Abstract
The objective of the research was to study the interaction between soil moisture content and animal manure application on the growth of Mendong (Fimbristylis globulosa (Retz.) Kunt). The experiment was conducted in May until September 2016 in Kampung Lembur Sawah, Kamulyan Village, Manonjaya Subdistrict, Tasikmalaya Regency. A pot experiment was performed using a factorial design consisting of two factors and three replicates. The factors were soil moisture content (K) consisting of four levels i.e. k1 (100% field capacity (FC)), k2 (150% FC), k3 (200% FC), and k4 (250% FC); and animal manure application (P) consisting of p1 (cattle manure), p2 (broiler chicken manure), and p3 (sheep manure). The indicators of plant growth, i.e. plant height, number of tiller, fresh weight and dry weight of plant biomass, shoot/root ratio, percentage of the >75cm-long stems, water consumption, and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured. The results showed that there was an interaction effect between the soil moisture content and animal manure application on the number of tiller at 45 days after planting (DAP), the percentage of the >75 cm-long stems, and the water consumption. The sheep manure application at any levels of soil moisture content resulted in better effect on the growth of Mendong, water use efficiency, and quality of stem (the percentage of the >75cm-long stems). The soil moisture content above the field capacity resulted in better effect on the growth of Mendong, indicating that Mendong is more suitable to grow on the land with the soil moisture content above the field capacity or saturated soil during the whole growing period. Keywords: Manure, Mendong, soil moisture content
Highlights
Soil is a complex living system containing different types of organisms with different functions to perform various vital processes for terrestrial life
Determining the land suitability for a crop-specific may not be suitable and causes planting failure because it does not take into account the biological function of soil which can increase soil fertility (Anwar et al 2010; Edwards 1977)
There is a biological soil harmful parasitic in soil that can reduce the soil productivity like some kind of nematode that is biologically important in soil, and Fusarium that spread through the soil-born disease and other organisms (Giller et al 1997; Lal 1995; Zangarle et al 2011)
Summary
Soil is a complex living system containing different types of organisms with different functions to perform various vital processes for terrestrial life. Important role in the overhaul of organic matter and biological soil nutrient cycling put as a central factor in maintaining soil fertility and productivity (Alexander 1977; Rao 1994). Synchronization empowerment soil biological resources to improve soil productivity by providing soil media as a place to grow plants that are appropriate to support the activities of each of the target organisms will improve the efficiency of land and resource management can take place in a. J Trop Soils, Vol 18, No 3 2013: 231-239 ISSN 0852-257X sustainable manner in an effort to support the development of environmentally sustainable agriculture determining the suitability of land for farming systems becomes very important (Giller et al 1997). The interaction between biological soil populations and other factors such as soil nutrient content and soil physical properties were needed to know to get the optimum soil productivity (Ayuke et al 2011)
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