Increase Resistance to Maydis Leaf Blight and Productivity of Maize in Ultisol Soils with A Combination of Organic Material and Biological Agents Biofresh

Abstract

Background: Low nutrient content in ultisol soils and the result of Maydis leaf rot are a major problem in efforts to increase corn productivity in Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The use of organic materials and biological agents is one of the solutions in increasing disease resistance and corn productivity in the environmentally friendly ultisol lands. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the biological agent Biofresh combined with various types of organic material to increase resistance to Maydis leaf rot and maize productivity in ultisol lands. Methods: Research in April-August 2017 in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. With 21 units of experiments using a random block design with 7 treatments in combination of Biofresh with organic material ‘Bokashi’. consists of: B0 = Inorganic fertilizer; B1 = Organic material of cow dung; B2 = Biofresh Biological Agent; B3 = Biofresh biological agent combined with cow dung organic matter; B4 = Biofresh biological agent combination with bokashi cow dung and straws; B5 = Biofresh combination of biological agents with bokashi cow dung and soybean Sitter; B6 = Biofresh Biological agent combination with all Cow, straw and soybean bokashi. Result: The results showed that the combination of Biofresh with organic material in the form of bokashi at a dose of 5 tons ha-1 was very effective in increasing the durability and productivity of corn plants in ultisol land. The combination of Biofresh biological agents with bokashi containing cow’s feses, straw, and soy litter can reduce Maydis leaf blight leaf blight disease by 47.36% and increase production by 53.54%. Disease suppression index is positively correlated with maize crop productivity in Ultisol land.