PENGARUH VERMIKOMPOS DAN KOMPOS KULIT BUAH KAKAO TERHADAP KUALITAS TANAH OXISOL DAN PERTUMBUHAN TANAMAN JAGUNG PULUT (Zea mays ceratina L.)

Abstract

Oxisol are soils with advanced weathering and have oxic horizon boundaries, very high clay fractions, low cation exchange capacity, and have unclear horizon boundaries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of vermicompost and cocoa peel compost on several chemical and biological properties as well as the growth of waxy corn on Oxisol. This study used a randomized block design consisting of four treatments, namely P0: no fertilizer (control), P1: 4% of the weight of the growing media (equivalent to 400 g: 100 g vermicompost + cocoa peel compost 300 g), P2: 8% of the weight of the soil (equivalent to 800 g: 200 g vermicompost + cocoa peel compost 600 g) and P3: 12% of the weight of the planting medium (equivalent to 1200 g: 300 g vermicompost + cocoa peel compost 900 g). Each treatment was repeated four times, so there were 16 experimental units (polybags). The results showed that the use of vermicompost and cocoa peel compost increased soil pH from 6.9 to 7.1; organic-C from 2.63% to 3.62% and total-N from 0.079% to 0.098%, the nematode population varied in each treatment between 14-21 individuals. The tallest plants were recorded by P3 treatment with 12% fertilization by weight of 1200 g growing media after 8 weeks of experimentation.