Aplikasi Tandan Kosong untuk Melestarikan Kesuburan Tanah dan Produktivitas Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) di PT Aek Tarum Sampoerna Agro Sumatra Selatan

Abstract

Tandan kosong kelapa sawit (TKKS) merupakan limbah pabrik kelapa sawit sebagai bahan ameliorant untuk meningkatkan kesuburan tanah dan produktivitas kelapa sawit berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengaplikasikan TKKS untuk melestarikan kesuburan tanah dan produktivitas kelapa sawit di PT Aek Tarum, Sampoerna Agro, Sumatera Selatan. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) faktorial dengan dua faktor, yaitu umur aplikasi TKKS (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, dan 6 bulan) dan kedalaman tanah (0–30 cm) (30–60 cm). Analisis data menggunakan ANOVA dan uji lanjut Tukey pada taraf 5%. Aplikasi TKKS meningkatkan C-organik, N total, KTK, pH tanah, P-tersedia, Kdd, Cadd, Mgdd, dan B. serta menurunkan Al-dd dan Fe. Selain itu, aplikasi TKKS meningkatnya kadar air tanah seiring umur aplikasi dan cenderung meningkatkan produktivitas kelapa sawit walaupun secara statistik tidak berbeda nyata. Jadi TKKS terbukti berpotensi dalam menjaga kesuburan tanah dan produktivitas tanaman kelapa sawit berkelanjutan.

Empty fruit bunches of oil palm (EFB) are a by-product of palm oil mills that can be utilized as an ameliorant to improve soil fertility and support sustainable oil palm productivity. This study aimed to apply EFB to maintain soil fertility and oil palm productivity at PT Aek Tarum, Sampoerna Agro, South Sumatra. A factorial randomized complete design (RCBD) was used with two factors: EFB application age (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months) and soil depth (0–30 cm and 30–60 cm). Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. Empty fruit bunches of oil palm application increased soil organic carbon (C-organic), N-total, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil pH, P available, and exchangeble K, Ca, Mg, and B. while exchangeable Al and Fe decreasing. Empty fruit bunches of oil palm also improvements soil moisture content and oil palm productivity although not significant statistically. Therefore, EFB application potential in maintaining soil fertility and supporting sustainable oil palm production.