AN EVALUATION OF BIOFERTILIZERS AS

COMPLEMENTARY AMENDMENT TO THE

SOLE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS IN
AN OIL PALM PLANTATION

NOOR KHAIRANI MOHAMAD BASRI

THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT FOR

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

FACULTY OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH 2017
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the material in this thesis is based on my original work except
for citations and quotations, equations and references, which have been duly
acknowledged.

10 August 2017 _______________________________

NOOR KHAIRANI MOHAMAD BASRI
PC20118090
 CONFIRMATION

NAME : NOOR KHAIRANI MOHAMAD BASRI

MATRIC NO. : PC20118090

TITLE : AN EVALUATION OF BIOFERTILIZERS AS COMPLEMENTARY

AMENDMENT TO THE SOLE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS IN
AN OIL PALM PLANTATION

DEGREE : MASTER OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

VIVA DATE : 10 AUGUST 2017

VERIFIED BY;

1. SUPERVISOR
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamadu Boyie Jalloh Signature

____________________

2. CO-SUPERVISOR
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahmud Sudin ____________________
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is a genuine pleasure to express my deep sense of thank and gratitude to my

supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamadu Boyie Jalloh for his guidance, support and
always being so patient. His dedication and keen interest above all his over helming
attitude to help his students had been solely and mainly responsible for completing
my study. His timely advise, meticulous scrutiny, scholarly advice and scientific
approach have helped me to a very great extent to accomplish this task and not
forgetting to my co-supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahmud Sudin for being there
whenever I needed any help.

I am grateful to have a group of friends and staff at Malaysia Palm Oil

Board Lahad Datu Research Station as they have been so helpful and supportive. A
special appreciation to Mr. Juman James for his kindness, care, friendship and
support.

My thanks also go out to the support I received from the collaborative work I
undertook with Sukau Estate, Genting Palntation during my field work and I am
especially grateful to Nestle Sdn. Bhd for being a sponsorship for my study.

This thesis will never be completed without the technical support from the staff
of Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture UMS, Malaysian Palm Oil Board Lahad Datu
Research Station, Sukau Estate, Genting Plantion and Nestle Sdn Bhd. And to all the
lecturers at the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture especially Assoc. Prof. Dato’ Hj.
Mohd. Dandan @ Ame Hj. Alidin, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Markus Atong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Harpal
Singh Saini for their advice and ideas. I would also like to thanks One Goodearth Sdn.
Bhd. for providing me with Living Soil Microbe (LSM), Myagri Group for providing
Mycogold and Agricare and Organica Biotech Sdn. Bhd for Agriorganica and Ob Soil
enhancer.

Last but not least, with great sincerity, I would like to thank my amazing
family especially my mother, Mdm. Samsah Suda, my father Mr. Muhamad Basri
Patara and my brothers and sisters for their encouragement and for providing me
with financial and emotional support throughout my endeavours.

Noor Khairani Muhamad Basri

 ABSTRACT

The large tracts of land occupied by oil palm in Malaysia which mainly comprise highly
weathered and generally infertile soils require chemical fertilizer use to achieve and sustain
high crop yields. The use of biofertilizers is one alternative approach to reduce the use of
chemical fertilizers. The primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the effects of
biofertilizers on the growth and yield of oil palm, soil chemical and microbial properties and
to compare the financial cost benefits between using biofertilizers and conventional fertilizer
practices. The study was conducted for three years at Sekong Estate, Genting Plantations in
Sandakan, Sabah. A randomized complete block design consisting of 10 treatments with 4
replications each was used in this study. The treatments were three microbial based
biofertilizers namely Living Soil Microbes (LSM), Agri-Organica (AO) and Mycogold plus
Agricare Bioorganik in various combinations with chemical fertilizers (CF), empty fruit
bunches (EFB) and the standard estate fertilizer practice. There were no significant
differences in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield during the first and second years of the study.
However, there were significant differences in FFB yield in the third year. In year 3, the
combined application of LSM + EFB + 50% chemical fertilizer resulted in the highest FFB
yield (26.17 tons ha-1 per year) and the lowest FFB yield was for the zero treatment with a
yield of 16.71 tons ha-1 per year. The highest oil to bunch ratio (OTB) and mean fruit weight
(MFW) resulted from the combined application of LSM + EFB + 50% chemical fertilizer. The
combined use of chemical fertilizers, EFB and LSM significantly (p<0.05) influenced leaf area
in year 3 of treatment with the highest leaf area of 12.79 m 2, 8.21% higher than the
standard estate practice. For the soil properties and soil microbial population, there were
generally better results for the combined application of LSM +EFB + 50% chemical fertilizer
compared to other treatments. The highest total bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi counts
were found for both the combined application of LSM + EFB, and the combined application
of LSM + EFB + 50% chemical fertilizer. Soil pH at 0-15cm depth increased for all
treatments containing biofertilizers but the chemical fertilizer containing treatments
decreased the soil pH. The biofertilizer and EFB treatments significantly affected soil total N,
available P, exchangeable K and Mg at 0-15 cm soil depth. The application of LSM + EFB +
50% chemical fertilizer resulted in 7.55 % better cost-benefit compared to the conventional
fertilizer practice. A combination of LSM, EFB and 50% chemical fertilizer was the best
treatment. The millions of hectares of oil palm plantations on mineral soils can consider
ways of adopting this approach to fertilization as a form of good and sustainable agriculture
practice.
 ABSTRAK

