UTILIZATION OF RIVER SLUDGE-SEDIMENT AS THE PLANTING MEDIA IN RECLAIMING CRITICAL MINED LAND: STUDY OF GROWTH AND LITTER PRODUCTION OF JABON (ANTHOCEPHALUS CADAMBA MIQ.)

Abstract

: The action taken for post-mining critical land reclamation is physical reclamation followed
by biological reclamation, i.e. planting vegetation (revegetation). The alternative action for post-mining
critical land reclamation is the use of river sediment sludge as an soil ameliorant. This study aims to
determine the growth of plant and litter production of Antocephalus cadamba Miq. On post-mining land. The
experimental design used was completely randomized design, with the treatment of planting media in the
form of a mixture of river sediment-sludge with topsoil material. There are five treatment of planting media,
namely: P0 (without river sediment); P1 (25% river sediment); P2 (50% river sediment); P3 (75% river
sediment), and P4 (100% river sediment). Each treatment was repeated four times. Observations were made
on the physical properties of planting media and the growth of plant (A. cadamba), namely: soil bulk density,
soil texture, soil pore, litter weight, content of N, P and K of litter, plant height, and diameter of stem. Results
showed a decrease in percentage of clay fraction when the A.cadamba plant was three months old at all
treatments, except P4; while the soil bulk density increases. The percentage of micro pores increases with
increasing percentage of river sediment, while total pore decreases, except for P4 treatment. The addition of
river sediment on topsoil material as a planting medium was able to increase the litter production of
A.cadamba. The N-content of litter was highest in treatment P2, while the content of P and K of litter was
highest in P3 treatment. Increased plant height and stem diameter occurred along with the increasing
percentage of addition of river sediment on planting medium up to the P3 treatment.