Conversion of Soilless Culture Waste to

Valuable Product
 End product of a series of
chemical, biochemical and
microbiological transformation,
which convert wastes into less or
more humidified materials
 Nutrients are conserved through the
composting process. Many of them become
adsorbed on the cellulose fibres or
incorporated within the humic pellets and are
slowly released and made available to plants
over long periods.
 Flourishing microflora continuously mineralize
complex substances and synthesis a whole
series of biological active metabolites , able to
influence plant growth and metabolism.
 Being humus like product-compost
show anologous properties.
 According to level of assimilation,
have colloid and buffering
properties, have a positive
influence on protein synthesis and
present hormone-like activity.
 1. Municipal wastes: green wastes; botanical
wastes from domestic are garden, green
wastes + household wastes mixture of green
wastes and source of segregated kitchen
wastes.
 2. Selected organic wastes, animal manure,
and food industrial wastes composted with
carbon rich and possibly water absorbing
materials (wood by product).
 Compost as growing media: require
additional process such as form of
leaching to reduce electrical conductivity
or diluting with low nutrient materials
such as bark or coir.
 Treatments required obtaining physical
properties.
 Proper Carbon : Nitrogen ratio to
start composting.
 70 gallons of fresh grass/kitchen
wastes + 14 gallons of
sawdust/wood shavings
 plus fish meal- 5-6 pound.
 Enrichment of organic matter in
soilless substrates- Composting of
wastes
 Fishwaste compost- a good source of
organic material eg. 100% without N
fishwastes without N shows higher and
larter quality of marigold compared to
100% bark receiving 600ppm N
 Other compost material- urban wastes
(kitchen wastes, green wastes); animal
wastes; sawdust compost
 0.94-0.98kg N and 0.09-0.13kg P per cubic
metre- nitrogen supplied as either
ammonium nitrate or urea.
 End product-dried/ incorporated into CD
culture.
 In CCD culture – addition of OM – increase
growth and plant development
 CCD alone – reduce damping of Phythium for
pepper seedlings, CCD produce antibiotics
that reduce root pathogen
 OM – additive – provides additional nutrient
and other related benefits
 Nutrient are conserved through the
composting process
 Nutrient absorbed on the cellulose fibres or
incorporated within the humic pellets and are
slowly released and made available to plants
over long periods
 Flourishing microflora continuously
mineralize complex substances and synthesis
a whole series of biological active
metabolites, able to influence plant growth
and metabolism
 Being humus like product-compost show
analogous properties
 According to level of assimilation, have
calloid and buffering properties, have a
positive influence on protein synthesis and
present hormone-like activity
 Introduction

Rapid expansion on the use of locally produced coconut coir as

growing media for horticultural crop production in Malaysia.
 As an inert material, coir has lack microbial diversity and
biological buffering compared to soil that additive such as peat is
use to attain root environment that favors plant growth and
development.
 There is a large demand of imported processed peat to be
incorporated into coconut coir dust but the use of such material had
added operational cost to the growers.
 In retrospect, alternative additive to peat is vital to ensure
sustainable practices for production using coconut coir dust culture.
Malaysia : major producer for oil palm
empty fruit bunch (EFB) is one of the major solid
wastes in the oil palm industry.
 high nutrients ranging from 0.37- 0.08% for N, P, K
and Mg and contains 30% dry matter, 2.5% oil and
63% moisture
 utilized as mulch for field crop production as it
improves soil condition through an increase in soil
organic content, soil structure, aeration capacity
and microfauna activities
 Malaysia is one of the major producer for oil palm
and empty fruit bunch (EFB) is one of the major
solid wastes in the oil palm industry in Malaysia.
 It has a considerably high nutrients ranging from
0.37- 0.08% for N, P, K and Mg and contains 30%
dry matter, 2.5% oil and 63% moisture(Yeow et al.,
1986).
 its importance in agriculture and waste
management , the experiments were conducted to
evaluate the potential of EFB compost to be use as
substitute to peat for production of horticultural
crops in the tropics.
 utilized as mulch for field crop production as it
improves soil condition through an increase in soil
organic content, soil structure, aeration capacity
and microfauna activities (Hartley, 1980).

 Iberahim (2001) reported that grounded EFB

contain low counts of microbial population either of
pathogenic or non-pathogenic microorganism. EFB,
however, possessed higher fungal population when
compared to coconut dust.
 The genera of Geotirum was detected in EFB
apart from the other fungal genera’s which
are common to EFB and coconut dust. Aziz
(1983) reported that EFB contain about 20%
furfural and the elimination of this form of
carbohydrate could shortened period of
decomposition of EFB into compost (Mohd
Noor et al., 1990).
grounded EFB contain low counts of microbial
population either of pathogenic or non-pathogenic
microorganism.

however, possessed higher fungal population when

compared to coconut dust. The genera of Geotirum was
detected in EFB apart from the other fungal genera’s
which are common to EFB and coconut dust.

