Effect of Palm Oil Mill Sludge Cake on Growth of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) Grown on Bris Soil

Abstract

The roselle variety UKMR-2 was used in this study to determine the effect of palm oil mill sludge cake on growth of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) grown on Bris Soil. The roselle was planted in the field into polyethylene bags filled with Bris soil and POMSC at different rates as treatment. The palm oil mill sludge cake (POMSC) was applied at the following rates of 0 (treated as control), 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha rates and chicken manure at 20 t/ha was given as the standard treatment and then left for two weeks to allow for mineralization before sowing. Two-week-old seedlings were used as the planting materials. The commercial fertilizers were used at the rate of 350 kg/ha for NPK Green (15:15:15) were applied at week 2, 4 and 6 after planting and NPK Blue (12:12:17 + TE) at the rate 1120 kg/ha applied at week 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 after planting. Drip irrigation system was used to irrigate the crop. Pesticides were applied when necessary. The results showed that the optimum rate of POMSC that provide roselle with better growth performance was at 20 t/ha of POMSC. The results also showed 20 t/ha POMSC can be used effectively as potential soil ameliorant for commercial roselle planting on Bris soils.

Keywords: Palm oil mill sludge cake, bris soil, roselle, growth.