Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Produktivitas jagung masih terkendala oleh penurunan kesuburan tanah akibat degradasi lahan. Penggunaan bahan organik seperti biochar dan kompos dapat memperbaiki sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah sehingga meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman. Selain itu, kedalaman penempatan bahan organik serta penggunaan varietas yang tepat juga berperan dalam meningkatkan efisiensi penyerapan air dan unsur hara oleh tanaman. Penelitian ini bertujuan memperoleh kombinasi terbaik antara jenis bahan organik, kedalaman penempatan bahan organik dan varietas terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Rumah Kaca Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Syiah Kuala pada Januari–April 2026 menggunakan Rancangan Petak Terbagi (Split Split Plot Design) dengan tiga ulangan. Perlakuan terdiri atas jenis bahan organik, yaitu biochar 10 t ha⁻¹, kompos 10 t ha⁻¹ dan kombinasi biochar + kompos masing-masing 5 t ha⁻¹; kedalaman penempatan bahan organik, yaitu 5 cm dan 15 cm; serta dua varietas jagung, yaitu Bisi-2 dan Pioneer P35. Data dianalisis menggunakan analisis ragam (ANOVA) dan dilanjutkan dengan uji Duncan New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) pada taraf α ≤ 5%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa interaksi antara jenis bahan organik, kedalaman penempatan bahan organik dan varietas memberikan pengaruh nyata, hingga sangat nyata terhadap beberapa parameter pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung, terutama tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, berat berangkasan kering, bobot tongkol kering berkelobot, bobot jagung kering tanpa kelobot dan bobot pipilan kering. Secara umum, kombinasi biochar dan kompos memberikan respons yang lebih baik dibandingkan penggunaan biochar atau kompos secara tunggal. Penempatan bahan organik pada kedalaman 5 cm menghasilkan pertumbuhan yang lebih optimal karena berada pada zona perakaran aktif, sehingga penyerapan air dan unsur hara lebih efektif. Varietas Pioneer P35 menunjukkan respons pertumbuhan dan hasil yang lebih baik dibandingkan varietas Bisi-2 pada sebagian besar parameter yang diamati. Kombinasi biochar dan kompos yang diaplikasikan pada kedalaman 5 cm pada varietas Pioneer P35 paling efektif dalam meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung. Kombinasi perlakuan ini berpotensi menjadi alternatif teknologi budidaya untuk meningkatkan produktivitas jagung melalui perbaikan kesuburan tanah dan efisiensi pemanfaatan unsur hara.

Maize productivity remains constrained by declining soil fertility caused by land degradation. The application of organic amendments such as biochar and compost can improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, thereby enhancing plant growth and yield. In addition, the placement depth of organic amendments and the selection of appropriate maize varieties play important roles in improving the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake. This study aimed to determine the best combination of organic amendment type, placement depth, and maize variety for optimizing maize growth and yield. The experiment was conducted in the Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, from January to April 2026 using a Split-Split Plot Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of three types of organic amendments: biochar at 10 t ha⁻¹, compost at 10 t ha⁻¹, and a combination of biochar and compost, each applied at 5 t ha⁻¹; two placement depths (5 cm and 15 cm); and two maize varieties (Bisi-2 and Pioneer P35). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at a significance level of α ≤ 5%. The results showed that the interaction among organic amendment type, placement depth, and maize variety had significant to highly significant effects on several growth and yield parameters, particularly plant height, number of leaves, dry biomass weight, dry husked ear weight, dry unhusked ear weight, and dry grain weight. Overall, the combined application of biochar and compost produced better responses than the application of either biochar or compost alone. Placement of organic amendments at a depth of 5 cm resulted in more optimal plant growth because the amendments were located within the active root zone, thereby improving water and nutrient uptake efficiency. The Pioneer P35 variety exhibited superior growth and yield performance compared with the Bisi-2 variety for most of the observed parameters. The combination of biochar and compost applied at a depth of 5 cm to the Pioneer P35 variety was the most effective treatment for improving maize growth and yield. This treatment combination has the potential to serve as an alternative cultivation technology for increasing maize productivity through enhanced soil fertility and more efficient nutrient utilization.