Effect of shade covers and foliar fertilizer on the growth of pepper seeds

Abstract

The main problems with pepper plants in West Kalimantan are the availability of superior seeds for pepper, low productivity, and disease attacks. In contrast, the application of pepper cultivation techniques is still simple, the application of fertilizers is not under the recommended dosage, and the attack of pests and diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of cover types and foliar fertilizers on pepper seeds in nurseries. The treatment to be examined is the type of cover and foliar fertilizer. The types of hoods are: white plastic cover (S1), black paranet cover (S2); cover from coconut midrib (S3) and the foliar fertilizers used are without foliar fertilizer (D0) and foliar fertilizer (D1), the number of repetitions is 4 times, with the treatment combination consisted of S1D0, S1D1, S2D0, S2D1, S3D0, and S3D1 the number of plants per plot of 16 plants so that the total number of plants was 384 plants. The results show the combination of treatment between providing coconut leaf midrib cover with fertilization through leaves gives the best results on the growth percentage of live pepper seeds, plant height, leaves number, branches number, and segment number that grow on pepper seeds in a nursery. Therefore, it is recommended that in the seedbed for pepper, it is to use a cover from coconut leaf midrib and fertilized through the leaves.