Journal of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Big Hole – Oil Palm Planting Technique on Spodosol Soil in East Barito - Central Borneo - Indonesia
Surianto, Abdul-Rauf, Sabrina. T, E. S. Sutarta

Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of big hole system on oil palm cultivation at Spodosol soil with low fertility, high sand content, low water holding capacity, acid reaction and presence of hardpan layer. There were 3 soil profile samples of the East Barito Spodosol studied and amount of 17 soil samples were collected from horizons at undisturbed soil profile named as non big hole samples and from layers at disturbed soil profile named as big hole samples. Results indicated that the mechanical holing and material mixing of soil materials of C soil profile among the upper and lower horizons i.e. A, E, B and C horizons before planting resulted a better distribution of sands. By using the mechanical holing and material mixing (C profile) caused pH, C-organic, CEC and exchangeable cations value distribution from lower to upper layer to be more uniform at 0- 20 cm up to 80-100 cm depth. Big hole profile also resulted a deeper oil palm rooting zone as deep as hole constructed meanwhile the roots development of non big hole profile was limited by hardpan layer depth. The implementation of big hole system for oil palm planting on Spodosol soil of Typic Placorthod sub group is important not only to increase distribution uniformity of soil materials, soil chemical properties and enhancing of deeper roots development in the rooting zone, but also to minimize potential of negative effect of shallow planting solum for oil palms growing due to hard pan layer presence.

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