PENILAIAN TERHADAP PENGGUNAAN BAJABIO SEBAGAI PENAMBAHAN

PELENGKAP PENGGUNAAN TUNGGAL BAJA KIMIA DI LADANG KEPALA SAWIT

Kebanyakkan kawasan tanaman sawit di Malaysia merangkumi kawasan tanah yang

terluluhawa yang mana secara umumnya adalah kurang subur dan oleh yang demikian,
penggunaan baja kimia adalah sangat penting untuk mengekalkan kandungan nutrisi tanah
dan hasil tanaman yang tinggi. Penggunaan bajabiologi merupakan salah satu alternatif
yang digunakan untuk mengurangkan penggunaan baja kimia. Objektif kajian ini adalah
untuk menilai kesan penggunaan bajabiologi terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil kelapa sawit,
kandungan kimia tanah dan mikrob juga, untuk membandingkan faedah kos kewangan
dalam penggunaan bajabiologi dan amalan pertanian konvensional. Kajian ini telah
dijalankan selama tiga tahun di Sekong Estate, Genting Plantaion di Sandakan, Sabah.
Kajian ini dijalankan menggunakan ujikaji rekabentuk rawak lengkap yang terdiri daripada
10 rawatan dengan 4 ulangan. Kajian ini menggunakan tiga jenis bajabiologi yang
berasaskan mikrob iaitu Living Soil Microbe (LSM), Agri-Organica (AO) dan Mycogold
tambah Agricare Bioorganik dengan pelbagai kombinasi dengan penggunaan baja kimia
(BK), buah tandan kosong (BTK) dan piawaian amalan baja. Tidak terdapat perbezaan yang
ketara terhadap hasil BTS pada tahun pertama dan tahun kedua selepas rawatan. Walau
bagaimanapun, terdapat perbezaan yang ketara ke atas hasil BTS selepas rawatan 3 tahun.
Penggunaan kombinasi LSM + BTK + 50% baja kimia mencatatkan hasil tertinggi selepas
rawatan 3 tahun (26.17 tan / ha per tahun) dan hasil BTS yang paling rendah adalah dari
plot rawatan sifar iaitu 16.71 tan / ha per tahun. Nisbah kadar perahan minyak (OTB) dan
nisbah berat measokarpa (MFW) tertinggi adalah direkodkan daripada kombinasi
penggunaan LSM + BTK + 50% baja kimia. Kombinasi penggunaan BK, BTK dan LSM
menunjukkan perbezaan yang ketara (p <0.05) terhadap keluasan daun selepas 3 tahun
rawatan dengan keluas daun yang tertinggi 12.79 m 2, iaitu 8.21% lebih tinggi daripada plot
piawaian amalan baja. Secara umumnya, kombinasi penggunaan LSM + BTK + 50% baja
kimia menyumbang kepada kesuburan tanah dan populasi mikrob tanah berbanding
rawatan lain. Jumlah populasi bakteria, aktinomiset dan fungi tertinggi ditemui dikawasan
plot kombinasi penggunaan LSM + BTK dan kombinasi penggunaan LSM + BTK + 50% baja
kimia. Kadar pH tanah pada kedalaman 0-15cm dicatakan meningkat di semua plot yang
menggunakan bajabiologi. Walau bagaimanapun, penggunaan baja kimia secara berterusan
sedikit menurukan kadar pH tanah. Penggunaan BTK dan bajabiologi memberi kesan yang
ketara ke atas jumlah N, P, K dan Mg pada kedalam 0-15cm. Penggunaan LSM, BTK dan
mengurangkan 50% baja kimia secara teknikal meningkatkan produktiviti tanaman
sebanyak 7.55 % lebih tinggi berbanding piawaian amlan baja. Kombinasi penggunaan BK,
BTK dan 50% baja kimia merupakan kombinasi rawatan yang terbaik. Jutaan hektar ladang
kelapa sawit di tanah mineral boleh mengambil kira untuk mengguna pakai pendekatan
pembajaan ini sebagai satu bentuk amalan pertanian yang baik dan mampan.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
TITLE i
DECLARATION iii
CONFIRMATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v
ABSTRACT vi
ABSTRAK vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS viii
LIST OF FIGURES xi
LIST OF TABLES xiii
LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS xv
LIST OF APPENDICES xvii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background of Study 1
1.2 Objectives 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 History and Origin Of Oil Palm 4
2.2 Agronomic Requirements 4
2.2.1 Climate and Weather 4
2.2.2 Soil and Nutrient Management 5
2.3 Fertilizers 8
2.3.1 Chemical Fertilizers 8
2.3.2 Organic Fertilizers 9
2.3.3 Biofertilizers 9
2.4 Fertilizers and Crop Productivity 10
2.4.1 Plant Growth 11
2.4.2 Plant Nutrients 13
2.4.3 Production and Quality of Fruits 14
2.5 Fertilizers and Soil Health 16
2.5.1 Soil Microbes Population 16
2.5.2 Soil Chemical Properties 17
2.6 Fertilizer Management and Financial Cost Benefits 19
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 21
3.1 Experimental site and Duration of Study 21

