This research investigates the ripeness grading identification of the palm oil FFB using color features that are color histogram, color moment and color correlogram during the optimum stage of its ripeness since it improves the FFB oil quality and quantity.Harvesting wrong bunches decreases the oil extraction rate of the palm.

Employee absenteeism is one of the problems in oil palm plantation. This behavior leads to low productivity and high burdening business cost. This study aims to examine, analyze and explain the influence of stress, family issues, working environment and salary to employee absenteeism in oil palm estate. The primary data used in this study come from questionnaire on respondents' stress, family issues, working environment, salary and employee absenteeism. From 90 people as the population, 73 respondents who met the criteria as a sample were chosen by using the Krejcie and Morgan table. The analytical method used is multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS Version 22. The results of this study indicate that there is a positive and significant influence simultaneously between stress, family issues and working environment on employee absenteeism. Family issues has the highest share and proportion 25.8% of the variation in employee absenteeism, so it needs special attention. Performance and productivity for estate workers are very crucial to ensure the estate's operation runs smoothly. So, estate manager shall pay special attention to engage their workers.

A survey had been done in the Hilir Perak with the association of the Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB) to study on factors affecting cocoa smallholder behaviour at MCB Hilir Perak. In this case study, the factor used as the independent variable to determine the smallholder attitude are, prior knowledge, facilitating condition, subjective norm and also the perceived behaviour control. Whilst, for the dependent variable is the cocoa smallholder behaviour. 59 respondents were randomly selected from the smallholder name list given by the MCB. Data collected pooled and analyse by using SPSS software to find the correlation of the factor. Prior knowledge and facilitating condition factor show significance difference towards cocoa smallholder attitude (P<0.05). This case study proves that the social pressure and motivation from people surrounding are not enough to change the smallholder attitudes. It must also being supported with conducive condition and adequate knowledge to the smallholder in order to change their attitudes and indirectly will increasing the cocoa production.

The underutilized and improper management of wastewater such as palm oil mill effluent sludge (POME) sludge might create pollution and give a negative impact towards the environment. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of shear strength parameter and root length density of maize on Entisols applied with POME sludge as a soil amendment. The maize was planted on Rasau soil series (Entisols) amended with different POME sludge treatment systems from various ponds (mixing, anaerobic, facultative, algae, and dumping). Standard direct shear box test was used to identify the cohesion (c) and angle of internal friction (ϕ) after application of treatments. The bulk density, porosity, moisture content, organic matter, root length and root density of Zea mays L. (Hibrimas) applied with POME sludge from dumping pond (DP), aglae pond (ALP) and facultative pond (FP) were significantly difference against the control treatment. The positive effect of root length and root length density (RLD) treated with POME sludge from the dumping pond was 26% and 38% compared to the other treatments. The results highlighted that roots enhanced soil shear strength by reducing the cohesion and increased the angle of internal friction component.The shear strength analysis showed that high shear strength of normal stress at 500.72 kN/m 2 was measured from the dumping pond's POME sludge treatment after maize harvesting. The POME sludge from the DP, ALP and FP was ameliorating some nutrients deficiencies for the plant growth and improved the root length density. In conclusion, the POME sludge from the DP indicated the high shear strength and root length densitie due to the adequate nutrients for roots distribution and maize growth.Keywords: Shear strength, root length density, Entisols, POME sludge IntroductionMaintaining and replenishing organic matter into the soil is important to sustain the productivity of the soil in the tropical climate. Generally, Malaysia had produced about half of organic waste from oil palm industry, which has not been fully utilized. According to Embrandiri et al., (2013) palm oil mill effluent (POME), palm kernel cake, decanter cake, empty fruit bunch and palm kernel shell were potential to be processed and used as an organic matter amendment for land application. Recently, some studies were using decanter cake with lady's finger (Embrandiri et al., 2013), tannery sludge with capsicum plants (Silva et al., 2010), cowpea and olive mill waste with lettuce and chicory (Kelepesi and Tzortzakis, 2009) as their organic matter materials for soil amendment. Unfortunately, only a few studies were focused on POME sludge as a soil amendment for the plant growth. According to Khairuddin et al., (2016), the treated POME sludge was identified equally balance with C, N, and macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Na). Mostly, these elements were vital for soil improvement and productivity of the crops. Moreover, heavy metal content in POME sludge was in accordance with the standard from WHO/FAO that is safe for human consu...

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