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Palm oil mill's co-products (empty fruit bunch – EFB and palm oil mill effluent – POME) management is a matter of concern in Indonesia. Co-composting is a promising waste management practice that would allow a reduction of environmental impact and a restitution of organic matter to the soil. This study is a part of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) project and aims to pinpoint the most environmentally impacting compartments of the palm oil production chain. It deals more specifically with the Life Cycle Inventory of data on the composting process based on site specific data. Data on the recycled biomass, energy demand and yielded compost properties were recorded in an industrial palm oil mill over one year. Due to the local conditions, high nutrient leaching from the compost were recorded and the compost remained very wet and hot (thermophilic phase). The composting process only led to 40% of methane avoidance compared to anaerobic digestion of POME, and the global nutrient recovery efficiency was below 50%. We identified the following critical parameters to increase environmental benefits from composting: i) the POME/FFB ratio from the mill ii) the roofing of the composting platform, iii) the POME/EFB ratio, iv) the turning frequency, v) the recycling of leachates and vi) the process duration and drying period. The nutrient recovery and the doses of compost applied in the field depend on all of those inter-connected parameters. The data presented will be used within LCA models to assess net environmental benefits from various POME and EFB co-composting systems.

Oil palm produces about 38.7% of all vegetable oil (palm oil and palm kernel oil, 2016) and its cultivation area reach in 18.7 million ha worldwide (mature plantations) in 2017. While palm oil demand will increase in the future, leading an increase of global production, an adapted fertilization is needed to increase yield while preserving soil multifunctionality. Organic fertilization, by Empty fruit bunches (EFB) or compost is an alternative to mineral fertilization. The effect of EFB application on soil quality has been investigated, however the effect of compost application on soil functions and soil macrofauna in oil palm plantations is poorly known. To investigate the effect of compost application, we compared soil functions and soil macrofauna of two treatments of an agronomical trial (compost application / mineral fertilization), taking into account the zone around the palm tree (harvesting path, circle and windrow). Soil functions were assessed using the Biofunctool® framework, which is a novel set of in-field, low tech and time-effective indicators to assess main soil functions: soil carbon transformation, nutrient cycling and structure maintenance. Effect of the zone around the palm tree on soil functions and macrofauna, was largest than the effect of the treatment and the compost application slightly improved carbon transformation functions in the circle zone. Soil functions and macrofauna functional groups data showed similar co-structures indicating the link between soil functions and fauna. We highlighted the importance of spatial heterogeneity and discussed the effect of organic matter.

Today Indonesia is contributing to more than half of the global palm oil production, with ap-proximately 34.5 million tons produced in 2016. This production has been projected to in-crease to 50 Million tons by 2025. To reach this level of production and still maintain its committed sustainability standards, Indonesia will have to address a triple challenge: protect-ing high conservation areas, such as primary forest and peatland; closing the yield gap be-tween smallholders and agro-industries; and reducing the environmental impact of existing oil palm plantations. In this context, we chose to focus on the third challenge and investigated the opportunity of composting palm oil mill by-products to mitigate the environmental impact of palm oil production. We studied the composting process in palm oil plantations and analyzed the results from waste management, agronomic and environmental perspectives. We conducted experimental co-composting of empty fruit bunches (EFB) and pre-digested palm oil mill effluents (POME). We studied the effect of the ratio of POME to EFB and the turning frequency of the compost using a split-plot experimental design comprising 24 com-post heaps, in a covered composting platform on a concrete floor. The composting process lasted 60 days, during which the compost piles were regularly turned and sprayed with POME. We found that the biological degradation composting process reduced the dry weight of EFB by 45%. It also led to the evaporation of 60% of the water contained in POME and the EFB, thereby considerably reducing the amount of waste that comes out of the palm oil mill. In terms of recycling efficiency, a recovery rate close to 100% was achieved for K, P and Mg. We also observed loss of Nitrogen of about 25-30% during the composting process. We found that a high POME to EFB ratio (3m3/ton EFB) increased moisture above optimal water content and reduced free air space within the compost piles. Adding too much POME to the EFB also increased the quantity of leachate from the compost pile and washed away Po-tassium, the most important nutrient found in the palm oil mill compost. The dose of POME added to compost piles should be adjusted according to the fermentation phase and recycling all leachate is of paramount importance to preserve compost quality. We estimated that the composting process can effectively recycle about 0.8 to 1.4 m3 of POME per ton of EFB in 60 days. This process is facilitated by turning the compost pile, to regulate the oxygen content for optimal aerobic digestion of the compost material. From an agronomical perspective, the compost was very valuable for fertilizing the oil palm (N: 1.6%; P:0.25%; K: 4.5%; Mg: 0.45%). Our results confirm that a dose of compost of 60-90 kg per palm per year could replace mineral fertilizers in mature plantations. Compost from the mill by-products could cover about 30% of the oil palm plantations' fertilizer needs, and up to 40% if the composting process is optimized to limit nitrogen loss. In these conditions, the palm oil mill compost would be highly profitable given the current prices of fertilizers. We tested the palm oil mill compost as a fertilizer in a nursery, which proved to be a good substitute for mineral fertilizers at a rate of 9 kg/palm. In this nursery trial, compost was found to have improved the soil quality (pH, CEC, exchangeable nutrients) compared to min-eral fertilizers and raw EFB. The capacity of compost to improve soil quality was consistent over two contrasted soil types (Podzol and Alluvial Clay). We also conducted field applica-tion trials in areas prone to Oryctes sp. attacks. Results after five months of observation showed that composted EFB are less attractive for Oryctes than fresh EFB. From an environmental perspective, composting has several benefits. The reduction of the amount of waste through biological activity means that less transportation is necessary for field application (60% reduction) as against fresh EFB. The POME treated through the aero-bic process of composting prevents the negative impacts of the pond treatment, such as GHG emissions to the atmosphere. An efficient nutrient recycling through composting would sig-nificantly reduce the amount of imported inorganic fertilizers and all the negative impacts resulting from their use. Compost application improves soil quality and can store additional carbon in soils. For young palms replanted in Oryctes-infested areas, compost can reduce the need to use insecticide as compared to EFB.