3.1.1 Area and Duration 21

3.1.2 Rainfall Pattern During The Study Period 23

3.1.3 Soil Characteristics of The Study Site 23

3.2 Experimental Detail 24

3.2.1 Experimental Design, Treatment and Sampling 24

3.2.2 Fertilizer Application 26

3.3 Parameters 29

3.3.1 Soil pH and Nutrients 29

3.3.2 Soil Microbes 30

3.3.3 Plant Growth and Leaf Nutrients 31

3.3.4 Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) Yield and Quality 33

3.4 Agro-economic Analysis 35

3.5 Statistical Analysis 36

43
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Plant Growth 37

4.2 Leaves Nutrients Content 41

4.2.1 Nitrogen (N) 41

4.2.2 Phosphorus (P) 43

4.2.3 Potassium (K) 44

4.2.4 Calcium (Ca) 46

4.2.5 Magnesium (Mg) 47

4.2.6 Boron (B) 48

4.3 Fruit Yield and Quallity 49

4.3.1 Fresh fruit Bunch (FFB) 49

54
4.3.2 Fruit Quality
4.4 Soil Microbes Population 56

4.4.1 Total Bacteria, Actenomycetes and Fungi Population 56

4.5 Soil pH aand Nutrients Content 61

4.5.1 Soil pH 61

4.5.2 Total Nitrogen, Available Phosphorus, Exchangeable potassium, and

Exchangeable Magnesium. 63
4.6 Cost –benefit Analysis 69
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 71

REFERENCES 74
APPENDICES 83
 LIST OF FIGURE

Page
Figure
Left: Satellite view from Google Map. Right: Map of the study site 22
3.1
Figure
General views from of the study site. 22
3.2
Figure Average monthly rainfall (mm) for year 2012 to 2015 for the study
23
3.3 site
Figure
Planting layout at thr field site 25
3.4
Figure
Effect of treatments on Leaf area index between 2012 to 2015  40
4.1
Figure
Mean palm height during the study period (2012 – 2015)  41
4.2
Figure Mean fresh fruit bunch (tons/ ha/ year) for years 2013 to 2015 for the
53
4.3 various treatments 
 LIST OF TABLES

