Pengaruh Mulsa Organik Terhadap Populasi Arthropoda Predator dan Detrivor Tanah pada Tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.)

Abstract

The conservation of soil arthropods through sustainable agroecological practices is a key strategy to support agroecosystem stability. This study aimed to analyze the effects of various types of organic mulch on the population of soil-dwelling predator and detritivore arthropods in the cultivation of cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.). The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments: no mulch, plastic mulch, straw mulch, leaf litter mulch, and spent mushroom baglog mulch, each replicated five times. The results showed that straw mulch significantly increased the population of detritivore arthropods, particularly Collembola from the families Entomobryidae and Isotomidae. Meanwhile, leaf litter mulch was more effective in increasing predator arthropod populations, especially those from the families Formicidae and Lycosidae. Abiotic factors such as soil moisture and the C/N ratio of the mulch showed a positive correlation with the abundance of both arthropod groups. These findings indicate that organic mulch application not only enhances the diversity and abundance of soil arthropods but also serves as a promising strategy for biodiversity conservation in sustainable agricultural systems