In Indonesia, the development of oil palm plantations has been going on a pervasive way; they covered about 14.03 million hectares in 2017. This massive coverage of land might then generate a tremendous amount of biomass per year, both in the form of both solid and liquid wastes. The processing of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) in palm oil mill (POM) produces wastes that primarily in the form of empty fruit bunches (EFB), which is amounting of up to 25% (w/w) of FFB. It has been being indicated that EFB contains a considerable amount of silica (Si) which attracts the Indonesian Research Institute for Biotechnology and Bioindustry (IRIBB) to investigate the potential use of EFB as a source of bio-available Si, in the form of H4SiO4 (mono silicic acid, BioSilAc). The experiment was carried out at Sungai Mirah Minting Estate, PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro-Central Kalimantan. The EFB material was obtained from POM and chopped into 2.5-5.0 cm in size. A four-week bio-decomposition process was employed by using bio-decomposers containing Trichoderma pseudokoningii, T. polysporum, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Chemical analyses of composted EFB were conducted before and 28-days after decomposer application. The presence of Si in the compost was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).  The effect of Si-containing EFB compost on the immature and mature oil palm was evaluated. Seven treatments, i.e. combination of EFB compost and BioSilAc application with reduced-dosages of NPK fertilisers were arranged in a random block design with three replicates. The results show that large quantities of silica bodies attached to the surface of EFB fibres and amounting to 0.44% soluble Si. The FFB data indicated that the application of 75% NPK + 500 kg composted EFB + 2 L BioSilAc/ha/year on a five-year-old plant resulted in higher yield than that obtained from 100% standard dosage of NPK. The study also revealed that the application of EFB compost reduced 50% of BioSilAc dosage.

Accidental spillage or drainage from land of crude oil to the marine environment will potentially cause serious damage to the environment and marine life. Many efforts have been focused on the use of most efficient adsorbent to remove the oil and/or oil-decomposing agent from the water. The current study was aimed at to evaluate the most abundantly-available natural zeolite dominated by clinoptilolite mineral and pronounced molecular sieve characteristics as crude oil spill removal in sea water. Bayah-originated zeolite was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, pore distribution and average size, gas sorption capacity, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A laboratory experiments were conducted by reacting a 100-mesh zeolite with and without microbial enrichment to crude oil in a 250 mL sea water (3.7% NaCl and pH 6.7) jar at different oil/zeolite ratios, i.e. 50%, 100%, 200%, and 400% (v/w) with three replicates. Observations were made on the stability of zeolite-oil mixture for one week, the weight of zeolite mixed with oil, the oil adsorbed by the zeolite, and free oil after 24-hrs settling. The results indicate that zeolite has highly potential as crude oil adsorbent and the highest oil sorption obtained at zeolite/oil ratio of 1:1 with 86.3% oil adsorbed or 0.87 mL oil per gram zeolite. Enrichment of zeolite with Bacillus subtilis improved the adsorbed oil by the mineral.

