Open AccessA review on the potential of empty fruit bunch (EFB) compost as growing medium for oil palm seedling production
Author(s) -
N.A. Zakri,
Sri Yolanda Yuliana Adam
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.218
H-Index - 7
ISSN - 2550-2166
DOI - 10.26656/fr.2017.5(s4).003
Subject(s) - compost , seedling , environmental science , palm oil , mulch , biomass (ecology) , fertilizer , agriculture , agronomy , nutrient , topsoil , agroforestry , soil water , biology , ecology , soil science
The oil palm industry is among the important sectors in Malaysia. The productions ofpalm oil keep increasing year by year due to high demand from other countries,generating an abundance of wastes from the field and the mill. These wastes maysignificantly affect the environment. Composting is one of the methods to reduce thevolume of waste. The compost material is widely used especially in agricultureactivities due to its properties which have been enhanced during the compostingprocess. Empty fruit bunch (EFB) compost mostly returns to the soil as mulch toconserve soil moisture and acts as organic fertilizer since it contains high nutrientsneeded by the plant. Currently, the depletion of fertile soil leads to less availability ofgrowing medium, especially in the nursery. The properties of the growing medium areimportant to ensure better root development of seedlings and subsequently affect theoverall plant growth. Therefore, numerous studies have been conducted to identify thesuitable growing medium as a substitute for topsoil which is currently limited to raisingseedlings in the nursery. This review examines the current methods of composting EFBand provides summarized research information on the effect of EFB compost on oilpalm seedling growth. The oil palm wastes that are properly managed could producevalue-added by-products and promotes sustainable agriculture practices.