Biodegradable Pot (Biopot) Berbahan Dasar Limbah Ampas Tebu pada Pembibitan Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) Nielsen)

Abstract

Polybags used in the nursery process can cause environmental pollution after use, biodegradable pots (biopots) are one solution to reduce the use of polybags. This study aims to obtain biodegradable pots with the best composition on the physical and mechanical properties of bagasse waste and to obtain biodegradable pots with the best composition on sengon growth. The research design used was a Non-Factorial Completely Randomized Design with 3 treatments (P1 = 0.2 g/cm3; P2 = 0.3 g/cm3; P3 = 0.4 g/cm3) and 6 replications in each treatment. The parameters measured in the physical properties of biopots were water content, water absorption, volume expansion, thickness expansion, width expansion, in mechanical properties were axial pressure and diametral pressure, while in plant parameters were height, diameter, number of leaves, media compactness and seedling sturdiness. Printed seedling media (Biodegradable Pot) made from sugarcane bagasse in treatment P1 is the best treatment with a water content of 8.03%, water absorption capacity of 274.44%, volume expansion of 14.29%, height expansion of 18.82%, width expansion of 1.73%, axial pressure of 95.3 kgf/cm2, diametral pressure of 0.94 kgf/cm2, growth of sengon seedlings for 12 weeks, biopots in treatment P1 produced a plant height of 9.03 cm, a diameter of 0.86 mm, the number of leaves of 13.66 strands, media compactness of 100% and seedling sturdiness of 10.46.