Management of macro and micro nutrients to suppress flower yield fluctuations in productive clove

Abstract

Yield fluctuations in cloves are still an unsolved problem. This study aimed to increase vegetative and reproductive shoots to stimulate flowering by applying macro and micronutrients using 30 years old clove-plant. The treatments tested were: (p0) control, (p1) NPKMg (4:1:3:0,4), (p2) NPKMg (4:1:3:0,4) + 30 g B + 30 g Zn, and (p3) NPKMg (4:1:3:0,4) + 60 g B + 60 g Zn. The dose of NPKMg given was adjusted to the plant-based on the SOP for fertilizing cloves aged 34 years, namely 8.4 kg (N=4 kg, P2O5=1 kg, K2O=3 kg, and MgO=0.4 kg per tree per year). The results showed that fertilizer application could improve canopy and branch conditions after a large harvest season and increase the number of shoots. Meanwhile, micro fertilizers B and Zn (p3) application during the small harvest season can increase the production of fresh flowers 303.27-516.67% higher than the control. During the medium harvest season, it is only 122.37%. In the large harvest season, macro fertilizer (p1) increased the production of fresh flowers by 135.53%, higher than the control. This study indicates that clove plants aged >30 years can still increase their productivity through macro and micronutrient management and suppress yield fluctuations.