Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Nilam (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) merupakan tanaman penghasil minyak atsiri yang memiliki nilai ekonomi tinggi, terutama di Provinsi Aceh. Minyak nilam digunakan dalam industri parfum, kosmetik, dan farmasi, serta menjadi salah satu komoditas ekspor unggulan Indonesia. Namun, dalam budidayanya, tanaman nilam kerap menghadapi serangan hama, salah satunya adalah kutu putih (Pseudococcus sp.), yang dapat mengganggu pertumbuhan dan menurunkan kualitas hasil panen. Serangan kutu putih menyebabkan kerusakan bentuk morfologi pada tanaman dan menurunkan efisiensi fotosintesis akibat munculnya cendawan jelaga dari ekskresi embun madu.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji intensitas serangan kutu putih pada tiga varietas nilam Aceh, yaitu Sidikalang, Tapak Tuan, dan Lhokseumawe, serta untuk mengetahui pengaruh serangan tersebut terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Kebun Percobaan, Laboratorium Hama Tumbuhan dan Laboratorium Dasar Perlindungan Tanaman Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Syiah Kuala sejak Desember 2024 hingga selesai. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) non-faktorial yang terdiri dari 3 varietas (V1 = Sidikalang, V2 = Tapak Tuan, V3 = Lhokseumawe), masing-masing dengan 6 ulangan, dengan setiap ulangan terdiri 3 unit tanaman nilam, sehingga diperoleh jumlah 54 unit percobaan. Masing-masing tanaman diinfestasi dengan 10 individu kutu putih, dan dilakukan pengamatan terhadap intensitas serangan, persentase serangan, jumlah individu, gejala kerusakan, tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, dan jumlah cabang.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ketiga varietas tanaman nilam terserang, dengan rata-rata intensitas serangan tertinggi terdapat pada varietas Tapak Tuan (40,28%), diikuti Sidikalang (38,89%) dan Lhokseumawe (37,50%), namun secara statistik tidak berbeda nyata. Populasi kutu putih meningkat dari hari ke-28 hingga ke-61 setelah infestasi, dengan jumlah individu tertinggi tercatat pada varietas Tapak Tuan (23,39 ekor). Gejala serangan meliputi klorosis, keriput, nekrosis, dan pertumbuhan cendawan jelaga, terutama pada pucuk dan batang.
Pertumbuhan tanaman menunjukkan bahwa varietas Sidikalang memiliki tinggi tanaman tertinggi (86,50 cm), varietas Lhokseumawe memiliki jumlah daun terbanyak (245,89 helai), dan varietas Tapak Tuan memiliki jumlah cabang terbanyak (27,61 cabang). Varietas Lhokseumawe juga tercatat memiliki intensitas serangan lebih rendah, sehingga dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai varietas yang lebih toleran terhadap serangan kutu putih.
Pengendalian kutu putih perlu dilakukan secara terpadu, terutama jika hama ini menjadi dominan dalam budidaya nilam. Penggunaan varietas toleran seperti Lhokseumawe, pengelolaan lingkungan, pemanfaatan musuh alami, serta penggunaan insektisida nabati ramah lingkungan dapat menjadi strategi pengendalian yang efektif dan berkelanjutan.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) is an essential oil-producing plant with high economic value, especially in the Aceh Province. Patchouli oil is widely used in the perfume, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries and serves as one of Indonesia’s leading export commodities. However, during its cultivation, patchouli plants are often attacked by pests, one of which is the mealybug (Pseudococcus sp.), which can disrupt growth and reduce yield quality. Mealybug infestations cause morphological damage to the plants and decrease photosynthetic efficiency due to the growth of sooty mold resulting from honeydew excretion. This study aimed to examine the intensity of mealybug infestation on three Aceh patchouli varieties—Sidikalang, Tapak Tuan, and Lhokseumawe—and to determine the effect of the infestation on plant growth. The research was conducted at the Experimental Field, the Insect Pest Laboratory, and the Basic Plant Protection Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, from December 2024 until completion. The study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) non-factorial with three varieties (V1 = Sidikalang, V2 = Tapak Tuan, V3 = Lhokseumawe), each with six replications, and each replication consisting of three patchouli plants, resulting in a total of 54 experimental units. Each plant was infested with ten individual mealybugs, and observations were made on infestation intensity, infestation percentage, number of individuals, damage symptoms, plant height, number of leaves, and number of branches. The results showed that all three patchouli varieties were infested, with the highest average infestation intensity observed in the Tapak Tuan variety (40.28%), followed by Sidikalang (38.89%) and Lhokseumawe (37.50%), although statistically not significantly different. The mealybug population increased from 28 to 61 days after infestation, with the highest number of individuals recorded in the Tapak Tuan variety (23.39 individuals). Symptoms of infestation included chlorosis, leaf wrinkling, necrosis, and the growth of sooty mold, particularly on shoots and stems. Plant growth observations showed that the Sidikalang variety had the highest plant height (86.50 cm), the Lhokseumawe variety had the highest number of leaves (245.89 leaves), and the Tapak Tuan variety had the highest number of branches (27.61 branches). The Lhokseumawe variety also exhibited a lower infestation intensity, indicating that it may be considered more tolerant to mealybug attacks. Integrated mealybug management is necessary, especially if this pest becomes dominant in patchouli cultivation. The use of tolerant varieties such as Lhokseumawe, proper environmental management, utilization of natural enemies, and the application of environmentally friendly botanical insecticides can serve as effective and sustainable control strategies.