Optimizing Oil Palm Seedling Growth (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in the main nursery using NPK fertilizer and Mycorrhizal Biofertilizer

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a valuable plantation commodity with promising development prospects. This research investigated the interaction between NPK fertilizer application and mycorrhizal biofertilizer on the growth of oil palm seedlings in the main nursery on Ultisol soil. The study was conducted using a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The first factor was NPK fertilizer 16:16:16 (P) with three levels: P1 = 33 g per plant, P2 = 40 g per plant, and P3 = 47 g per plant. The second factor was Mycorrhizal biofertilizer (M) with three levels: M0 = Control, M1 = 20 g per plant, and M2 = 40 g per plant. The parameters measured included plant height, corm diameter, leaf area, root volume, dry weight of seedlings, and percentage of roots infected with mycorrhiza. Statistical analysis was performed using variance analysis and an honest significant difference test at the 5% level using the SAS application. The results indicated that applying NPK fertilizer at a dose of 40 g per plant significantly increased plant height, corm diameter, leaf area, root volume, and dry weight of seedlings. Urea fertilizer at a dose of 3 g per plant also positively influenced plant height, corm diameter, leaf area, and dry weight of seedlings. Mycorrhizal biofertilizer at a dose of 20 g per plant resulted in increased plant height, corm diameter, leaf area, root volume, dry weight of seedlings, and percentage of roots infected with mycorrhiza. The combination of NPK fertilizer at a dose of 40 g and mycorrhizal biofertilizer at a dose of 20 g per plant showed significant improvements in plant height, corm diameter, leaf area, root volume, dry weight of seedlings, and percentage of roots infected with mycorrhiza.