Role of charcoal from oil palm trunks for improving plant production of corn (Zea mays, L.).

Abstract

The main problem of continuously cultivated land is decreasing land productivity. Improvement of land productivity can be done by application of suitable soil ameliorant. Charcoal is one of soil ameliorants that can be used for improving soil properties such as to stimulate plant growth by providing and maintaining nutrients in the soil due to improving soil physical and biological properties. Abundant availability of oil palm trunks when oil palm replanting is an opportunity to utilize oil palm trunks as charcoal raw material. This research aimed to study the effect of charcoal from oil palm trunks on corn growth and production as well as to study tendency of the movement and development of roots grown on media with and without of charcoal from oil palm trunks. Soil material was taken from Latosol at a depth of 0-20 cm. The soil material was treated by charcoal from oil palm trunks as much as 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% (w/w) of the soil. The soil also was addded by basic N, P, and K fertilizers and then corn was planted. The results showed that soil treated by 4% of charcoal from oil palm trunks increased significantly corn growth and production. Application of higher charcoal rates did not increase the growth and production of corn, and moreover tended to decrease at 20% charcoal treatment. Biomass production of corn increased significantly compared to untreated charcoal. The porous structure of charcoal improve the structure of soils which allows roots capable to utilize more available nutrients as indicated by the evidence of more roots in the soil containing charcoal and increasing corn production.