Harvesting fresh fruit bunches (FFB) is an important activity in the oil palm plantation industry. This study aimed to analyze the potential content of palm oil at the level of loose fruit that falls on the oil palm circle. Observations were made on five fresh fruit bunches with criteria 1, 3, and 5 respectively loose fruit per bunch that falls on the oil palm circle from oil palm trees that were 22, 16, 12, and 7 years old. All sample fresh fruit bunches were analyzed for potential oil to bunch and oil to wet mesocarp in the analytical laboratory of Bumitama Gunajaya Agro. Content of oil to wet mesocarp in loose fruit 1, 3, and 5 were 48,50 % b, 51,98 % a, and 53,21 % a respectively. While the content of oil to bunch in loose fruit 1, 3, and 5 were 24,19 % a, 25,52 % a, and 25,71 % a respectively. The highest potential for oil content occurs in ripe palm fruit with a level of loose fruit 5 grains per bunch that falls on that oil palm circle. Five grains per bunch on the oil palm circle can be used as an indicator for harvesters to harvest ripe fruit with optimal oil content.

The quality of CPO (Crude Palm Oil) is determined by the Free Fatty Acid (FFA) with the standard value below 5%. High FFA in CPO will cause further difficulties due to low refining rate and quality like rancidness and odor. The objective of this research was to determine the factors that affect the FFA content in CPO. This research was conducted from January until April 2021. Fruit samples were collected from BKLE and PNRE East Kotawaringin and analyzed to Analytical Laboratory PT BGA. The FFA value was determined using the titration method according to Indonesian National Standard (SNI). Based on this research, several factors such as rat and moth attacks, fruit maturity, fruit handling, and delayed delivery to the palm oil mill affected the FFA value. These factors caused an increase in the FFA value up to 41.10%‒204% compared to the average FFA value is only 0.77%‒1.29%. Therefore, minimizing the pre‐processing problem will reduce the potential of FFA value increment so that good quality CPO can be obtained.   Keywords: fruit handling, fruit maturity, pest attack, titration method

The Rat was one of the main pests in oil palm plantations cause able to significantly reduce oil palm yield. This research aimed to know the role of T. alba in controlling rat pest attacks in oil palm plantations. Observations were made on estates that had different ratios/hectare of T. alba nest boxes such as Pantai Harapan Estate (1:54), Kruing Estate (1:80), and Sungai Mirah Estate (1: 162). The presence of T. alba was observed every month at each nest box. The attack rate of rats was observed every month during January – December 2020 through a census attack in each plant block. Kruing estate was the highest nest box occupancy rate of T. alba of 37 %. The occupancy rates of Pantai Harapan Estate and Sungai Mirah Estate were 31% and 6%, respectively. While the rate of rat attacks in Pantai Harapan Estate, Kruing Estate, and Sungai Mirah Estate were 0.70 % a, 0.60 % a, 2,30 % b, respectively. The barn owl T. alba can control the attack of rats naturally and reduce the use of rodenticide. Rodenticide applications at Bumitama Agri Ltd for rat pest control in 2020 also decreased by 45% when compared to applications in 2019.

Trichoderma spp. is one of the biocontrol agents that have important benefits for agriculture in Indonesia. Exploration is carried out at PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro Oil Palm Plantations in high yield blocks. This study aims to identify and determine the isolates of Trichoderma spp. and to find out its in vitro antagonism against Ganoderma spp. Morphological identification of Trichoderma spp. carried out using a trinocular microscope. There were six isolates analyzed based on internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) in ribosomal DNA region using PCR technique with ITS 1 and ITS 4. The results of this research showed that Trichoderma spp. original from PT BGA Central Kalimantan has diverse characteristics. Sequencing analysis showed that six isolates were in one group with Trichoderma asperellum isolates T5 (Acc. No. MH809176), IIPR-80 (Acc. No. MK841018) and TV5 (Acc. No. MH393299). Based on the antagonism test, it was found that six isolates were able to inhibit the growth of Ganoderma spp. with an average percentage value is ≥50%.

No abstract

Epiphytic weeds living on oil palm trunks will complicate harvesting activities. In addition, the presence of this weed can increase the risk of accidents being hit by fruit during harvesting. The objective of this research was to obtain herbicide and its efficient concentrations to control epiphytic weeds using root infusion method. The research was arranged in a single factor completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and five replications. Active ingredients of herbicide that used were methyl metsulfuron at a concentration of 20%, 30%, and 40%, glyphosate 30%, and triclopyr + diesel fuel at a ratio of 1:19. All treatments except triclopyr were diluted in 100 ml water for each epiphytic weed. Weed mortality rate (%) was observed every week for one month. The results showed that a solution of 30% methyl metsulfuron herbicide in 100 ml of water and 30% glyphosate in 100 ml of water was the most optimal treatment in controlling epiphytic weeds. Cutting the entire suction root of epiphytic weeds can increase the chance of weed mortality.

Palm oil mill has by-products from processing fresh fruit bunch such as empty fruit bunch and fruit fiber that benefits oil palm plantation. The aim of this research was to observe earthworms population and soil chemical properties after the application of palm oil by-products. This research was conducted in Pantai Harapan Estate PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro, Central Kalimantan from July 2020 - May 2021. The organic matter was used in this study were empty bunch, empty bunch compost, and pressed fruit fiber, applied in an oil palm circle in two different soil types. The earthworms population was observed before and six months using a square sampling size 1 m x 1 m at a depth of 0,15 m. The earthworms population after six months with organic application both in dystrudepts and haplohumods range from 46 to 119 individuals/m2. Earthworms population increased 22,17% and 71,33% after six month, compared to control decrease 48,21% and 68,51% in haplohumods and dystrudepts respectively. Soil chemical properties such as C-organic, total P, and K are significantly different after organic application compared to control both in haplohumods and dystrudepts. Thus, the application of organic matter is able to increase the earthworms population and improve soil chemical properties in oil palm plantations.

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is one of the important soybean pests which can reduce production up to 80 %. Soybean defense mechanism against B. tabaci is affected by the physical characteristics of the leaf surface, e.g. leaf thickness, density of trichomes, and sticky glandular trichomes. The objective of this research was to investigate B. tabaci population – trichome density relationship on ten soybean varieties. The experiment was carried out in Ngale Station, Ngawi District, East Java. The tested soybean varieties were Anjasmoro, Demas 1, Dena 1, Dering 1, Devon, Detam 3, Dewah, Gema, Grayak 1, and Wilis. The experiment was done by completely randomized design with three replications. Observation on the whitefly population was conducted weekly from 2 until 10 weeks after planting on 23 sample plants in each plot. The result showed that Devon was the variety with the highest population levels of B. tabaci, 10.89 (eggs), 14.48 (nymphs) individuals per leaf, respectively. The population of B. tabaci was affected by trichomes density. Devon was the highest density of trichomes (613.7 hairs per cm2). The density of trichomes and the number of whitefly eggs and nymphs relationship were significant (R2= 0,78 (egg) and 0.84 (nymph), n= 10, ?= 1 %, F Value= 0.00157, respectively).