Investigation of the Allometry of Oil Palm Trees in Nigeria for Mechanization of the Farming Process

Oil Palm importance as edible vegetable oil and biodiesel has caused an increase in its demand across the world, however, the mechanization of its harvest has not increased in such manner, and this is attributed to the little available information about the oil palm tree. Nigeria is among the world top farmers of the oil palm tree and she is currently ranked as 5th in the world. Nigeria has about 13 states involved in the farming of oil palm tree and Oyo State accounts for 11% (highest) of these farming states. Seven (7) towns in Oyo State are major farmers of the oil palm tree, and with the aid of meter rule and clinometer, the maximum diameter (diameter at breast height), minimum diameter (crown diameter) and height of the trees were obtained for 70 trees which made up the sample space of the population in these towns.