POTENTIAL OF CONVENTIONAL BIOACTIVATOR USING Trichoderma sp. and STARDEC ON COMPOST QUALITY FROM SIDIMPUAN SALAK (Salacca sumatrana Becc.) FROND WASTE

Abstract

Sidimpuan salak frond waste (SSFW) is an abundant source of organic material but has not been optimally utilized, potentially causing environmental problems. Utilization of SSFW as compost raw material through the addition of conventional bioactivators such as Trichoderma and Stardec is a strategic solution to improve decomposition efficiency and final compost quality. This study has assessed the quality of compost from SSFW using conventional bioactivators, namely Trichoderma and Stardec. This study has used a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications and three treatment levels (type of bioactivator: without bioactivator, Tricoderma sp., and Stardec). The potential of conventional bioactivators is significant to the quality of compost from SSFW, namely, moisture, volatile matter, ash, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), CEC, macro- and micro-nutrient composition, and changes in active groups such as phenol and carboxyl. Tricoderma-based conventional bioactivator is significant to increase volatile matter (11%), pH (1.10), EC (0.37 dS m-1), and CEC [29.80 cmol(+) kg-1] of compost from SSFW, compared to without an activator. The use of conventional Trichoderma-based bioactivators in compost from SSFW is significant in improving compost quality, especially through increasing volatile matter content, pH, EC, CEC, and changes in active groups that play an important role in improving soil chemical properties.