The Study of Shallot Seedling from TSS (True Shallot Seed) on LCAC (Low-Cost Aeroponic Chamber)

Abstract

True Seed Shallot (TSS) is the planting material beside bulbs that farmers in Indonesia have used. TSS give some benefit for farmer technically and economically. However, the farmer’s utilization of TSS is not used widely yet because there are constraints on the provision of shallot seeds from TSS, such as low seed growing percentage and seedling performance. This study aims to obtain the best seedling performance of shallot from TSS with LCAC (Low-Cost Aeroponic Chamber) technology. The experiment was conducted at the Plant Factory and Screen House, Leuwikopo, Department of Mechanical and Biosystems Engineering, IPB University, July to October 2021. The germination was carried out for seven days. After that, the shallot seedlings have given light source treatments. The factor was light sources, i.e., screen house (sunlight; as a control; used wick system hydroponic), white light, red-blue light, and custom light (LED in a controlled room with LCAC). The performance shallot seedling on sunlight source treatment gave the average plant height, the number of leaves higher than white, red-blue, and custom light on 3 and 4 weeks after sowing. The white light treatment gave the chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and total chlorophyll-a & b higher than the other light source treatments.