Pengaruh Aplikasi Vermikompos terhadap Pertumbuhan, Kandungan Hara serta Hasil Tanaman Selada Hijau (Lactuca sativa L.) pada Budidaya Tanpa Tanah [Effect of Vermicompost Application on Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Yield of Green Lettuce (Lactuca sativ)]

<p>Budidaya tanpa tanah pada dekade terakhir ini semakin berkembang seiring dengan munculnya beberapa permasalahan budidaya tanaman konvensional di lahan pertanian. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menguji pengaruh aplikasi vermikompos padat dan cair terhadap pertumbuhan, kandungan hara, dan hasil tanaman selada hijau dengan jumlah tanaman per pot yang berbeda. Penelitian ini merupakan percobaan pot di rumah plastik yang menggunakan kultur substrat campuran cocopeat, zeolit, pasir dan vermikompos sebagai sumber nutrisi. Percobaan ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok Faktorial. Faktor I adalah macam aplikasi vermikompos (padat, padat+cair,dan cair) dan Faktor II adalah jumlah tanaman per pot (satu, dua, dan tiga tanaman per pot). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi vermikompos padat memberikan pertumbuhan tinggi tanaman (22,73 cm), jumlah daun (8,81), dan luas daun tanaman (974,76 cm2) tertinggi. Kandungan hara tertinggi terdapat pada aplikasi vermikompos padat dengan rata-rata masing-masing sebesar N= 4,39%, P=0,77% dan K=9,07%. Penanaman tiga tanaman per pot cenderung memberikan kandungan hara terendah pada ketiga metode aplikasi vermikompos. Namun, bobot segar biomassa dan hasil ekonomis tertinggi diperoleh pada aplikasi vermikompos padat dengan tiga tanaman per pot masing-masing sebesar 122,22 g dan 111,77 g. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi vermikompos padat dan tiga tanaman per pot dapat disarankan untuk budidaya tanpa tanah tanaman selada hijau.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong></p><p>Vermikompos; Pertumbuhan; Serapan hara; Hasil tanaman selada</p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>This study was a pot experiment in a plastic house using substrates culture and vermicompost as a source of plant nutrients. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of the application of vermicompost on growth, nutrient content and yield of green lettuce with different number of plants per pot. This experiment used a factorial randomized block design. The first factor was kinds of vermicompost application. The second factor was number of plant per pot. The research results showed that the application of solid vermicompost had the highest growth and nutrient uptake in plant height (22.73 cm), number of leaves (8.81) and leaf area (974.76 cm2) as well as an average of N = 4.39%, P = 0.77% and K = 9.07%. The treatments of solid+liquid vermicompost and liquid vermicompost alone, three plants per pot tend to provide the lowest nutrient uptake. However, the highest fresh weight of biomass and marketable yield was obtained in the application of solid vermicompost with three plants per pot by 122.22g and 111.77g, respectively. These results suggest that the application of solid vermicompost and three plants per pot is recommended in soilless culture for green lettuce plants.</p>

Growth of tomato plantlets in soilless culture, enriched with egg shell waste and algae

In this research, it was aimed to use the Chlorella Vulgaris algae, and eggshell waste (ESW) as different mineral sources for tomato plant nutrition in soilless culture. Algae is seen as safe, sustainable energy source. Egg shell waste is known to be valuable for high calcium content and minerals therefore, has been considered as mineral enrichment source. Although there are several papers on the soil nutrition, there is not as much information on eggshell waste and algae use for plant production in soilless culture. In the controlled atmosphere of the laboratory, a set-up was constructed for pumping the liquid medium (hydroponics) circulating in the tubes holding the tomato plantlets. The liquid nutrient solutions used for soilless culture treatments were media enriched with algae, enriched with ESW and blank (hydroponic only). Research was conducted for 3 months, the final weight of harvested tomatoes and mineral uptake of the plant (stalk and tomato) for different treatments were measured. Algae added medium gave higher results in tomato weight, than ESW added and blank treatments. Results showed that algae and ESW addition led to increased Ca content in harvested tomato, as well as minerals such as B, K, Mg, and Zn. The results were as expected in terms of increase in mineral contents, but the statistics showed no significant difference between treatments.

Evaluation of Silica Uptake from Foliar-Applied Silicon Nanoparticles in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) under Soilless Culture

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a fruit commodity that gets a great interest to be developed in Indonesia and has a high nutritional value. However, the fungal infection and pathogens in melon cultivation are considered significant problems that are difficult to manage. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve the productivity and quality of melon and prevent pest and disease attacks. One mineral nutrient that is assumed to enhance plant resistance and increase the quality and production of melon is silica. The purpose of the research was to evaluate silica absorption from foliar-applied silicon nanoparticles in melon under soilless culture and improve melon fruit's growth and quality by applying silica fertilizer. The experimental design used was a split-plot randomized complete block design 3 x 2 factorial pattern with four replicates. The main plot factor is silica fertilizer (Novelgro, water-soluble), consisting of three silica concentrations of 0.67; 1.33 ppm, and control. The spray volume of each treatment was 160 ml per plant with seven days' intervals and a frequency of three times. The subplot factor is melon varieties consisting of “Alisha” and “Glamour”. The findings showed that silica fertilizer significantly increased the plant height, stem diameter, internode length, total number of hermaphrodite flowers, number of hermaphrodite flowers that are swelling, while decreased the fruit moisture content and gave the best average fruit position. Instead, The “Glamour” variety gave the best response to plant growth and fruit quality. Moreover, the melon plant could absorb silica in the low category (<1% Si). The highest silica contents were found in the “Alisha” cultivar leaves and the “Glamour” cultivar's rinds treated with the silica concentration of 1.33 ppm as much as 0.34% and 0.30%, respectively.

Fertigation Temperature Adjustment Enhances the Yield and Quality of Saffron Grown in a Soilless Culture System

Saffron is one of the most appreciated, traditional, and expensive spices in the world. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of cooling the nutrient solution on the production, and organoleptic and commercial qualities of saffron grown in soilless culture. The nutrient solution was cooled to 4 to 5 °C whereas the control treatment was the fertigation supplied at ambient temperature. Corms were placed in a controlled cultivation chamber. The number of flowers per corms, and the weight and length of stigmas were measured. The amounts of safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin were analyzed spectrophotometrically according to the International Organization for Standardization [ISO/TS 3632-2 (2011) Normative]. Our results show that cooling of the nutritive solution increased flower production, the commercial phytochemical content, and organoleptic properties.