Effect of coconut water concentration and planting media on growth and post-harvest characters of large chili using multivariate and non-parametric analyses

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the best practices for combination of planting media and coconut water concentration on large chilies growth characteristics using multivariate analysis. The second aim was to determine the best combination of temperature and cultivation combination for post-harvest characteristics of large chilies using non-parametric analyses. The study was conducted in Jeneponto Regency, Indonesia, at 100 meters above sea level with dusty clay soil and 21-34 °C temperatures. The study used two experimental set up. The first experiment was arranged in split-plot design with planting media (combination of soil, compost or husk charcoal) as main factor (3 level) and concentrations of coconut water as subplot (4 levels). The second experiment was the temperature conditions (the room and refrigeration temperature conditions) as the post-harvest experiment after the first experiment that arranged with a nested design. The observation parameters were consisted of 9 growth parameters in the first experiment analyzed by multivariate analyses and 2 post-harvest parameters in the second stage by non-parametric analyses. Based on the results of multivariate and non-parametric analyses, increase was observed in the cultivation technology effectiveness. The variance of growth and post-harvest characteristics of large chilies were more influenced by the coconut water than the planting media effect. Furthermore, the best concentration of coconut water in large chilli is expected to occur at 15%, with a blend of refrigeration temperature for post-harvest treatment. This value is recommended in the urban farming of large chillies, using organic applications