Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
11.6.1
Combined Application of Bio-compost with Inorganic
Fertilizers
The easiest way to differentiate between compost and fertilizer is that compost pro-
vides food to soil while fertilizer feeds the plants. Fertilizer applied to soil for in-
creased nutrient supply, however, instead of feeding the soil food web, the constitu-
ents in the fertilizers are proposed to fill the requirement of rapid growing plants.
Whereas, suggested dose of compost can be relatively common, fertilizer applica-
tion rates depends on the plant need. Organic or synthetic fertilizers perform well
for vegetables, but organic manures have proved to be friendlier to the soil food
web. Chemical fertilizers may also feed composting, but their continuous applica-
tion may turn soil chemical properties unbalanced and depress microorganisms.
The compound fertilizer prepared through compost is welcome extraordinarily at
present since peasants know that excessive use of chemical fertilizers is unsuitable
for the soil and the environment (Wei et al. 2007 ). Different agro-ecosystems and
diversity of organic material could be used in the system, including shrubs, trees,
and cover crops. Compost presents a challenge for extension and research activities
in soil fertility management (Palm et al. 2001 ).
Organic fertilizers and compost can go collectively. The organic matter in com-
post sponges up the fertilizer elements until they are required by plants. Compost
also supplies micronutrients that are needed in small quantity, such as boron. Fertil-
izer could be used exclusive of compost; however, this practice will not increase the
fertility of soil. Continuous incorporation of compost makes soils generally crum-
bly and darker in color and often needed a smaller quantity of fertilizer as compared
to soil that has not yet gained from normal helpings of compost.
Recently, the use of organic material as fertilizer has been receiving increasing
attention in the oil palm industry. Current practice of the application of EFB either
through direct application or in the form of compost provides additional plantation
benefits. Effort to use POME as a direct fertilizer is also gaining attention as an
organic fertilizer. This is also a practice that leading companies have been incor-
porating into plantation practices for many years. The POME can be applied as a
liquid or when mixed with EFB for composting. Organic material functions thus not
only as a source of nutrients, but also as material to improve soil quality, especially
in regards to physical nature (texture) and biological fertility.
The EFBs are an organic substance containing nutrients of great potential to
be used as fertilizer for a plantation. Each ton of EFB contains nutrients equiva-
lent to 3 kg urea, 0.6 kg PR, 12 kg MOP and 2 kg Kieserite (Loong et al. 1987 ).
However, the application of EFB or EPB compost is not recommended to be a
complete substitute for total inorganic fertilizer needs. In general, EFB application
of up to as much as 40 t EPB per hectare still needs to be combined with the appli-
cation of inorganic fertilizers by as much as 60 % of the recommended normal dose
(Rahutomo et al. 2007 ). In many cases, the application of EFB compost is preferred
to save transportation costs. Hence, 40 t of EFB is equivalent to 10 t of EFB com-
post. The benefits of applying organic fertilizers in oil palm are well understood
and the materials are largely available in the plantations, as trunks, fronds, EFB and
POME. Smallholder farmers, however, have little or no access to EFB and POME
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