B foliar nutrition
• avoiding fertilizer application right after rain
• improving drainage
• enhancing fungal disease monitoring

5. Crop-by-Crop Preparation for 2025 Climate Variability

5.1 Oil Palm

Challenges:

• El Niño reduces flower initiation & FFB size
• La Niña increases nutrient leaching & Ganoderma pressure
• Mg and B become more critical for stability

5.2 Durian

• drought reduces floral induction
• excessive rain increases root rot
• Ca + B + biostimulants help stabilize fruit set

5.3 Paddy

• drought increases seedling mortality
• heavy rainfall reduces N availability
• requires split-application for N & K

5.4 Vegetables & Fruits

• roots are highly sensitive to waterlogging
• TE deficiencies occur quickest
• foliar feeding is essential during unpredictable weather

6. Climate-Adaptive Nutrition Checklist for 2025

 ✔ Dry season → biostimulant + Mg + K + reduce N
 ✔ Wet season → foliar TE + Ca + B + drainage
 ✔ Improve soil structure before monsoon
 ✔ Maintain canopy health
 ✔ Monitor climate forecasts from MetMalaysia
 ✔ Prepare early for extreme weather cycles

7. Need a Climate-Ready Nutrition Program?

Advansia provides advisory support for plantations managing climate pressure across oil palm, durian, paddy, vegetables and fruits.