A Enhancing the Composting Process and Quality of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) Using Indigenous Cellulolytic Microbes: A Review

Abstract

Palm oil production in Indonesia is projected to reach approximately 54.84 million tons by 2023, maintaining a consistent trend. This production volume is closely linked to the amount of Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) generated as a by-product. If EFB is not managed effectively, it could have adverse effects on the environment. To address this issue, composting EFB is essential. However, the high cellulose content in EFB poses challenges for decomposition. The application of cellulolytic microorganisms presents a promising solution to enhance the composting process. This study aims to explore the benefits of incorporating cellulolytic microorganisms in accelerating EFB compost quality. The research methodology follows the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review focuses on scientific literature from 2014 to 2024 available on the ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases. Findings indicate that using a consortium of cellulolytic microorganisms can reduce cellulose content, decrease the C/N ratio, expedite composting, enhance compost quality by regulating temperature, reducing volume, increasing pH, macronutrients, and biological activity during EFB composting.