Aplikasi Pupuk Majemuk NPK Pada Beberapa Intensitas Naungan terhadap Pertumbuhan Bibit Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Abstract

Indonesia is the 3rd largest cocoa producer country in the world after Ivory Coast and Ghana. In terms of productivity, Indonesia is still below the average productivity of other countries producing cocoa. One contributing factor is the poor use of planting material. Nurseries is a process to obtain planting material and a starting point for all plant growth and development activities. Environmental factors that most influence the growth and development of cocoa seedlings are sunlight and nutrient availability. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of NPK compound fertilizer on some shade intensity on the growth of cocoa seedlings and to find out the best combination of treatments for growing cocoa seedlings. The study was conducted at the Gunung Gede Experimental Garden, Vocational School of IPB in January 2018 to July 2018. This study used a split plot design with two treatment factors and three replications. The treatments are shade intensity (30%, 55% and 80%) and NPK compound fertilizer application (0 g, 2 g). The intensity of the shade as a subplot and the main plot is the treatment of fertilization. The results showed the 30% shade intensity gave the highest real growth both plant height, number of leaves and leaf area index. Fertilization of 2 grams per polybag has a significant influence on the growth of plant height both in the shade of 30% and 60%. The best combination of treatments for the growth and development of cocoa plants in the nursery phase is 30% shade with the addition of 2 gram NPK compound fertilizer.