Diversity of Microbes and Environmental Characteristics During Decomposition of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches

Abstract

Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) of oil palm, a lignocellulose biomass, is often used as green manure in plantation field. However, the slow composting time of the EFB is still problem in oil palm industry. Stdy of microbes involves and environment characteristics during EFB composting are needed to design more effice=ient process. Samples of EFB pile in three different ages from two different Oil Pam Refineries in East Kalimantan were used as a research objects. Physical-chemical and microbial properties (temperature, pH, C/N, and microbial density) were observed. Microbial diversity base on molecular base of 16S rDNA were concluded.