Efek Jenis Bioaktivator pada Pupuk Bokashi terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Cabai Merah Besar (Capsicum annuum L.) dan Cabai Katokkon (Capsicum chinense Jacq.)

Abstract

Soilless cultivation is one strategy to address the shortage of arable land in urban areas. Utilizing organic waste is crucial for reducing reliance on inorganic fertilizers and promoting environmental sustainability. The Katokkon chili is native to Toraja; its cultivation warrants wider promotion, and it serves to demonstrate that both Katokkon chili (Capsicum anmaum L.) and large red chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) can be grown successfully without soil. Previous studies have shown that adding organic matter such as cow manure fermented with local microorganisms (MOL) and EM4 influences the growth parameters of bird's eye chili plants. However, no prior research has evaluated the performance of bokashi fertilizer prepared with these MOLs on Katokkon and large red chili varieties. This study utilized banana corm MOL to compare its performance against bamboo shoot MOL and EM4 regarding plant growth responses. The research analyzed the growth responses of large red chili and Katokkon chili to bokashi fertilizer activated with bamboo shoots, banana corms, and EM4, all fermented for 22 days. Analyzed parameters included pH, electrical conductivity, and growth metrics specifically plant height, stem diameter, leaf count, leaf area, and plant mass measured over a 30-day period. The results indicate that the fertilizers influenced the height of large red chili plants and the leaf area of Katokkon chili plants but did not significantly affect other growth parameters, such as stem diameter, leaf count, or plant mass.