Utilization of Oil Palm Fruits Mesocarp Fibres Waste as Growing Media for Banana Tissue Culture Seedling in Malaysia
Malaysia is one of the largest producer of palm oil and the waste discharged from the mill such as oil palm fruits mesocarp fibres have great potential to be recycled as a valuable agriculture input. These mesocarp fibres were utilized as a growing media for banana tissue culture seedlings to replace the soil in the conventional practices. The mature mesocarp fibres were mixed with compost and chicken manure as growing media for banana tissue culture plantlet. Fibres based media showed to provide vigorous plant growth and sufficient nutrient supplies of phosphorous and magnesium to banana seedling, but required additional nitrogen and potassium through the amendments with compost or chicken manure into the fibre mixture. Fibre based media was proven effective to replace soil media for banana seedling inclusive of other advantages such as free of soil borne pathogens, higher workability and transportation with lighter material as media.