Response of Maize to Soil Amended with Oil Palm Effluent, Fibre and N.P.K Fertilizer

Abstract

Palm oil mill effluent (POME), the liquid waste from oil palm processing industries was collected and filtered through the soil, the filtered effluent, waste fibre and N.P.K were used to amend soil at the rate of 0, (control), 10Kgha^-1, and 20Kgha^-l, with the possibility of using them as supplement to inorganic fertilizer. The results of the soil analysis shows a considerable increased in available Nitrogen, Phosphorus, organic carbon and organic matter, potassium and other essential nutrient. Performance characteristics of the maize used as biomonitor shows that there is an increased in stem girth, leaf length and yield per hectare, therefore result of the study shows that POME and oil palm fibre could be used to improve productivity of soil and create alternative waste management in oil palm processing industries.

Keywords: palm oil mill effluent, soil fertility, waste management.