20% furfural and the elimination of this form of

carbohydrate could shortened period of decomposition
of EFB into compost (Mohd Noor et al., 1990).
Wastes from fresh fruit bunch of oil
palm
high water and oil content
different particle size affect
composting maturity
<2mm hasten degradation and
maturity
EFB as Carbon source.
Chemical and Biological Properties of Different Medium Treatments

Treatment C: N pH EC(mS) Moisture Total Plate Count

medium ratio Content ( bacteria
%) (cell/g)
%EFB compost
in coconut dust

50 64.38 7.30 0.37 88.53 3.82 x 108

20 73.84 6.63 0.26 88.69 3.89 x 108

5 107.72 6.49 0.21 89.06 1.25x 109

0 106.31 5.70 0.14 74.27 3.94 x 107

 % g/g
C N P K Ca Mg Cu Mn Zn
Compost 15.64 1.02 1.94 3.96 2.69 0.56 201 615 447
F1 (EFB
+Chicken
Manure)
Compost 15.32 1.13 2.88 3.59 5.62 0.81 180 452 387
F2 (EFB
+ Bat
Guano)
•In the past- EFB are burnt to produce ash, which is later used
as fertilizer. But burning of EFB has been stopped due to the
environment issue
•nowadays most EFB are recycled and applied as mulch in the
field
•Green House Gas (GHG) in Malaysia was contributed from the
palm oil mill wastewater treatment system. E.g every tonne of
POME treated – produce average of 12.36 kg of methane was
emitted from the anaerobic ponds.
•Thus, bioconversion of these biomass (EFB and POME) into
valuable product and minimize the pollution generated from the
palm oil mill are crucial.
•Compost is safe to be used in agricultural, however it
depends on the production of good quality compost;
matured and low in heavy metals and salt content.
•These materials (EFB and POME) could be
composted and used for oil palm plantation purposes
and substitute for an inorganic fertilizer.
•Successful compost stabilization process however
depends on maintaining a suitable environment for
process control including moisture content, oxygen
level, carbon-nitrogen ratio, nutrients and temperature
Final Compost
1. shredded EFB contain large amounts of cellulose and lignin, so that longer
composting period is needed as compared to other compost material
2. Different color and texture of the composts was also observed during the
composting period - matured compost (blackish) and has an earthy smell.

Raw materials characteristics

1. EFB – high C/N ratio , low MC
2. POME – low C/N ratio, high MC

• By co-composing between EFB with partially treated POME was a suitable

approach - could provide better moisture content and adequate nutrients for
microorganism growth and degrade the compost materials.
• The partially treated POME also consisted of high nitrogen content and would
complement the shredded EFB that has high carbon content for co-composting.
• value for parameters detected in the partially treated POME e.g COD, BOD, oil
and grease and total solids content.
• the aging of POME sludge from the anaerobic pond may also contribute to the
variation characteristics.
Physical changes during composting (a) shredded EFB;
(b) compost (day 20) and (c) final compost (day 60)
Palm oil mill effluent (POME) contains organic matter and
plant nutrients which are excellent substitutes for
inorganic fertilizer. The effluent fractions that are most
suitable for land applications are the digester bottom
solids and the aerobic pond solids. Several methods of
land application of POME are available. These include
application through flat beds/long beds, furrow irrigation,
sprinkler and tractor-tanker system.
Empty fruit bunches (EFB), besides being rich in plant nutrients, also
improve soil physical and chemical properties in the following
manner when used as mulch. Mulching is carried out at a rate of 250
kg EFB/palm/year. In terms of fertilizer value, one tonne of EFB is
equivalent 8 kg urea, 2.9 kg CIRP, 18.3 kg MOP and 4.7 kg kieserite.
The evacuation of EFB from oil mill to the field is by tractor-trailer
where the EFB is side-tipped to the “station” between the palms
along the harvester’s paths. In estates where rail transportation is
available, the loco/wagons/tractor system is the most suitable for
transporting and spreading of EFB. EFB mulching is carried out once
a year.
 Expt: EFB compost for organic based
cultivation of leafy vegetables:

 to compare plants grown in EFB compost

 1
00
0

8
00

leaf area (cm2)

6
00

4
00

2
00

6
leaf number

0
N
o W i
th W
it
h N
o Wi
th No
Nu
t
ri
ent N
ut
ri
ent N
ut
ri
ent N
ut
ri
ent
50
:50 1
00 5
0:50 100
C
OM
P:
SOI
L S
OI
L C
OM
P:
CD C
D

Figure 1: Plant Vegetative Growth of Brassica Plants as Influenced by Different

Growing Media. Bars Represent SE ± 5 Replicates.
 EFB: biowastes from oil palm industry has
potential to be used as substitutes for peat as
additive in coconut coir dust culture