Pustaka Ilmiah Universitas Padjadjaran

Abstrak

Study Of The Growth Of Nephrolepis Biserrata Kuntze And Its Utilization As Cover Crop Under Mature Oil Palm Plantation

Nephrolepis biserrata is one kind of weeds in oil palm plantations that have the potential to be used as cover crop. Spreading in the areas of oil palm plantations, this plant should be easy to be planted in other areas related to the utilization of N.biserrata as soil cover. This study was a field research that included the observation of N.biserrata growth and development, as well as the experiment of N.biserrata to find out its further potential with regard to its use as cover crop. The study was carried out from November 2013 to September 2014 under mature oil palm plantation with 17-year-old oil palm trees in Cikabayan Experimental Garden, University Farm, IPB, Bogor, West Java. N.biserrata Kuntze. can be planted as cover crop under mature oil palm plantations and can grow well after 8 WAP in terms of plant height, number and length of leaves. The planting of N.biserrata can improve physical and chemical properties of the soil, making it possible to increase ground water reserves. In comparison, the land not planted with N.biserrata experienced an average ground water deficit of 0.26 mm, while the land planted with N.biserrata had an average surplus of soil water content of 1.33 mm in September 2014. The land planted with N.biserrata showed an increase in the element content such as C-organic (12.74%), N (15%), P (26.82%) and K (17:45%) and a decrease in the value of the C / N (2.02%). The planting of N.biserrata seemed to be able to reduce the content of clay in the soil by 25.13% and raise the sand and dust content by 5.35% and 148.53% respectively. During the decomposition process, N.biserrata could increase the soil nutrient content of N, P, K and C-organic, respectively as high as 41%, 11%, 93%, and 11.3%.