Effect of Zinc Spray on Yield and Quality of Palm Fruits (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

• Main Author: Hakim, Muslih
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/23376
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Palm oil is a major source of vegetable oils, but increasing the production of palm oil <br /> <br /> <br /> extensively was difficult due to the amount of land available as well as the consideration <br /> <br /> <br /> of environmental sustainability. Here, direct application of micronutrient on fruit, <br /> <br /> <br /> specifically zinc (Zn) has been developed to increase the productivity of oil palm. Fruit <br /> <br /> <br /> bunches of (umur buah berapa) oil palm were sprayed with 250 and 500 ppm Zn. The <br /> <br /> <br /> biomass productivity is measured through the physical characteristics of the oil palm <br /> <br /> <br /> fruit (length, diameter, mass, mesocarp weight and kernel weight), oil yield, and <br /> <br /> <br /> chemical quality of the oil (the content of free fatty acid and beta-caroten). This <br /> <br /> <br /> research was conducted on Sukamaju plantation owned by PT. Perkebunan Nusantara <br /> <br /> <br /> VIII, Sukabumi, Indonesia. This research carried out during one growing season 2016- <br /> <br /> <br /> 2017 on 8 years old oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) cv. DxP Langkat and DxP LaMe <br /> <br /> <br /> originating from PPKS Indonesia. The result showed that no significant differences <br /> <br /> <br /> obtained among all the observed parameters. Therefore, zinc application by bunch <br /> <br /> <br /> spraying is not recommended for oil palm plants.