Optimization rate of empty fruit bunch and NPK compound fertilizer for 4-years-old oil palm

Abstract

Abstract Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of Crude Palm Oil (CPO), followed by Malaysia as the second producing country. CPO production of Indonesia and Malaysia reaches 80% of all world production. However, fertilizing empty fruit bunches should be combined with inorganic fertilizers. Empty fruit bunches of oil palm are waste from CPO processing, and the amount is very abundant. The use of empty bunches combined with compound NPK fertilizer is intended to increase the vegetative growth and support productivity. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimum rate of empty fruit bunches and NPK compounds. The research was conducted at the Teaching Farm of IPB-University, Jonggol, Bogor, from March 2016 to March 2017. The treatment consists of two factors, the first factor is the treatment of empty bunches (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg plant−1 year−1) and the second factor is NPK compound (0, 2, 4, and 6 kg of plant−1 year−1). The results of this study determined that the optimum rate of empty fruit bunches fertilizer is 128 kg palm−1, and the optimum rate of NPK compound fertilizer is 4.61 kg palm−1 for 4-year-old oil palm.