Eco‐Friendly Practices for Cultivating Moringa oleifera to Restore Degraded Peatlands and Address Human Needs

Eco‐friendly agriculture is needed for degraded peatland rehabilitation purposes while also meeting community needs to reduce pressure on the land. The selection of plant species must meet the criteria for these two purposes. Moringa oleifera has been identified as capable of growing on marginal lands such as degraded peatland. This research aims to examine the impact of ameliorants and manure compost on the growth of M. oleifera cultivated in degraded peatlands. The study employed a split‐plot design, with ameliorants as the primary factor (A1 = dolomite; A2 = oil palm empty fruit bunch ash [OPEFBA]), and manure compost as the secondary factor (F1 = goat manure; F2 = chicken manure; F3 = no manure addition). The results indicated a significant interaction between ameliorants and manure compost in influencing plant height, base diameter, and branch diameter, at 4 months after planting (MAP). The combination of dolomite and chicken manure compost was found to be the most effective in promoting the growth of moringa in peatlands for height, base diameter, branch diameter, and number of leaf branches. On average, the total of nutrient contents was observed in the A1F2 treatment. Moringa shows great potential for development on degraded peatlands, serving both land rehabilitation goals and addressing the community’s nutritional food requirements.