The effect of EFB-compost application on oil palm under terrace planting

In 2002, Kulim (M) Bhd and Asiagreen Environmental Sdn Bhd introduced a new technique to compost the EFB and POME so as to effectively recycle the biomass into bio-compost and achieve the aim of zero discharge at the mill. Composting the empty fruit bunches (EFB) gives an advantage in the large reduction in volume of the EFB for field application (Siregar et al 2002). The study is thus carried out to evaluate the effect of EFB-compost applied in low yielding area of an oil palm under terrace planting. The trial commenced in 2003 in an 11 year old oil palm. The treatments were completely randomized with plot size of 4 palms and replicated by 8 times. The normal field applications of inorganic fertilizer (l00%) were 2.4kg K₂O/palm/year (Muriate of Potash) and 1. 19kg N/palm/year (Ammonium Nitrate). Though the analysis of variance showed no significant different, average yield showed that the combination of 25kg/palm EFB-compost and100% of standard commercial inorganic fertilizer (T9) yielded the highest among other treatments at 21.54 tonnes/ha FFB. It's represented 50.15% higher yield than treatment with inorganic fertilizer only (T12). It was also 33.29% and 14.24% higher than treatments T8 (50kg/palm EFB-compost + 0 inorganic fertilizer) and T4 (75kg/palm EFBcompost + 0 inorganic) respectively. Soil chemical properties in section under EFB-compost were significantly better than in section without EFB-compost. Organic content in the uppermost soil in section under the EFB-compost was higher than non EFB-compost. The thickness of uppermost layer contained organic matter was 15 cm, about 3 folds deeper than under section without the EFB-compost. In separate observation plot, EFB-compost application in terrace area has increased root proliferation and encouraged root penetration. Feeder roots showed greatly positive response to the EFB-compost. The biomass of roots under EFB-compost was significantly higher at about 111 % than section without EFB-compost. The root under EFB compost application was still observed up to a depth of 70cm but under the non EFB-compost, root penetration was only visible up to a depth of 30cm.