Pengaruh Pupuk Organik Cair Limbah Kulit Nanas dan Pupuk Kalium terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Produksi Jagung Manis (Zea mays saccharata Sturt)

Abstract

The consumption of sweet corn in Indonesia continues to increase, but domestic production has not yet met the demand. Efforts to improve productivity can be made through proper fertilization. The use of inorganic potassium fertilizer such as KCl needs to be balanced with environmentally friendly alternatives, such as liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) made from pineapple peel waste. Tests showed that pineapple peel waste contains C-organic 1.11%, N-total 0.17%, P₂O₅ 0.05%, K₂O 0.25% and pH 4.06. This study aims to evaluate the effects of LOF application on sweet corn growth and to understand the plant's response to the combination of LOF and chemical potassium fertilizer doses. The research was conducted on Tengku Amir Hamzah Street, Langkat Regency, Binjai Utara District, Binjai City, North Sumatra. The site is located at coordinates 3°39'28.9 "N and 98°27'31.4 "E, at an altitude of ±30 meters above sea level (masl), from January to March 2025. The experiment used a randomized block design with two treatment factors and four replications. The first factor was LOF application (0; 4,000 l/ha), and the second factor was potassium fertilizer (KCl) application (0; 150; 200 kg/ha). The results showed that LOF application at 4,000 l/ha significantly affected leaf area and plot weight. Potassium fertilizer application significantly affected plant height and leaf area. No interaction was observed between LOF and potassium fertilizer treatments