Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Inceptisol merupakan salah satu ordo tanah muda yang masih mengalami
perkembangan dan memiliki berbagai kendala, seperti tingkat kesuburan yang bervariasi,
stabilitas agregat yang rendah, kandungan bahan organik yang rendah, serta pH tanah yang
relatif rendah hingga sedang. Untuk mengatasi kendala tersebut, aplikasi biochar dan
kompos menjadi salah satu solusi yang potensial dalam meningkatkan serapan hara dan
pertumbuhan tanaman. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh berbagai jenis
biochar terhadap pertumbuhan dan serapan hara tanaman jagung (Zea mays L.) yang diberi
kompos pada tanah Inceptisol.
Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Kebun Percobaan Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Syiah
Kuala pada bulan Mei sampai Agustus 2024. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak
Kelompok (RAK) non faktorial dengan enam perlakuan dan tiga ulangan, yaitu B0 (kontrol),
B1 (biochar kelapa muda), B2 (biochar sekam padi), B3 (biochar kulit singkong), B4
(biochar ampas tebu), dan B5 (biochar kayu pulai). Masing-masing perlakuan diberikan
biochar dan kompos dengan dosis 20 t/ha, kecuali B0 (kontrol). Parameter yang diamati
meliputi tinggi tanaman, diameter batang, berat basah dan kering brangkasan atas, dan
serapan hara nitrogen (N), fosfor (P), dan kalium (K).
Sebelum digunakan, sampel tanah dianalisis kandungannya. Hasil menunjukkan pH
tanah tergolong sangan masam yaitu 4,46, kandungan C-organik 0,94%, N-Total 0,16%, Ptersedia 0,01%, dan K-total 0,06%. Sementara analisis proksimat biochar umumnya
memiliki pH basa dan kandungan karbon terikat yang tinggi. Kompos yang digunakan telah
memenuhi sebagian besar standar SNI, kecuali pH.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian beberapa jenis biochar-kompos
berpengaruh nyata terhadap tinggi tanaman jagung pada 15 HST, namun berpengaruh tidak
nyata pada 30, 45, dan 60 HST. Pemberian bebrapa jenis biochar-kompos berpengaruh tidak
nyata terhadap diameter batang dan serapan hara nitrogen (N), fosfor (P), dan kalium (K),
meskipun secara deskriptif terdapat variasi nilai antar perlakuan. Pemberian beberapa jenis
biochar-kompos dengan dosis 20 t/ha belum dapat meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan serapan
hara tanaman jagung yang ditanam pada Inceptisol.

Inceptisols are one of the young soil orders that are still undergoing development and face various constraints, such as varying fertility levels, low aggregate stability, low organic matter content, and relatively low to moderate soil pH. To address these limitations, the application of biochar and compost has emerged as a potential solution to enhance nutrient uptake and plant growth. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various types of biochar on the growth and nutrient uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) grown on Inceptisols with compost application. The research was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, from May to August 2024. A non-factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used, consisting of six treatments with three replications: B0 (control), B1 (young coconut husk biochar), B2 (rice husk biochar), B3 (cassava peel biochar), B4 (sugarcane bagasse biochar), and B5 (pulai wood biochar). Each treatment, except B0, received biochar and compost at a rate of 20 t/ha. The observed parameters included plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weight of aboveground biomass, and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) uptake. Prior to use, the soil samples were analyzed. The results showed that the soil had a very acidic pH of 4.46, with an organic C content of 0.94%, total N of 0.16%, available P of 0.01%, and total K of 0.06%. Meanwhile, proximate analysis indicated that biochar generally had an alkaline pH and high fixed carbon content. The compost used met most of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) requirements, except for pH. The results revealed that the application of various types of biochar-compost significantly affected maize plant height at 15 days after planting (DAP), but had no significant effect at 30, 45, and 60 DAP. The treatments also had no significant effect on stem diameter and N, P, and K uptake, although descriptive data showed variation among treatments. The application of various types of biochar-compost at a rate of 20 t/ha did not significantly improve the growth and nutrient uptake of maize grown on Inceptisols.