Enrichment of growing media using biochar, compost, and nanosilica for the cultivation of Oryza sativa L.
¹School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, ID40132 Bandung, Indonesia
²University Center of Excellence for Nutraceuticals, Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Center, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, ID40132 Bandung, Indonesia
*Correspondence: yusuf@sith.itb.ac.id
Abstract:
This study investigated the effect of growing media composition on the growth and productivity of Oryza sativa var. Inpago 7 cultivated in polybags at Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia, for 126 days. A randomized block design was applied with nine combinations of growing media. Each treatment consisted of five polybags and was replicated three times. Plant height, number of leaves, and tillers were measured at 15, 30, and 45 days after transplanting to observe the growth parameters. While, for estimation of productivity were recorded the weight of dry grain harvest (DGH), the weight of dry milled grain (DMG), and the weight of 100 grains (g) were recorded for each treatment for estimation of productivity. The results showed that the highest number of panicles (24 panicles per plant), the weight of dry harvested grain (21.74 g per plant), and weight of dry milled grain (17.83 g per plant) were obtained when cultivated with a growing medium containing soil, biochar, synthetic fertilizer, urea and sprayed with nano-silica. The growing media composition did not influence the weight of 100 grains because it is more influenced by genetic characteristics. An appropriate combination of soil, biochar, synthetic fertilizer, urea, and sprayed with nano-silica is recommended as a growing media for cultivating O. sativa L. var. Inpago 7.
Key words:
biochar, growing media, nanosilica, Oryza sativa