ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh lama fermentasi menggunakan inokulan cairan rumen kerbau terhadap komposisi fraksi serat pelepah dan daun sawit. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan lima perlakuan lama fermentasi (0, 7, 14, 21, dan 28 hari) dan empat ulangan. Parameter yang diamati meliputi kadar Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), hemiselulosa, selulosa, dan lignin. Hasil analisis ragam menunjukkan bahwa lama fermentasi berpengaruh sangat nyata (P<0,05) terhadap kadar hemiselulosa dan lignin, namun tidak berpengaruh nyata (P>0,05) terhadap kadar NDF, ADF, dan selulosa. Kadar lignin menurun secara signifikan hingga mencapai titik terendah pada hari ke-21 (9,53%), sedangkan kadar hemiselulosa meningkat signifikan seiring bertambahnya lama fermentasi hingga 25,01% pada hari ke-28. Penurunan lignin dipicu oleh tingginya populasi mikroba lignolitik rumen kerbau, yang secara selektif merusak perisai lignin dan membebaskan ikatan hemiselulosa. Disimpulkan bahwa lama fermentasi 21 hari merupakan waktu optimum untuk menghasilkan profil fraksi serat terbaik.

Kata Kunci : Cairan rumen kerbau, daun dan pelepah sawit, fermentasi, fraksi serat, lignin.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fermentation length using buffalo rumen fluid as an inoculant on the fiber fraction composition of oil palm fronds and leaves. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was applied with five fermentation length (0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days) and four replications. The observed variables included Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. Analysis of Variance revealed that fermentation length had a highly significant effect (P<0.05) on hemicellulose and lignin contents, but had no significant effect (P>0.05) on NDF, ADF, and cellulose. Lignin content decreased significantly to its lowest point on day 21 (9.53%), while hemicellulose increased significantly up to 25.01% on day 28. The lignin reduction was driven by the high concentration of ligninolytic microbes in buffalo rumen fluid, which effectively degraded the lignin shield and released hemicellulose. It is concluded that a 21-day fermentation is the optimum duration to achieve the best fiber fraction profile.

Keyword : Buffalo rumen fluid, oil palm frond and leaves, fermentation, fiber fractions, Lignin.