Zeoponic formula for plant growth media for ornamental plants Aglaonema siam aurora and Anthurium crystallinum

Abstract

Plant growth media (PGM) play a crucial role in producing healthy and valuable ornamental plants. A good PGM has the suitable physical, chemical, and biological properties that can help realize the total growth and development potential of the plants. One PGM developed that meets these requirements is a zeoponic, made from zeolite, compost, and cocopeat as raw materials, and formulated specifically for ornamental plants. Ornamental plants are horticultural commodities with high economic value driven by fast-growing demand. However, a common problem in the cultivation of ornamental plants is the unwanted degradation in the appearance of the leaves, e.g., turning into pale and faded color. Hence, the application of an accurate dosage of macro and micro fertilizers on zeoponic ornamental plants can boost growth and enhance the aesthetic value of the plants. With this in mind, this study aimed to find the precise fertilizer formula, specially or even exclusively, for ornamental plants. The experiment was arranged in a factorial completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors, namely (1) plant species consisting of Aglaonema siam aurora and Anthurium crystallinum, and (2) fertilizer dosage consisting of different combinations of N, P, and K fertilizers as well as micro fertilizers. Test parameters observed were plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, leaf chlorophyll, and plant beauty. PGM analysis was carried out by measuring pH, EC, available-N, available-P, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable bases, organic-C, and micronutrients. This study showed that zeoponic with a dosage of 0.375 g/l NPK fertilizer was the best for Aglaonema siam aurora, while zeoponic with a dosage of 0.75 g/l of NPK fertilizer was the best for Anthurium crystallinum plants. The use of zeoponic media is highly recommended owing to its suitable chemical properties (e. g, neutral pH, favorable EC and CEC).