Effect of soil conditioner enriched with biofertilizers to improve soil fertility and maize (Zea mays L.) growth on andisols Sinabung area

Abstract

Andisol soil contains a lot of heavy metals Al and Fe, which results in P being unavailable to plants and can cause low soil pH, this will inhibit plant growth. One effort that can be made to increase the availability of nutrients in the soil is by utilizing soil enhancing ingredients enriched with biological fertilizers. The research design used was factorial randomized block design (RBD) consisting of: Factor I: (biological fertilizers) M0 = without application, M1 = Talaromyces pinophilus (Hedgecock), M2 = Azotobacter sp, M3 = Mycorrhizae, M4 = Talaromyces pinophilus + mycorrhizae + Azotobacter sp. Factor II Soil enhancing ingredients, namely P0 = Without Soil Improvement, K1 = Zeolite 50 g, K2 = Humic acid 50 ml, K3 = compost / manure fertilizer for agriculture 50 g. From the results the combination of microbial treatment and soil conditioner can increase nitrogen in the soil by 2-40.81 %, cation exchange capacity by 1.7-44.29 % and P available by 1.3-49.36 %. Soil conditioner combined with biological fertilizers can improve soil quality in general, the best treatment is a combination treatment of T. pinophilus + mycorrhizae + Azotobacter sp. with coffee skin (M4P4).

Keywords

• andisol
• biological fertilizers
• maize
• soil conditioner
• soil fertility