Effect of Rice Straw Compost and NPKMg Fertiliser Treatment on Growth of Sugar Palm [Arenga pinnata merr] Age 12 Months

Abstract

Sugar palm has the potential to be cultivated because it has multiple benefits from plant to production. One of the efforts to increase the production of Sugar Palm palm is by using cultivation techniques and effective nursery methods. Sugar Palm nursery research has been carried out by giving rice straw compost and NPKMg in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture Campus III, University of Andalas, Dharmasraya, West Sumatra with the research time from July to October 2023. This study aims to obtain the interaction of rice straw compost and soil with the best dose of NPKMg on the growth of palm seedlings. This research is in the form of experiments arranged in a randomized group design (RGD) 4 x 3 factorial pattern with 3 groups, so there are 36 experimental units. The first factor was the comparison of planting media with rice straw compost (M1: Rice straw compost 2.5 kg + Soil 2.5 kg, M2: Rice straw compost 3 kg + Soil 2 kg, and M3: Rice straw compost 3.5 kg + Soil 1.5 kg). The second factor is the dose of NPKMg fertilizer (P1: 130 g/polybag, P2: 140 g/polybag, P3: 150 g/polybag, and P4: 160 g/polybag). Observation data were analyzed with the F test at a 5% level and if F was continued with the DMRT test. The results of the experiment showed that there was no interaction between the comparison of soil media with rice straw compost and NPKMg fertilizer on growth. Keywords: sugar palm seedlings, rice straw compost, NPKMg fertilizer