Effect of Empty Fruit Bunch Trichocompost on Oil Palm Seedling Quality (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30737/agrinika.v10i2.7916Keywords:
EFB, Nutrients, Karo, Oil palm, Trichocompost, TrichodermaAbstract
Large quantities of empty fruit bunches (EFB) are left behind by palm oil mills, and unmanaged accumulation of this residue creates environmental problems. Composting EFB is a sustainable, environmentally sound way to manage it. However, natural decomposition is slow, so a bioactivator such as Trichoderma sp. is needed to speed up the process and improve the compost. This research had two objectives: (1) to assess how EFB trichocompost affects seedling growth in the oil palm pre-nursery, and (2) to identify the most effective dose. A single-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used. EFB trichocompost doses ranged from 0% to 100% in 5% steps (21 levels), each with three replications, in polybags. Statistical software was used to process the data. The work comprised EFB characterization, trichocompost production, preparation of the planting medium, transplanting, maintenance, and measurement of three growth indicators (seedling height, leaf number, and stem-base diameter). The data were subjected to ANOVA followed by the LSD test at α = 5%. All treatments (M1–M21) significantly influenced the three indicators. M13 performed best, giving the highest mean leaf number (7.14), the tallest seedlings (39.20 cm), and the widest stem-base diameter (11.10 mm), whereas M19–M21 gave the poorest results. These results indicate that a medium containing 60% EFB trichocompost (M13) is the best dose for improving overall seedling quality in the pre-nursery stage.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Umar Battong, Arahman Arahman, Agus Trikoriantono, Kun Rawansari, Nabil Hibatullah, Nadila Fika Amalya Nurnaini, Syahrul Gunawan, Sarinah Sarinah
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