EFEKTIVITAS PUPUK ORGANIK CAIR LIMBAH CUCIAN BERAS DAN CANGKANG KERANG TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN DAN HASIL TANAMAN CABAI MERAH (Capsicum annuum L.)

EFFECTIVENESS OF LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZER FROM RICE WATER AND CLAM SHELLS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF RED CHILLI PLANTS (Capsicum annuum L.)

Cabai merah (Capsicum annuum L.) termasuk kelompok sayuran yang sering dimanfaatkan. Kendatipun demikian, suplai  cabai yang tersedia belum dapat mencukupi kebutuhan pasar. Dalam meningkatkan produktivitas tanaman, pupuk yang lazim digunakan dalam bidang pertanian adalah pupuk anorganik. Namun dalam penggunaannya, pupuk anorganik dapat merusak tanah serta ekosistem pertanian apabila diberikan dalam jumlah yang berlebihan dan harganya juga relatif mahal. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas  pupuk organik cair limbah cucian beras dan cangkang kerang darah terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman cabai merah (Capsicum annuum L.). Rancangan penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) dengan satu perlakuan, yakni konsentrasi POC cucian beras dan cangkang kerang meliputi 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, serta pupuk NPK + ZA dengan empat kali pengulangan. Parameter yang diamati di antaranya adalah tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, diameter batang, umur berbunga, serta jumlah dan berat buah segar per tanaman. Data yang sudah diperoleh dianalisis dengan menggunakan one way Anova dan untuk mengetahui ada tidaknya beda nyata antara rata-rata perlakuan dilakukan uji Duncan. Hasil penelitian menyatakan bahwa terdapat pengaruh signifikan dari pemberian POC cucian beras dan cangkang kerang dengan konsentrasi yang berbeda serta pupuk NPK + ZA terhadap tinggi tanaman, umur berbunga, serta jumlah dan berat buah per tanaman, tapi tidak berpengaruh terhadap jumlah daun dan diameter batang tanaman. Perlakuan optimal terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman cabai merah terdapat pada POC 40%.

Kata kunci: cabai merah, POC, cucian beras, cangkang kerang darah

Red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) is frequently used in various culinary dishes. Nevertheless, the supply of available red chili has not been sufficient to meet market demands. To enhance the productivity of the crop, inorganic fertilizers are commonly used in agriculture. However, excessive application of inorganic fertilizers can damage the soil and agricultural ecosystems, and their prices are relatively high. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of liquid organic fertilizer from rice water and blood clam shells on the growth and yield of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.). The research design employed was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RAK) with one treatment, namely the concentration of liquid organic fertilizer from rice water and blood clam shells, including 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and NPK + ZA fertilizer, with four replications. The observed parameters included plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, flowering age, and the number and weight of fresh fruits per plant. The obtained data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and Duncan's test was conducted to determine the significant differences between treatment means. The results showed a significant effect of the application of liquid organic fertilizer from rice water and blood clam shells at different concentrations and NPK + ZA fertilizer on plant height, flowering age, and the number and weight of fruits per plant, but no significant effect on the number of leaves and stem diameter. The optimal treatment for the growth and yield of red chili was found at a 40% concentration of the liquid organic fertilizer.

Keywords: red chili, POC, rice water, clam shells