Introduction

The oil palm fruit produces two components of products namely crude palm oil (CPO) and
crude palm kernel oil (CPKO). CPO is obtained from the mesocarp and CPKO is obtained from the
endosperm (kernel). During the extraction process, it produces by-products and wastes known as
Empty fruit bunch (EFB), palm oil mill effluent (POME), sterilizer condensate, palm fibre and palm
kernel shell (Yusoff, 2006).

Annually, 90 million tonnes of renewable biomass in the form of trunks, fronds, shells, palm
press fiber, and empty fruit bunch (EFB) are accumulated, where the EFB represents about 9 %
(Bari et al., 2010). The EFB is a lignocellulosic material which typically contains 25% lignin, 50%
cellulose and 25% hemicellulose in their cell wall. In the past years, EFB was being used as fuel to
generate steam in the palm oil industries. The burning of EFB caused serious environmental
concern and the authority imposed strict rules to curb air-pollution from such activities. The
incineration of EFB in the palm oil mills is restricted by the Department of Environment (DOE)
(Astimar and Wahid, 2006).

Nowadays, EFB is used as mulch in agricultural lands to control weeds, maintain moisture
and prevent soil erosion. However, due to the increased cost of labor and transport its utilization as
mulch is becoming more expensive. Therefore, a growing interest has been generated to develop an
environmentally sound and cost-effective alternative to dispose the EFB in a short period of time.

Composting is the most suitable option amongst the wastes management strategies with
economic and environmental profits since this process reduces the bulk volume of organic
materials, eliminates the risk of spreading of pathogens, weed seeds or parasites associated with
direct land application of manure and leads to final stabilized products, which can improve and
sustain soil fertility. Composting of the empty fruit bunch (EFB) with the palm oil mill effluent
(POME) could simultaneously treat the solid and liquid waste from palm oil mill.
Characteristics of Empty fruit bunch (EFB)

The Empty fruit bunch was neutral in pH (7.20) with EC of 2.70 dS m-1. The EFB recorded the total
N, P and K content of 0.55, 0.02 and 1.28 per cent, respectively. The organic carbon content of EFB
is 45.10 per cent. The micronutrients viz., Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn were found to be 210.00, 71.00, 26.00
and 88.00 mg kg-1, respectively. The EFB was found to contain 33.00 per cent cellulose, 34.00 per
cent lignin and 30.00 per cent hemicellulose. These results are in agreement with the findings of
Suhaimi and Ong (2001) who reported that the Empty fruit bunch contained 0.52 per cent N, 0.05
per cent P and 1.34 per cent K. According to Deraman (1993), Empty fruit bunch composed of 45-
50 per cent cellulose and about equal amount of hemicellulose and lignin. The results clearly
indicated that the EFB contain macro and micronutrients with high C/N ratio of 82.00. The woody
substrate like cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin indicated that the EFB is hard to degrade.

BIOFERTILIZER METHOD

EFB Composting

The EFB were frayed into little fibres about 7-8 inches in length and weighted to form a 40 tonnes
composting windrow with 50 m long, 1.5 m height and 3 m width. About 10 tonnes of POME from
anaerobic pond was thrusted and soaked on the EFB composting windrow each 4 days until the
collective volume of 120 tonnes was achieved. The mixture was well-mixed by mechanize turner to
make sure even circulation of the mixture components, provide aeration for microbial activities and
preserving the moisture content about 50-60%. Solution of Effective Microorganism (EM) was
sprayed at 20 L onto the composting windrow in the early stage to speed up the composting
process. The composting windrow was protected by the air permeable canvas during composting
period to avoid process disturbances from the rain water and excessive heat build-up.

Monitoring of Composting Temperature

The temperature of the composting windrow was observed throughout the 51 days composting
process using the composting thermometer. The thermometer probe was implanted into the
composting windrow at the depth around 1-1.5 foot and the analysis was recorded after around 5
minutes or until the reading was constant. The temperature of the composting windrow was
averaged from 9 samplings points along the composting windrow.
Monitoring of Nutrient Content

The worn EFB from the composting windrow was collected for nutrient analysis during the
composting period. The samples were collected from three consistent sampling points at 10 m, 25
m and 40 m along the composting windrow. The samples were collected at 0, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th,
7th and 8th weeks during composting. The parameters of the nutrient analysis included total
nitrogen (N), total carbon (C), carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, phosphorous (P2O5), potassium
(K2O) and magnesium (MgO).

Carrier Preparation

The mature EFB compost was sun-dried for 2 weeks and ground into smaller particle size by using
hammer-mill. The grinded EFB compost was further screened through 1 mm sieve to get the fine
powder form for biofertilizer inoculation (Wong, M. H. 2005). The fine EFB compost was then oven-
dried at 70oC for 48 hours and placed in airtight polyethylene bags for sterilization in autoclave at
121oC for 20 min in 3 consecutive days before used for bacteria inoculation (Okeh, O. C. 2007).

Bacteria Inoculation Into Carrier

About 70 ml of the pure culture of Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae and mixed culture of
Burkholderia cenocepacia with Serratia marcescens were aseptically injected by sterilized syringes
into the polyethylene bags that contain 130 g of sterilized carrier (fine EFB compost) to obtain the
moisture content about 35% (Sivasakthivelan, P. 2009). The punctured area was wiped with 70%
alcohol and the punctured hole was covered with cellophane tape. The bags were kneaded
thoroughly to ensure well mixed of the bacteria culture with fine EFB compost.

Viable Cell Count of Inoculants

The cell concentration (CFU/g) of the inoculants in the carrier (fine EFB compost) was determined
at 3rd day of inoculation. A total of 1 g of bacteria inoculated compost was sampled and placed into
test tubes containing 9 ml of sterilized distilled water. It was shaken thoroughly to ensure complete
separation of bacterial from the carrier. The solution was diluted in a 10-fold serial dilution and 0.1
ml of each solution was plated onto nutrient agar with three replications. All the plates were
incubated at room temperature for 24 hours and the colony formed was counted to determine the
viable bacteria cell count per gram of carrier (CFU/g) (Amir. H. G. 2011).
Okereke, G.U. and Okeh, O. C. 2007. Survival of Cowpea Bradyrhizobia in Carrier Material and
Inoculation Responses in Soil. African Crop Science Conference Proceedings. 8: 1183-1186.

Stella, D. and Sivasakthivelan, P. 2009. Effect of Different Organic Amendments Addition into
Azospirillum Bioinoculant with Lignite as Carrier Material. Botany Research International. 2(4): 229-
232.

Kaljeet, S., Keyeo, F. and Amir. H. G. 2011. Influence of Carrier Materials and Storage Temperature
on Survivability of Rhizobial Inoculant. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences. 10(6): 331-337.

Astimar, A.A. and M.B. Wahid. 2006. Supply outlook of oil palm biomass in Malaysia. Proceeding of
the seminar on ecomat research and promotion. Beijing, China, 24-25 July 2006: Towards
Enrichment of the Environment.