The Micronutrient Contents of Composting from Empty Bunch after Added Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Abstract

Compost has the complete nutrient because it contains macro and micro nutrients. Palm oil mill produces the solid and liquid waste like empty fruit bunches that can be used as compost. This research aims to determine the effect of the fiber size in the empty fruit bunches of palm oil at the maturity level of compost that can produce good nutrients for the growth of palm oil. This research was conducted using the factorial completely randomize design with two treatment factors. The first factor is the three level of fiber size such: whole empty fruit bunch (M1), empty fruit bunch Press (M2), empty fruit bunch press with manual shredding (M3). The second factor is the two levels of composting time: two weeks (A1), 4 weeks (A2). The results showed that the optimal product obtained from empty fruit bunch press with manual shredding (M3) and two weeks composting time (A2). The nitrogen; phosphor (P) and Calcium (Ca) content was respectively 0,88; 1 and 9. While the potassium (K); Cuprum (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) content was at about 0,02; 2 and 238 obtained from M1 and A2 as well as Sulfur (S) was 15% obtained from M2 and A2. The conclusion of this study was the fiber size of empty fruit bunch and composting time had the significant influence on micronutrient content of compost.