Potential Use of Water Hyacinth (<i>Eichhornia crassipes</i>) as Growth Media: The Comparison of Acid and Base Treatment

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using water hyacinth (WH) as growth media. It was carried out using different treatments, acid, and base, characterized by microscope optic, swelling index, soil water retention, and observing the growth of mung bean seeds for seven days. The results showed that the highest swelling index was NaOH solution treatment in WH with a 2.5 – 2 cm diameter at 560%. It was also shown that soil samples using WH with NaOH treatment can retain water, enhancing mung bean seeds’ rapid growth. Therefore, this preliminary study shows the potential use of WH as growth media.