Utilization of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) as Spodosol Soil Ameliorant for Increasing Oil Palm Root Growth Aprian Santoso 1 , Abdul Rauf 2* , T. Sabrina 3 Graduate School of Agrotechnology, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia 1 , Department of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia 2,3 *a.raufismail@gmail.com Abstract. Spodosol soil is a marginal soil that can be used for the cultivation of oil palm plants which has economic value. Spodosol soil has the physical characteristics of quartz sand and harpand , with both dominance characteristics leads unoptimal oil palm root development . This study was aimed to analyze the effect of oil palm empty fruit bunch, material organic as an ameliorant. Unmanaged EFB will become a breeding site of Oryctes rhinoceros. 3 levels treatments in this study : 30 tons/ha of EFB, 40 tons/ha of EFB and 45 tons/ha were applicated in 2 different placement , around the palms weeded circle and oil palm strip . According to root dry weight there is no significant difference for 3 treatment applied. 35 tons/ treatment applied in oil palms strip indicate the best result than the other dosages. Keywords : empty fruit bunch, oil palm, spodosol soil 1 Introduction Spodosol land is currently an alternative for oil palm cultivation business due to limited fertile land. Spodosol is low fertility soil , properly selection and conservative treat suggested so that it cultivation on spodosols has economic value. Statement of [1] composition of spodosol soil characteristics such as ; carbon content (C) which is rather low (0.11-1.31%) and rather high (4.62%) on the spodic horizon, the low to moderately low Nitrogen (N) content (0.10-0.11%), C / N ratio is rather low (0.10-0.11%) in the upper layer and high in the spodic layer (46.2% ), the low phosphorus (P) (1-8 ppm) availability in all layers, cation exchange capacity (CEC) classified as low to moderate in the entire horizon (7.64-14.98), the low base saturation (KB) (1-3) %), an acidic soil pH (pH 3.7-4.5) in all layers. The previous study on spodosol soil on Central Kalimantan[2], states that the soil texture of the whole spodosol soil profiles located at PT. Sawit Graha Manunggal (SGM) East Barito regency, dominated by sand with medium category of Bulk Density (BD) and soil permeability categoryis moderately rapid permeability to rapid permeability to. Soil chemical parameters include pH, N (%), C (%), C / N, CEC, P-total and P-available andcategory of base exchang is low to very low Palm Oil Mill is not only producing CPO products and kernels, but alsoan organic waste mill such as Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB), Palm Oil Mill Efluent (POME), and Shell . These wastes if it not managed properly, it can be a problem sources around oil palm plantations. IC2RSE 2019, December 04, Medan, Indonesia Copyright © 2020 EAI DOI 10.4108/eai.4-12-2019.2293827