Eco-enzyme enhanced the growth of rice cultivars

Abstract

Organic farming has been increasingly lately to support healthy food for consumers. Organic rice is already produced in Bali for local rice cultivars (red, white, and black color of rice) at Jatiluwih Village, Tabanan Regency using manure, compost and biopesticide. Nowadays, eco-enzyme can be applied as liquid organic fertilizer for increasing soil fertility. Eco-enzyme are produced by fermentation process from kitchen waste, such as rind of fruit and vegetables. The experiment was conducted to observed the used of eco-enzyme for rice growth using modification of SRI (System of Rice Intensification). The method initially started from seeds germination at media consist of soil, compost and manure (1:1:1). Three rice cultivars (Red Rice Jatiluwih, Red Rice Pulagan and White Rice ‘Mentik Susu’) seeds were growth using two solutions (commercial liquid organic fertilizer namely LOF (10%) and eco-enzyme (0.1%) for spraying with 5 replications. Seeds germinated almost 90-95% for both solution after four days. Red Rice from Jatiluwih showed significance increase using eco-enzyme on plant height about 25% higher than spraying by liquid organic fertilizer. Red Rice from Pulagan, Gianyar and White rice ‘Mentik Susu’ only enhanced 10% and 5%, higher using eco-enzyme respectively. Rice paddy that treated by eco-enzyme can be harvested (2-3 weeks) faster than using commercial liquid organic fertilizer. White rice ‘Mentik Susu’ showed positive response with eco-enzyme treatment because had more tillers to increase harvest product than other cultivars. The use of eco-enzyme can assist plant growth by enzyme activity in soil, therefore more availability of nutrients for root uptake.