Palm oil mill's co-products (empty fruit bunch – EFB and palm oil mill effluent – POME) management is a matter of concern in Indonesia. Co-composting would allow dealing with them along with a restitution of organic matter to the soil. This project is a part of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study and aims to pinpoint the most environmentally impacting compartments of the palm oil production chain. This study deals more specifically with the Life Cycle Inventory of data on the composting process based on experimental data. Data on the recycled biomass, energy demand and yielded compost properties were recorded over one year. Due to the experimental conditions, excessive nutrient leaching from the compost were recorded and the compost remained very wet and hot (thermophilic phase) at the end of the first trial due to the spraying of compost with raw and hot POME. We identified the following critical parameters to be accounted for to improve the composting process: i) the roofing of the composting platform, ii) the POME/EFB ratio, iii) the turning frequency, and iv) the process duration to reach given final moisture. The nutrient content and the applied doses of the final compost depend on all these connected parameters. The produced data will be used to develop LCA models for CPO production in order to assess the potential net environmental benefits from POME composting.

Ecuador is a major palm oil producing country in Latin America, with approximately 300,000 ha cultivated. The plantations located the western coastal area (region of Quinindé) present a unique form of leaf yellowing, locally known as amarillamiento secamiento, which has been observed only in this part of the world. Several hypotheses have been tested to explain those symptoms (biotic, nutritional, and hydric) and the most plausible cause is the limiting annual insolation. The climatology of the Quinindé region is non optimal for the oil palm, with an average 800 hours of sunshine per year. Change in climatic conditions during El Niño results in a simultaneous increase of rainfall, sunshine and temperature during 14 to 18 months which benefits the oil palm as higher yields are obtained after disappearance of leaf yellowing symptoms. The effects of El Niño climatic phenomenon in 1982 and 1997 confirm this hypothesis. As a conclusion, it will be interesting to know if the 2015 El Niño episode confirms the positive effect observed in 1982 and 1997. We expect an improvement of foliage in 2016 and an increase in yield in 2016-2017.

La palma africana es la primera fuente de aceite vegetal a nivel mundial, con un gran número de usos en la alimentación, la industria cosmética y también como combustible. Ecuador es el sexto productor mundial y el segundo productor en América Latina. El país tiene diferentes zonas de producción, dentro de las cuales las provincias de Los Ríos y del Guayas tienen la particularidad de no tener palmeras agroindustriales. Las extractoras de aceite dependen de los agricultores de la cuenca de Quevedo para poder producir, y la competencia para la compra de fruta es fuerte. Nuestro estudio localizado en esta zona confirma esta reciente dinámica espontánea de siembra: las palmeras son muy jóvenes con el 25% de la superficie que tiene menos de 4 años. Esas nuevas plantaciones deberían proveer una producción suficiente para alcanzar la demanda de las extractoras, que hasta hoy carecen de racimos en cantidad suficiente. Los palmicultores cultivan la palma con varios modos de manejo. Se identificaron 4 tipos de manejos técnicos: un modo con muy poco insumos y material no certificado, un tipo infra-recomendaciones con cultivos asociados y fertilización variable, un tipo intermedio, un tipo tecnificado e intensivo con cuantidades altas de insumos y con uso de riego según la zona climática. La elección de un modo de manejo de la palma se explica conociendo a los tipos de palmicultores y a las regiones climáticas de la zona de estudio. Los palmicultores siguen sembrando palma aceitera sin considerar la pudrición del cogollo como un riesgo significante. La mayoría de los productores no conoce bien la enfermedad y las variedades resistentes a la enfermedad no están sembradas en la zona de estudio. Conocer el perfil socio-económico de los palmicultores y los modos de manejo de la palma permite hacer recomendaciones para mejorar el apoyo a los productores y cerrar algunas brechas de productividad.

Le palmier à huile est aujourd'hui la première source mondiale de corps gras, avec de nombreuses utilisations alimentaires, industrielles et énergétiques. L'Équateur est le sixième producteur mondial et le second en Amérique Latine. Le pays possède plusieurs bassins de production dont celui de Los Rios/Guayas, qui se distingue par l'absence de plantations agro-industrielles. Les planteurs de ce bassin de production gèrent la culture du palmier selon différentes conduites techniques plus ou moins intensives qu'il est possible de hiérarchiser en terme de rendement. Ces différences dans les choix techniques correspondent à des types d'exploitations et à des variations du milieu. Les surfaces plantées sont actuellement en augmentation au sein des exploitations élaeicoles existantes. De nouvelles zones de plantations se développent au Sud du bassin de production dans les provinces de Guayas, Santa Elena et El Oro. Ces nouvelles plantations devraient couvrir une partie des besoins des huileries du bassin, qui manquent actuellement de régimes, et entraîner la création d'au moins une nouvelle huilerie. Les planteurs continuent d'étendre les surfaces, sans pour autant anticiper le risque de la pourriture du coeur, maladie mortelle du palmier présente en Équateur.