Evaluation of fertilizing capacity of palm oil sludge on growth and biomass production of oil palm seedlings

Palm oil sludge a good nutrient source, is a waste from oil palm mills. A study was conducted to assess influence of palm oil sludge (POS) on growth and vigour of oil palm seedlings during nursery stage at ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi. Village tank silt amended with various doses of palm oil sludge (5, 10, 15 & 20%) was used as growing medium for raising oil palm nursery and tested against conventional practice with chemical fertilizers and the control. Noticeably, all the doses of palm oil sludge exhibited significant improvement in seedling growth and biomass production over the control. However, the best results for key growth parameters like seedling height, leaf and root production, leaf area, collar girth, root volume, root biomass, shoot biomass and total biomass were observed with village tank silt + 10% POS which was significantly higher than conventional practice. Significantly, higher level of organic carbon, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn in growing medium, N, P, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and B in leaf were recorded with 10% palm oil sludge as compared with conventional practice. Hence, results suggest that combination of palm oil sludge@10%with village tank silt can be utilized as a sustainable and cost effective growing medium for oil palm nursery instead of chemical fertilizers.