Density of microbe as biofertilizer candidate on fibric peat in oil palm plantation area at Kubu Raya District, West Kalimantan

Abstract

Characteristics of fibric peat are high fiber content and low pH 2-3. The presence of soil bacteria affects the fertility of fibric peat. This study aims to analyze density of soil bacteria in the fibric peat layer in the area of oil palm plantations. Bacteria as biofertilizer candidate were isolated by pour plate method on media Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), Pikovskaya, Nitrogen fixing bacteria (Nfb), and Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA). Fibric peat at oil palm plantation contain 8.4 x105 CFU/g cellulolytic bacteria, 2.86x104 MPN/g nitrogen-fixing bacteria, 3, 48 x105 CFU/g phosphate solubilizing bacteria, 5, 6 x 104 CFU/g cellulolytic fungi and 6.5 x105 IAA producing bacteria. Those functional bacteria can be developed as biofertilizer agents to improve the fertility of peat soil.