Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 31 (4) December 2019, p. 582-591
EFFECT OF BIOFERTILISER CONTAINING DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE RATES OF CHEMICAL FERTILISER ON OIL PALM SEEDLINGS
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2019.0053
Published Online: 9 December 2019
Extensive use of inorganic substances contained in chemical fertilisers leads to environmental pollution and makes the plant more susceptible to diseases. The utilisation of beneficial microbes in biofertilisers has become a key solution in reducing the usage amount of chemical fertilisers in agriculture. This study was conducted on oil palm seedlings (OPS) in a nursery and treated with biofertiliser with zero chemicals (BF0), biofertiliser containing two percentage levels of chemical fertiliser (CF) (BF + 40% CF and BF + 50% CF) and two controls consisting of 100% chemical (CF100) and standard organic (SO) fertiliser. The vegetative measurements and foliar nutrients analysis for the OPS were recorded three and five months after fertilisation (MAF), when the OPS were six and eight months old, respectively. The application of biofertilisers containing low CF rates resulted in higher vegetative measurements compared to application of 100% chemical. Nutrients analysis showed that application of biofertiliser assisted in the increase of essential nutrients uptake in the OPS. Thus, we concluded that combination of biofertiliser with small rates of chemical able to increase vegetative measurements and nutrients uptake. Biofertiliser application is also capable in reducing the sole use of 100% chemical fertilisers, which is non environmental-friendly and expensive.
KEYWORDS:* Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
E-mail: nurhafizhoh@mpob.gov.my