Page
Nutrient concentration in leaf 17 associated with deficiency,
Table 2.1 optimum and excess in young palms, less than 6 years from 6
planting
Nutrient concentration in leaf 17 associated with deficiency,
Table 2.2 optimum and excess in mature palms, more than 6 years from 7
planting
Table 2.3 Classification of soil nutrient status for oil palm 8
Table 3.1 Soil properties for the study site. 24
Table 3.2 Treatment used in the study site 26
Standard chemical fertilizer application rate in Sekong, Genting
Table 3.3 27
Estate
Table 3.4 Living Soil Microbe (LSM) bio-fertilizer application rates. 27
Table 3.5 Agro organica and OB Soil Enhancer bio-fertilizer application rates 28
Table 3.6 Mycogold and Agricare Biorganik bio-fertilizer application rates 28
Table 3.7 Number of box compartments according to the bunch weight 34
Mean number of green leaves per palm (GLV) and total leaf area
Table 4.1 39
per palm (LA) from 2012 to 2015 for the various treatments
Mean total N concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.2 42
the various treatments
Mean total P concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.3 44
the various treatments
Mean total K concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.4 45
the various treatments
Mean total Ca concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.5 47
the various treatments
Mean total Mg concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.6 48
the various treatments
Mean total Boron concentration in frond 17 for years 2012 to 2015
Table 4.7 49
for the various treatments
Mean bunch number per ha for years 2013 to 2015 for the various
Table 4.8 51
treatments
Mean cumulative total bunch weight per ha for the years 2013 to
Table 4.9 52
2015 for the various treatments
Mean fruit to bunch (FTB), kernel to bunch (KTB), oil to bunch
Table 4.10 (OTB), and oil to kernel (OTK) ratios in 2015 for the various 55
treatments
Mean mesocarp to fruit (MTF), kernal to fruit (KTF), shell to fruit
Table 4.11 (STF), and mesocarp to weight (MFW) ratios in 2015 for the 56
various treatments
Mean total bacteria population for years 2012 to 2015 for the
Table 4.12 57
various treatments
Mean total actenomycetes population for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.13 58
the various treatments
Mean total fungi population for years 2012 to 2015 for the various
Table 4.14 60
treatments
Table 4.15 Mean soil pH at four depths for years 2012 to 2015 for the various 62
 treatments
Mean soil total nitrogen at four depths for years 2012 to 2015 for
Table 4.16 64
the various treatments 
Mean soil Available P (mg kg -1) at four depths for years 2012 to
Table 4.17 65
2015 for the various treatments 
Mean soil exchangeable K (cmol+ kg-1) at four depths for years
Table 4.18 67
2012 to 2015 for the various treatments 
Mean soil exchangeable magnesium (cmol+ kg-1) at four depths for
Table 4.19 68
years 2012 to 2015 for the various treatments 
Table 4.20 Summary Cost Benefit Analysis  70
 LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

% - percentage
< - less than
°C - degree celcius
g - gram
kg - kilogram
-1
kg ha - kilogram per hactare
-1
mg kg - miligram per kilogram
-1
t ha - tonne per hectare
ANOVA - Analysis of variance
AO - Agri organica
EFB - Empty fruit bunch
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization
FFB - Fresh fruit bunch
FSA - Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture
LSM - Living Soil Microbes
MPOB - Malaysian Palm Oil Board
NEP - Normal estate practices
OBSE - OB Soil enhancer
RCBD - Randomised complete block design
SPSS - Statistical Package for Social Science
UMS - Universiti Malaysia Sabah
 LIST OF APPENDICES
Page

APPENDIX A Monthly rainfall data at Sekong Estate, Genting Plantation, 83

Sandakan from 2012-2015 (mm and days).
CHEMICAL FERTILISERS REQUIREMENT (SEKONG ESTATE
APPENDIX B 86
NORMAL PRACTICE)
89
APPENDIX C BIOFERTILIZER REQUIREMENT (LIVING SOIL MICROBE)
BIOFERTILIZER REQUIREMENT (AGRI-ORGANICA AND OB
APPENDIX D 90
SOIL ENHANCER)
BIOFERTILIZER REQUIREMENT (MYCOGOLD AND AGRICARE
APPENDIX E 91
BIORGANIK)
APPENDIX F 92
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
1