Tutik Kuswinanti

Utilization of Cocoa Pod Husk Waste Composting by Tremella Sp and Pleurotus Sp as A Medium to Growth of Cocoa Seedling

Cocoa pod husk waste is a problem in the cocoa field, but it potentially as a source of organic matter to improve soil fertility.The paper discuss about the ability of Tremella sp and Pleurotus sp on producing phytohormone and on degrading cocoa pod husks waste. The research start with isolation, screening, and propagation of rot fungi were collected from decayed cocoa plants. The measurement of IAA is according to the method of Glickman and Dessaux (1995), by addition of L-Tryptophan 0.1 g l-1, whereas the Gibberellic Acid content was measured by using the method of Borrow et al., (1955). Composting process of cocoa pod husks waste was revealed during 40 days. This research showed that the IAA and GA3 content in compost fermented with Tremella sp was higher than treatment with Pleurotus sp. Similarly, the result was also observed in the ability of hemicellulose degradation. However, Pleurotus sp was capable to produce compost with higher nutrient levels. Compost fermented by rot fungi gave significant effect to the growth of cocoa seedlings. Nevertheless the difference in varieties of cocoa had no effect on growth of cocoa seedlings. Cocoa pod husk waste composted by Tremella sp and Pleurotus sp gave the significant effect on Leaf Area Index (LAI), Net Assimilation Rate (NAR), Crop Growth Rate (CGR), Root-shoot ratio, and root dry weight of Cocoa seedling.

Capability of Rot Fungus Isolates from Oil Palm Empty Bunches in the Production of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA)

Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) are very abundant palm oil mill waste. Each processing of 1-ton fresh fruit bunches will produce EFB as much as 22 23% EFB or as much as 220 230 kg EFB (Ishani and Benjamin, 2014). EFB has characteristics with large size, dominated by materials that are difficult to decay the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin and has a high C/N ratio. EFB is a lignocellulosic material containing 25% lignin, 50% cellulose and 25% hemicellulose in the cell wall. In recent years, EFB has been used as fuel to produce steam in the palm oil industry. EFB burning causes serious and high environmental concerns. Currently, EFB is used as fertilizer on agricultural land to control weeds, maintain moisture and soil erosion (Thambirajah et al., 1995; Umikalsom et al., 1997; Molla et al., 2004; Bariet al., 2009; Misson et al., 2009).