Influence of treated palm oil mill effluent sludge on maize (Zea mays) growth performance and gas exchange

The presence of abundant oil palm residues in Malaysia prompted the need to utilize this waste to avoid environmental pollution. This waste was abundant at the oil palm mill and accounted for almost 50% of production. The study was conducted to determine the morphological effect of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) sludge on the maize growth performance and gas exchange. Physicochemical, growth morphology and gas exchange was measured after treated with POME sludge from different treatment pond systems: Mixing, anaerobic, facultative, algae and dumping. The results indicated the pH, C, and CEC of mixing the < anaerobic < facultative < algae < dumping ponds. There was a significant presence of macronutrient (N, Mg, Ca, Fe, S) in the treated POME sludge, contrary to the presence of heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb) elements which were not significantly different in all the treatments and lower than WHO/FAO standard. Root Shoot Ratio (RSR) and Specific Leaf Area (SLA) indicated significant difference in biomass accumulation and yield compared to the control. The gas exchange variable was a significant difference on stomata conductivity (Gs) and transpiration rate (E). However, the POME sludge from the facultative, algae and dumping ponds showed positive correlations between net photosynthesis, stomata conductivity and transpiration rate. Indeed, the increased transpiration rate (E) was correlated with stomata conductance (Gs) after treatment with anaerobic, facultative, algae and dumping ponds. In conclusion, the POME sludge amendment was able to increase the maize biomass and yield

Post forest fire management at tropical peat swamp forest: a review of Malaysian experience on rehabilitation and risk mitigation

Malaysian Peat swamp forests constitute a significant component with an estimated 1.54 million hectares remaining. More than 70% of these peat swamp forests are in Sarawak, less than 10% Sabah in and the remainder 20% in Peninsular Malaysia (UNDP, 2006). Peat swamp forest is the fragile unique forest ecosystem type that usually found in the lowland of tropical forest areas. Peat forest is exposed to the fire even especially during the dry season. The impact of forest fires at the peat swamp area not only destroys the above ground biomass but also penetrates the underlying peat, resulting in undesirable environmental impacts, including high atmospheric emissions of carbon gases. Therefore, undertaking the rehabilitation and fire risk mitigation activities at burned peat land is very tough and challenges due to the massive destruction and changes in the ecosystem. This paper will emphasize more on restoration and rehabilitation as well as fire risk mitigation efforts on burn peat swamp forest in Malaysia. The issues and challenges encountered in order to restore the burn peat swamp forest area will also be addressed