The effect of fertilizer on bambang lanang (Michelia champaca L) seedling growth in mesocarp fiber from oil palm media

Abstract

Abstract Palm oil mill in Indonesia disposed of 4 million tons of fibers’ waste from oil palm fruits mesocarp in 2016. The waste has excellent potential as a growing medium for seedlings. The study aimed to analyze its fertilizer effect on bambang lanang seedling growth. The study was conducted from May to August 2018, at the nursery of Agriculture Faculty, Bengkulu University. A complete randomized design was applied with seven treatments and six replications. The treatments were controlled, NPK (2 g; P1), NPK and Osmocote® (1 and 1,5 g; P2), NPK and (1.5 and 2 g; P3), Osmocote® (1.5 g; P4), Osmocote® (2 g, P5), and Osmocote® (3 g, P6). The fibers’ waste from oil palm fruits mesocarp was chosen as the media. The addition of fertilizer yielded significantly different results in height, diameter, leaf number, and dry weight of seedlings. The treatments of P1, P2, and P3 gave better result on height (30.14-33.95 cm), diameter (5.65-5.97 mm), leaf numbers (11.04-11.17 leaf), leaf width (64.22-65.86 cm2), and dry weight (1.60-2.27 g seedling−1) than other treatments (P4, P5, and P6). The seedling sturdiness ratio for those treatments was 5.36-5.70 and could be classified as good seedlings. The P2 treatment could be applied as fertilizer to improve seedlings growth in nursery.