THE USE OF EMPTY OIL PALM FRUIT BUNCH (EFB) COMPOST AS ADDITIVE IN COCONUT DUST SOILLESS SYSTEM FOR VEGETABLE CROP PRODUCTION

Empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm is one of the major solid wastes from oil palm industry in Malaysia. The research was undertaken to evaluate the use of EFB compost to be used as additive in the coconut dust soilless culture system for vegetable crop production. On completion of composting process, EFB compost was incorporated with Coconut dust for crop performance test. In the first experiment, leafy vegetable, Pak Choy (Brassica campestris var chineses) were grown in six different treatment combinations; 100% soil mix (v/v) control – without adding nutrient solution; 50% soil mix : 50% compost (v/v) without adding nutrient solution; 50% soil mix : 50% compost (v/v) adding nutrient solution; 100% coconut coir dust (v/v) without adding nutrient solution; 50% coconut coir dust : 50% compost (v/v) without adding nutrient solution and 50% coconut coir dust : 50% compost(v/v) with nutrient solution. In second experiment, cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var botrytis) plants were grown in coconut dust, coconut dust with peat and coconut dust with EFB compost. In both experiments, plants that were grown in the coconut dust with EFB compost results in a higher growth and yield compared to plants grown in either coconut dust or coconut dust mixed with peat. The results suggest that EFB compost can be used as substitute for peat in the production of vegetables using coconut dust soilless culture system.