APPLICATION OF TRICHO-TITHONIA AS COMPOST AND ORGANIC AMELIORANT IN INDUCING GROWTH AND YIELD OF LOCAL-JAMBI VARIETIES OF RED CHILI

Abstract

The red chili is a superior horticultural product and are currently still a commodity contributing to significant inflation in the Jambi area. The red chili harvest in Jambi Province in 2020 was 10.77 tons ha-1, with national productivity of 12 tons ha-1, while the potential for chili production could exceed 20 tons ha-1. The cause of low chili productivity in Indonesia is the limitation of obtaining superior chili varieties that have stable superior characteristics in different agro-climates, and are less resistant to environmental stress. Environmental stress is the accumulation of the impact of farmers' dependence on intensive and excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, which has an impact on high production costs, the phenomenon of pest and other pathogen resurgence, the death of natural enemies, environmental pollution and threats to the safety of the products produced. The research was carried out to overcome the problem of low productivity of chili plants, especially in Jambi Province, consistency in the Application and Development of Environmentally Friendly Technology. The research results showed that the application of Tricho-tithonia 20 tons ha-1 and the recommended dose of 50% NPK fertilizer showed the best growth response and results in local-Jambi red chili varieties. The local varieties tested also have good adaptability to agro-climates that are different from the areas of origin of the chili varieties.

Keywords

• capsicum annuum
• plant breeding
• plant biotechnology
• environmentally friendly agriculture