Utilization of Soil Amendments to Improve the Success of Oil Palm Seedlings

Authors: Amelya Yunianti Silalahi Amelya, Muhdan Syarovy | Year: 2024 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.22302/iopri.war.warta.v29i3.131

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The quality of seedlings is a determining factor in the success of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations. Seedlings that grow strong and healthy in the pre-nursery and main nursery will have a good foundation for optimal production when they are mature. However, the quality of the planting medium for seedlings is often a constraint, especially when the available soil has less-than-ideal physical and chemical properties. This is where the role of soil amendments becomes crucial.

This study evaluates various types of soil amendments that are commonly available, both organic such as compost, manure, and rice husk charcoal, and inorganic such as zeolite and bentonite, on the growth of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) seedlings. The observed parameters include plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, root length, dry weight of shoots and roots, and leaf chlorophyll content. All treatments are compared to a control without soil amendments.

The results of the study show that all types of soil amendments have a positive effect on seedling growth compared to the control, but with different levels of effectiveness. Organic soil amendments, particularly the combination of compost with rice husk charcoal (biochar), provide the best growth response. Biochar is proven to increase the water storage capacity and aeration of the soil simultaneously, creating an ideal rhizosphere condition for root development. Zeolite as an inorganic material also shows promising results, especially in improving the cation exchange capacity of the medium.

The following is a summary of the factors studied, their roles, and their levels of influence.

Factor	Role in Research	Condition / Context	Level of Influence	Specific Findings
Biochar (Rice Husk Char)	The best organic amendment: improving water holding capacity and soil aeration simultaneously	Tested in pre-nursery and main nursery media, combined with compost	Very High	The combination of biochar + compost gave the best seedling growth response of all treatments. In areas with active rice milling industries, rice husk char is cheap and abundant
Compost	Basic organic amendment: improving physical, chemical, and biological properties of seedling growth media	Used as the main component in seedling growth media mixtures, combined with biochar	Very High	All types of amendments had a positive effect compared to the control, but the combination of compost + biochar gave the most consistent response in various growth parameters
Zeolite	Inorganic amendment: increasing the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the media, which is important for nutrient retention	A promising alternative inorganic material	Significant	Effective, especially in increasing the CEC of the media, so that the nutrients provided are not easily leached. Suitable for areas without access to abundant organic materials
Seedling Rhizosphere Condition	The active root zone that is the key to seedling growth, optimized by the addition of amendments	Biochar creates an ideal pore structure: sufficient aeration but high water retention	Significant	A good rhizosphere = roots grow longer, more numerous, and more actively absorb nutrients. This explains the significant increase in all seedling growth parameters
Seedling Growth Parameters	A set of comprehensive indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of soil amendments	Plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, root length, dry weight of shoots and roots, chlorophyll content	Limited	All parameters showed a positive response to the addition of organic amendments. Increased leaf chlorophyll reflects healthier and more actively photosynthesizing plants

For nursery managers, the choice of soil amendments must consider local availability, cost, and the specific conditions of the growing medium. In areas with active rice milling industries, rice husk charcoal is a highly viable economic option. Meanwhile, in areas with potential for other agricultural waste, composting local organic materials can be a sustainable solution that also reduces waste.

Do you have questions about this research or similar experiences in your plantation? Write in the comment column, we’re happy to discuss.

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