Peningkatan Produksi Kelapa Sawit pada Tanah-Tanah Bermasalah dengan Aplikasi Asam Humat dan Zeolit (Increasing Oil Palm Production in Degraded Soils by Application of Humic Acid and Zeolite)

Abstract

More than 50% of soils in Indonesia are classified as degraded soils which characterized by low pH, low organic matter and nutrients. Some of those soils are used for oil palm plantation due to oil palm has adaptability with marginal soil condition. However, oil palm planted in degraded soils has low production. Increasing oil palm production generally conducted by application of chemical fertilizers without addition of organic matter. Consequently, the content of organic matter decrease, soils become harder, and the population of microorganism decrease. One of active materials has capability to increase agricultural production is humic acid that extracted from organic matter. However, to date the dossage and method of application to soils have not been understood. The objective of this research was to study the effect of humic acid and zeolite as its carrier on production of oil palm. The result showed that humic acid with zeolite as its carrier increased the production of oil palm through increasing fresh fruit bunch (FFB). The higher increase of oil palm production was occurred at the soils with fertility.