Impact of Mycorrhiza Fungi from Grassland Rhizosphere and Liquid Organic Fertilizer to the Growth and Yield of Sweet Corn on Ultisols in South Konawe, Indonesia

Abstract

This research was conducted in the Abenggi of village, District of Landono, Regency of South Konawe, Province of Southeast Sulawesi and Laboratory of the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Science Halu Oleo University Kendari, Indonesia took place from November, 2014 untill April, 2015. This study aims to determine the effect of mycorrhiza fungi from granssland and liquid organic fertilizer to the growth and yield of sweet corn on Ultisols Abenggi. This research is compiled using a randomized block design (RBD) with factorial pattern. The first factor are mycorrhiza fungi (M) with three levels: without mycorrhiza fungi (M0), mycorrhiza as 20 g each planting hole (M1), mycorrhiza as 40 g each planting hole (M2) and second factor are liquid organic fertilizer (P) which comprises three levels of treatment: without liquid organic fertilizer (P0) liquid organic fertilizer as 50 ml L-1 water each plot (P1), liquid organic fertilizer as 100 ml L-1 water each plot (P2). The combination of these two factors obtained 9 combinations of each treatment was repeated three times in order to obtain the amount of 27 experimental units. The observed variables in this study were plant height, stem diameter, cob weight with husk, corn cob without husk, cob length, cob diameter, number and percentage of mycorrhiza infection on the roots of the sweet corn. The results showed that the interaction between mycorrhiza fungi and liquid organic fertilizer has a significant effect on the plant height age 42 days after planting and cob weight without husk with the best results obtained in the treatment of mycorrhiza as 40 g hole-1 with liquid organic fertilizer as 50 ml L-1 water. Application the mycorrhiza fungi as 40 g hole-1 gives the best results on the growth and yield of sweet corn.