THE USE OF BIOFERTILIZERS INCREASED PLANT GROWTH WITH NO TRADE-OFF EFFECT ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Abdul Hadi,Udiantoro ,Muhlis ,Hasrul Satria Nur

doi:10.20527/jwem.v5i1.62

Abstract

Several experiments have been carried out to elucidate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as effect of replacement of chemical fertilizer by biofertilizers on alluvial soils in Indonesia. Biofertilizers “Biotara” and “Biosure” were applied along with NPK fertilizer on alluvial soil cultivated with rice. Emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were monitored in biweekly basis up to the maximum vegetative growth of the rice plant. Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OP EFB) as well as grasses were composted with Bacillus brevis and Bacillus megaterium as activator. The composts were incorporated into alluvial soils cultivated to oil palm and the emissions of N2O, CH4 and CO2 were monitored in biweekly basis. The results showed that biofertilizer “Biotara” or “Biosure” combined with NPK fertilizer (¾ recommendation dose) could increase paddy growth with no significant effect on N2O, CH4 and CO2 emissions. The emissions of N2O, CH4 and CO2 exhibited seasonal changes as affected by inclusion of either OP EFB and weed compost along with NPK fertilizer. Global warming potentials of each treatment for NPK, OP EFB compost and weed compost were 5.6, -5.2 and -4.9 ton CO2equ m-2 year-1, respectively. It could be concluded that the replacements of synthetic fertilizer with biofertilizer or compost did not have negative impact on the environment which could be promoted.

Highlights

Rice and oil palm are the two most widely cultivated farm produces in Indonesia with areas of 7.4 and 7.3 million ha, respectively
It has been estimated that paddy field country wide produces as much as 12 million tons of waste annually (Hadi et al, 2014)
The objective of this research is to elucidate the effect of synthetic fertilizers replacement by biofertilizer and compost on CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy and oil palm fields in Indonesia

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Rice and oil palm are the two most widely cultivated farm produces in Indonesia with areas of 7.4 and 7.3 million ha, respectively. It has been estimated that paddy field country wide produces as much as 12 million tons of waste annually (Hadi et al, 2014). Oil palm fields produce waste in the form of oil palm leaf, fruit and weeds amounting nearly 8 ton ha-1 annually. The natural decomposition of oil palm waste is low and produces greenhouse gases like methane (CH4) (Inubushi et al, 2007). The objective of this research is to elucidate the effect of synthetic fertilizers replacement by biofertilizer and compost on CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy and oil palm fields in Indonesia

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Findings

AND DISCUSSION