APPLICATION OF BIOSTIMULANTS BASED ON PADDY STRAW COMPOST AND INORGANIC FERTILIZER IN INCREASING SOIL FERTILITY AND RED CHILLI YIELD

Abstract

Salinity due to abiotic stress can reduce the yield and productivity of agricultural crops. The negative effects of salinity stress can be overcome by adding soil organic matter that is enriched with beneficial microbes. The aim of this research is to evaluate the application of a combination of straw compost with biostimulant microbes and doses of N, P, K fertilizer which can increase soil fertility and red chili yields and can reduce the use of inorganic fertilizer doses on Inceptisols saline and non-saline soils. The research was designed using the Randomized Block Design with 14 treatments combination and three replications, namely control treatment, as well as a combination of rice straw compost without or with added biostimulants with reduced doses of N, P, K fertilizer on non-saline and saline soils (4 dS /m). The research results showed that the combination of straw compost treated with biostimulants with various levels of N, P, K fertilizer doses was able to increase plant N content, Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) population and red chili plant yields in both saline and non-saline Inceptisols. Biostimulants applied to straw compost can reduce the use of N, P and K fertilizer doses by up to ¼ of the recommended dose for the fruit weight of chili plants planted in saline Inceptisols soil