Abstract
The study was conducted from May 2008 to May 2009 at Abelisawa village, District of Pohara, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, to clarify the effect of seasonal changes in the groundwater level and mineral element concentrations on the early growth of suckers and the mineral element concentrations in leaflets. Two sites under different soil groundwater conditions, dry (D: groundwater approximately 0 to – 15 cm below the soil surface) and waterlogged (W: groundwater approximately 0 to +10 cm above the soil surface), were selected. The groundwater levels were recorded, and the water was sampled to determine the inorganic-N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations, pH, and EC every two months under D and W. Five suckers approximately 1-yearold growing in clumps with their mother palms and other suckers under D and W were selected to measure the growth characters and sample the leaflets of the youngest expanded leaf for the determination of the total-N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations. The groundwater levels during the study period ranged from +2.0 cm to +8.8 cm under W and from +1.1 cm to – 16.3 cm under D. The changes in groundwater levels, however, did not correspond to the amount of rainfall. Few noticeable effects of the groundwater changes on sucker growth, mineral elements concentrations, pH and EC in the groundwater and in the mineral element concentrations of the young expanded leaf were found. These indicate that groundwater levels ranging from +10 cm to – 20 cm will not critically affect sucker growth.
https://ror.org/02j4mf075 
