The THE APPLICATION OF VARIOUS DOSES OF SOLID ORGANIC FERTILIZER TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PAKCOY (Brassica chinensis L.) IN THE LATOSOL SOIL

Abstract

According to the statistical data, there is 180.000 ha of soil per year turned into a non-agriculture soil. One of the efforts to overcome that problem is by utilizing less productive soils in Indonesia, such as latosol soil whose area is equal to 84,63 million hectares. The latosol soil is generally spread in the mountainside and acidic. The use of organic waste such as water hyacinth and swallow waste as solid organic fertilizer can improve the growth of Pak Choy plants. This research used the complete random design of mono factor 5x4. The treatments given were fertilizer doses namely control (P1), 50 kg N of organic fertilizer/ha (P2), 100 kg N of organic fertilizer/ha (P3), 150 kg N of organic fertilizer/ha (P4), and 200 kg N of organic fertilizer/ha (P5). The observed parameters were the plant height, the leaves total, the leaves area, the gross weight, the dry matter content, and the plant chlorophyll level. The data were processed using variance analysis (ANOVA), if there was an influence, it was continued by using the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) with the reliance level of 95%. This research was conducted at the greenhouse and Plant Ecology and Production Laboratory of Animal and Agriculture Faculty of the University of Diponegoro from March to June 2019. The research results indicated that the organic fertilizer treatment of 150 kg N/he gave the best response and could improve the plant height of 34%, the leaves total of 45,79%, the leaves area of 35, 98%, and the gross weight of 84% than the control.