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The development of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has been going on very extensively over the last decade.  In 2017, the oil palm plantation covered about 14.03 million hectares land and this means it generated a huge amount of biomass per year in the form of both solid and liquid wastes. The processing of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) in palm oil mill (POM) produces waste that primarily in the form of fresh solid organic materials, i.e.  empty fruit bunches (EFB) that volume reached amounting up to 25% of FFB.  It is indicative that EFB contains a considerable amount of silica (Si) so then the Indonesian Research Institute for Biotechnology and Bioindustry (IRIBB) has investigated the potential use of EFB as source for bio-available silica, in form H₄SiO₄ (mono silicic acid, bio SilAc). Experiment was carried out at Sungai Mirah Minting Estate, PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro-Central Kalimantan. EFB materials were obtained from POM and chopped into 2.5-5.0 cm in length size. A four-week bio-decomposition process was employed by using a bio-decomposer containing Trichoderma pseudokoningii, T. polysporum, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Chemical analyses of composted EFB were conducted before and 28-days after decomposer application.  The presence of Si in the compost was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).  Effect of Si-containing EFB compost on the immature and mature of oil palm was evaluated at the field experiment on a sandy soil. The seven treatments were arranged in a random block design with three replicates. The results show that large quantities of silica bodies attached to the surface of EFB fibers and amounting to 0.44% soluble Si.  The FFB data indicated that application of 75% NPK + 500 kg composted EFB + 2 L BioSilAc /ha/year on a two-year mature plant resulted in higher yield than that obtained from 100% standard dosage of NPK.

 

 

bio silica, silica body, empty fruit bunch, bio decomposition, mono silicic acid.