FYBOSOIL NOVEL BIOFERTILIZERS THROUGH THE BIOCONVERSION OF RICE BRAN AND PALM OIL TRUNK

摘要

RICE AND OIL PALM PRODUCTION ARE AMONGST THE LARGEST AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES IN MALAYSIA. THESE INDUSTRIES PRODUCE OVER 10 MILLION TONNES OF PALM OIL WASTE AND 0.2 MILLION TONNES OF RICE BRAN ANNUALLY. THE NUTRIENT CONTENT OF THESE WASTES CAN BE EXPLOITED THROUGH ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS USING BACTERIAL PHYTASE ENZYMES. ENZYMES WERE PRODUCED AT LAB SCALE VOLUMES UP TO 2 L BEFORE BEING SCALED UP. AN INEXPENSIVE, EASILY OPERABLE BIOREACTOR OF 650 L WAS CONSTRUCTED AND UTILIZED FOR THE BIOCONVERSION OF THE PLANT WASTE BIOMASS INTO HIGH NUTRIENT FERTILIZERS. A PILOT PROJECT WAS CONDUCTED WHEREIN 500 L OF BACTERIAL ENZYMES WERE PRODUCED PER DAY AND USED TO HYDROLYZE AND PRODUCE 1.25 TONNES OF BIOFERTILIZERS TO BE CALLED GAD-FYBOSOIL UPON COMMERCIALIZATION. FIELD TRIALS CONDUCTED USING THE ENZYME HYDROLYZED GAD-FYBOSOIL SHOWED SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE GROWTH AND QUALITY OF THE RESULTING PALM OIL SEEDLINGS WHEN COMPARED WITH NORMAL SOIL. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN THE NUTRIENT CONTENT OF THE BIOFERTILIZERS WITH THE PHOSPHATE CONTENT INCREASING BY MORE THAN 300%.