The effect of combination of sugarcane pressmud compost and potassium fertilizer on vegetative growth of corn in coastal sandy soil

Abstract

Generally, coastal sandy soil has low water content and potassium nutrients. One way to fix this is by adding organic matter and potassium fertilizers. Sugarcane press mud compost as organic material acts as a slow-release fertilizer, it has an effect long enough to support plant growth. A pot experiment was carried out to test the probability of combining sugarcane press mud compost and potassium fertilizer to improve the vegetative growth of corn plants in coastal sandy soils. This research was arranged in a factorial completely randomized design. The first factor is the dosages of sugarcane press mud compost (0, 20, 25, 30, 35 tons per hectare). The second factor is the dosages of potassium fertilizer (0, 60, 90, and 120 kg K2O per hectare). After applying basal fertilizer (120 kg N per hectare and 90 kg P2O5 per hectare) and the treatment factor has been applied, the corn seed is planted and grown until vegetative growth or at flowering. The results showed that sugarcane press mud compost and potassium fertilizer interacted with the effect of shoots fresh and dry weight, fresh weight, and root dry weight. The combination treatment of 25 tons of sugarcane press mud compost per hectare and 90 kg K2O per hectare (B2P2) resulted in the highest fresh weight and dry weight of shoots. Meanwhile, the combination of 0 tons of sugarcane press mud compost per hectare and 120 kg K2O per hectare (B0P3) produced the highest fresh weight and plant roots' dry weight. The two treatments did not interact in influencing plant height and potassium content in the corn leaf tissue. Both the sugarcane press mud treatment (20, 25, 30 and 35 tons per hectare), and the application of potassium fertilizer (60 and 90 kg K2O per hectare) significantly increased plant height growth. The highest dosage of sugarcane press mud compost (35 tons per hectare) and potassium fertilizer (120 kg K2O per hectare) produces potassium content in plant leaf tissue