The Malaysian Palm Oil Board has developed a series of fertilizer formulations for oil palm, released over many years and numbered in sequence. Growers searching for “MPOB fertilizer” usually arrive with a specific question: which one do I need?
The short answer is that each formulation was developed for a different stage of the crop, not as a newer version of the last one. This article explains what MPOB F7 is and which stage of the crop it suits.
What the numbering means
The F number is a generation, not a grade. MPOB F1 through to the most recent release represent successive rounds of development in MPOB’s fertilizer programme. A higher number means a later formulation, not automatically a more suitable one for your situation. The right question is not “which is the newest” but “which stage am I fertilising”.
MPOB F7
MPOB F7 is a controlled release fertilizer with the formulation 19-8-13-2.5-0.4B +TE. Each granule is coated with an organic polymer. It is designed for nurseries and the early growth of oil palm.
According to MPOBโs data, F7 reduces nutrient loss from leaching by 56% compared with conventional fertilizer. It also means fewer fertilizing rounds and lower labour and fertilizer costs.
MPOB lists the benefits of F7 as less nutrient loss, more efficient nutrient uptake, fewer fertilizing rounds, lower labour needs and lower cost. It describes the fertilizer as environmentally friendly.
The polymer coating releases the nutrients gradually. In MPOBโs release test at 25ยฐC, roughly three quarters of the nutrients had been released after 180 days.
What MPOB found in its trials
MPOB tested F7 in 18 trials: 7 laboratory tests, 2 in small nurseries, 4 in large nurseries and 5 at replanting. The trial sites were in Selangor, Perak, Terengganu, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah.
In a replanting trial in Johor (second year), palms given 1.5 kg of F7 per palm had a leaf greenness (SPAD) reading of 76.2. Palms given 4.5 kg of conventional fertilizer (NEF) per year read 68.3, and palms given 1 kg of F7 read 66.8.
MPOB F7 by growth stage
The right use depends on the stage:
- Small nursery: MPOB F7, 5 g per germinated seed.
- Large nursery: MPOB F7, 80 g per palm.
- Replanting: MPOB F7, 600 g per palm on peat soil or 800 g per palm on mineral soil, placed in the planting hole.
- Second year: 1.0 kg MPOB F7 plus 1.5 kg NPK per palm, or 1.5 kg MPOB F7 per palm, applied in 4 holes 2 to 2.5 ft from the palm base.
- Legume cover crop (LCC): 5 kg MPOB F7 plus 5 kg rock phosphate, 6 to 9 kg of the cover crop seed and 20 to 30 g Rhizobium per hectare, applied by furrow planting.
If you are unsure, the deciding factor is the stage of your palms: nursery, replanting or second year.
MPOB estimates cost savings of up to 40% in the small nursery, up to 27% in the large nursery and up to 42% at replanting (MPOB, 2026). These are estimates based on set assumptions: 11,100 germinated seeds per 0.25 hectare for the small nursery, 9,900 palms per 0.65 hectare for the large nursery and 148 palms per hectare for replanting.
Further reading
For how coated fertilizers work in general, see our guide to controlled release fertilizer. For full trial data, rates and specification on the controlled release formulation, see MPOB F7.