<p><strong>Abstarct.</strong> Rice-field, during the dry season, offers promising potential as food crop production area particularly for secondary crops such as black soybean. However, rice-field have some limitations to support crop productivity economically, due to low fertilizer efficiency and/or water usage. Silicate (Si) fertilizer in the form of bio-nano ortho silicic acid (OSA) has been proven to improve yield and water use efficiency of black soybean on the upland, but not on rice field. This study aimed to determine the effects of bio-nano OSA application on yield, fertilizer and water use efficiencies of Detam-1 black soybean grown at a Bantarwaru rice-field, Indramayu, West Java. Experiment was undertaken from August to November 2018 with treatments consisting of : (i) control (P0), (ii) farmers’ standard practice (P1), (iii) P1 + 2 ton organic fertilizer ha-1 (P2), (iv) 50% P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P3), (v) 75% P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P4), and (vi) P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P5), in a randomized block design with three replications. The soil belongs to Alfisols with vertic property, i.e. cracking during the dry season. The results show that the application of bio-nano OSA was capable of improving yield of Detam-1 black soybean up to 26%, increasing water use efficiency up to 37%, and reducing NPK fertilizer dosages up to 50%. The highest yields of Detam-1 black soybean was 2.4-2.5-ton bean ha-1, achieved from the treatment of combination of 50-75% NPK fertilizer dosages and application of bio-nano OSA at 4 L ha-1 rate with optimum level of NPK dosage at 39.2%. By using bio-nano OSA and optimum dosage of NPK fertilizer, the farmer’s profit increased IDR 4,152,340 ha-1 per season compared to standard practice.</p><p><strong>Abstrak. </strong>Sawah tadah hujan pada musim kemarau menawarkan peluang yang prospektif untuk dimanfaatkan sebagai areal produksi tanaman pangan khususnya palawija seperti kedelai hitam. Namun, sawah tadah hujan secara umum memiliki masalah khusus untuk mendukung produktivitas tanaman di musim kemarau yaitu rendahnya efisiensi serapan hara dan/atau penggunaan air. Teknologi pupuk silika dalam formulasi bio-nano ortho-silicic acid (OSA) telah terbukti mampu meningkatkan hasil kedelai hitam dan efisiensi penggunaan air pada lahan tegalan tetapi tidak pada lahan sawah tadah hujan. Penelitian ini ditujukan untuk mempelajari pengaruh aplikasi pupuk Si (bio-nano OSA) terhadap produksi tanaman kedelai hitam Detam-1, efisiensi penggunaan pupuk, dan air pada sawah tadah hujan di Bantarwaru, Indramayu, Jawa Barat. Percobaan dilaksanakan di lahan petani pada bulan Agustus hingga Nopember 2018 dengan menguji perlakuan : (i) kontrol (P0), (ii) pemupukan standar petani (P1), (iii) P1 + 2 ton pupuk organik ha-1 (P2), (iv) 50% P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P3), (v) 75% P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P4), dan (vi) 100% P1 + 4 L bio-nano OSA ha-1 (P5), dalam rancangan acak kelompok dengan ulangan tiga kali. Tanah di lokasi percobaan tergolong ordo Alfisol dengan sifat vertik seperti timbulnya retakan saat musim kemarau. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi bio-nano OSA mampu meningkatkan produksi kedelai hitam varietas Detam-1 hingga 26%, meningkatkan efisiensi penggunaan air hingga 37%, dan menghemat dosis pupuk NPK hingga 50%. Produktivitas kedelai hitam tertinggi sebesar 2,4–2,5 ton biji kering ha-1 diperoleh pada perlakuan kombinasi pupuk NPK 50-75% dari standar petani dan aplikasi bio-nano OSA 4 L ha-1 dengan dosis optimum pupuk NPK pada 39,2%. Tambahan keuntungan usaha tani kedelai hitam Detam-1 di Bantarwaru dengan aplikasi bio-nano OSA dan pemupukan NPK yang optimum dapat mencapai IDR. 4.152.340 ha-1 per musim jika dibandingkan perlakuan dosis pupuk standar.</p>

The objectives of the study were to determine the potential use of bio-nano-ortho silicic acid (OSA) originated from locally mineral enriched with silica-solubilizing microbes to improve yield, reduce chemical fertilizer dosage, and increase water use efficiency (WUE) of black soybean grown on selected highly weathered soils. The first-year (2017) study was conducted at Majalengka and Natar area and arranged in a random block design (RBD) with three replicates, using a Detam-1 variety. Treatments of NPK fertilizers were 0, 50, 75, and 100% of standard recommended dosages in combination with 0, 2, 4, and 6 L bio-nano OSA Ha−1. In general, application of 4 L bio-nano OSA Ha−1 saved 32% NPK fertilizer dosage and improved growth and yield of Detam-1. The second year (2018) trials consisted of no fertilization (P0), farmer standard NPK fertilization (P1), P1 + organic matter (P2), 4 L bio-nano OSA Ha−1 + NPK (P1), 50% (P3); and 75% (P4) respectively, arranged in a RBD with three replicates at three regions, i.e. Majalengka (Alfisols), Natar (Ultisols), and Indramayu (Alfisols). The results confirmed that the application of bio-nano OSA at 4 L Ha−1 improved nutrient use and WUE as well as yield of Detam-1 on all three soils studied.

The soils in tidal swamp land as new development area for rice in Indonesia have a considerably low available silica (Si) because very acid condition and no Si fertilization. Therefore, increasing the productivity of rice as Si accumulator plant, in tidal swamp land requires silica fertilizer. This research presented the effect of applications of silicon in the form of orthosilicic acid (H4SiO4) enriched with selected Sisolubilizing fungi, formulated as 4-gram tableted Si fertilizer (BioSilAc) on tidal swamp land soil to improve yield and reduce chemical fertilizer dosage for rice. Field experiment was conducted in Ketapang subdistrict, South Lampung by using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with six treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of (ha-1 season-1): 100% NPK recommended dosage (P1); 100% NPK + 80 BioSilAc tablets (P2); 75% NPK + 80 BioSilAc tablets (P3); 75% NPK + 100 BioSilAc tablets (P4); 50% NPK + 120 BioSilAc tablets (P5); and control (P6). The results showed that P2 treatment increased the highest rice yield in dried harvested grain by 7.6% or equivalent to 500 kg ha-1 compared to P1 treatment. The highest fertilization efficiency can be achieved in P4 treatment which means the NPK recommended dosage can be reduced 25% by adding 100 BioSilAc tablets ha-1 season-1 indicated by insignificantly different productivity compared to that of P1. The Revenue/Cost (R/C) values showed that P2 treatment was economically feasible fertilization practices.