Physicochemical characteristics of Inceptisol in highland Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Tiganderket District, Karo Regency after application of snake fruit waste compost

Abstract The date palm plantation in Tiganderket District, Karo Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia is the only one in North Sumatra that can grow and produce well in the highlands. Based on the soil type map, the soil order in the date palm land is Inceptisol. In the cultivation process, one of the interesting things is the application of snake fruit waste compost which is quite useful in improving the soil properties and growth of this plant. However, the effect of its application on soil chemical and biological properties remains poorly understood. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of applying compost from snake fruit waste on the chemical properties of Inceptisol soil in date palm fields, Tiganderket District, Karo Regency. This research method uses descriptive quantitative surveys. The parameters observed include phycial and chemical properties. The research results showed that there had been changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of Inceptisol soil. The physical soil include the texture of the clay is sandy loam, the bulk density is 0.99 g.cm −3 (medium), the porosity is good, and the soil color is black. While the chemical properties of pH are 6.23 (neutral), organic carbon is 2.05% (medium), Nitrogen is 0.58% (high), Phosphorus is 19.00 mg.kg −1 P 2 O 5 (medium) and Potassium is 21.68 mg.kg −1 K 2 O (medium).