The effect of chitosan radiation of spinach plant based on agronomy characteristics on hydroponics floating system

Abstract

Oligo chitosan is chitosan with a low molecular weight that derived from the extraction of shrimp shells which are irradiated using gamma radiation. The growth hormone content in oligo chitosan is able to increase the growth and production of crop cultivation on conventional agriculture. The oligo chitosan application is generally sprayed on plants, especially on the leaves and stems of plants. This research aims to find out the most influential method of oligo chitosan application if it’s applied to the cultivation of hydroponic floating raft systems, also to explain the effect of the application of oligo chitosan on the growth and production of spinach plants in the cultivation of the hydroponic system. There are three different ways of treatments in this study applying oligo chitosan to floating raft hydroponic system, which are sprayed out on plants (P1), dissolved in hydroponic nutrient solutions (P2), a combination of both (P3), and accompanied by controls. The oligo chitosan concentration given was 100 ppm in each treatment. The method used in this research is a descriptive comparative method, using primary data which is then analyzed quantitatively by using graphs and T-test. The results of this research were the application of oligo chitosan influences the growth and production of spinach plants to the hydroponic floating raft system. The treatment of oligo chitosan dissolution in the hydroponic nutrient solution (P2) was the treatment that gave the best influence to the height of the plant, number of leaves, and the amount of the yield of spinach compared to the other treatments. The width of the leaf does not have a significant effect on each treatment given.