Effect Of Dosage And Time Of Giving KCI Fertilizer On Growth And Production Of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays Saccharata Surt.)

Feb 27, 2025 by ADMIN 118 views

**Effect of Dosage and Time of Giving KCl Fertilizer on Growth and Production of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays Saccharata Surt.)**

Introduction

The cultivation of sweet corn (Zea Mays Saccharata Surt.) is a significant agricultural activity that provides a substantial source of income for farmers worldwide. However, the growth and production of sweet corn are influenced by various factors, including the dosage and time of giving fertilizers. One of the essential fertilizers used in sweet corn cultivation is potassium chloride (KCl), which plays a crucial role in promoting plant growth and development. This study aims to investigate the effect of dosage and time of giving KCl fertilizer on the growth and production of sweet corn.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic University of North Sumatra (UISU), located in Medan Johor District. The experiment was carried out from August to October 2003, for three months. The design used was a random design of factorial groups, with two factors noticed: the dose of KCl fertilizer and the time of giving KCl fertilizer.

Dose of KCl Fertilizer

The dose of KCl fertilizer was divided into three levels, namely K1 (70 kg/ha), K2 (140 kg/ha), and K3 (210 kg/ha). The application of KCl fertilizer at these doses was expected to influence the growth and production of sweet corn.

Time of Giving KCl Fertilizer

The time of giving KCl fertilizer was divided into four levels, namely T0 (0 HST), T1 (10 HST), T2 (20 HST), and T3 (30 HST). The application of KCl fertilizer at these times was expected to influence the growth and production of sweet corn.

Parameters Observed

Various parameters were observed to assess the impact of the treatment, including:

Plant height at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 months after sowing (MST)
Stem diameter
Leaf area
Number of chlorophyll
Length and diameter of cob
Production per plant and per plot

Results

The results showed that the treatment of the KCl fertilizer dose had a significant effect on plant height at the age of 6 MST, as well as production per plant and production per plot. However, this treatment did not indicate a significant effect on plant height at the ages of 2 and 4 MST, stem diameter, leaf area, number of chlorophyll, length and diameter of cobs, tuna length that is not filled with seeds, and the number of rows of seeds per cob.

Meanwhile, the treatment of KCl fertilizer time also had a significant effect on plant height at the age of 6 MST, stem diameter, leaf area, number of chlorophyll, and production per plant and per plot. However, its effect on plant height at the ages of 2 and 4 MST, the length and diameter of the cob, the length of the cob that is not filled with seeds, and the number of seed rows per cob did not show significant results.

Analysis of Interaction

Analysis of the interaction between the dose and time of KCl fertilizer did not show a significant effect on all observed parameters, indicating that although each treatment had a certain effect, the combination of these two factors did not produce significant differences in the measurement of growth and production of sweet corn.

Discussion

This study shows the importance of selecting doses and time of fertilizer in sweet corn cultivation. By understanding the effect of KCl fertilizer, farmers can be more effective in increasing their agricultural output, so as to increase productivity and agricultural economy. In addition, this research contributes to the development of sustainable and efficient agricultural practices, which are important in meeting the needs of food that continues to increase.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of KCl fertilizer in promoting the growth and production of sweet corn. The results of this study suggest that the optimal dose and time of giving KCl fertilizer are crucial in achieving maximum growth and production of sweet corn. Therefore, farmers should consider the optimal dose and time of giving KCl fertilizer to improve their agricultural output and contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Farmers should apply KCl fertilizer at the optimal dose and time to promote the growth and production of sweet corn.
Further research should be conducted to investigate the effect of other fertilizers on the growth and production of sweet corn.
The development of sustainable and efficient agricultural practices should be promoted to meet the increasing demand for food.

Limitations

This study has several limitations, including:

The study was conducted in a single location, which may not be representative of other locations.
The study only investigated the effect of KCl fertilizer on the growth and production of sweet corn, and did not consider other factors that may influence agricultural output.

Future Research Directions

Future research should focus on investigating the effect of other fertilizers on the growth and production of sweet corn, as well as developing sustainable and efficient agricultural practices to meet the increasing demand for food.

References

[List of references cited in the study]

Appendix

[Appendix containing additional information, such as tables and figures]

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Q: What is the purpose of this study?

A: The main purpose of this study is to determine the optimal dose and time of giving KCl fertilizer in supporting the growth and production of sweet corn.

Q: What are the factors noticed in this study?

A: The two factors noticed in this study are the dose of KCl fertilizer and the time of giving KCl fertilizer.

Q: What are the levels of KCl fertilizer dose used in this study?

A: The levels of KCl fertilizer dose used in this study are K1 (70 kg/ha), K2 (140 kg/ha), and K3 (210 kg/ha).

Q: What are the levels of time of giving KCl fertilizer used in this study?

A: The levels of time of giving KCl fertilizer used in this study are T0 (0 HST), T1 (10 HST), T2 (20 HST), and T3 (30 HST).

Q: What parameters are observed in this study?

A: The parameters observed in this study include plant height at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 months after sowing (MST), stem diameter, leaf area, number of chlorophyll, length and diameter of cob, production per plant and per plot.

Q: What are the results of this study?

A: The results of this study show that the treatment of the KCl fertilizer dose has a significant effect on plant height at the age of 6 MST, as well as production per plant and production per plot. However, this treatment does not indicate a significant effect on plant height at the ages of 2 and 4 MST, stem diameter, leaf area, number of chlorophyll, length and diameter of cobs, tuna length that is not filled with seeds, and the number of rows of seeds per cob.

Q: What is the significance of this study?

A: This study shows the importance of selecting doses and time of fertilizer in sweet corn cultivation. By understanding the effect of KCl fertilizer, farmers can be more effective in increasing their agricultural output, so as to increase productivity and agricultural economy.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: This study has several limitations, including the study was conducted in a single location, which may not be representative of other locations, and the study only investigated the effect of KCl fertilizer on the growth and production of sweet corn, and did not consider other factors that may influence agricultural output.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: Future research should focus on investigating the effect of other fertilizers on the growth and production of sweet corn, as well as developing sustainable and efficient agricultural practices to meet the increasing demand for food.

Q: What are the recommendations of this study?

A: Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Farmers should apply KCl fertilizer at the optimal dose and time to promote the growth and production of sweet corn.
Further research should be conducted to investigate the effect of other fertilizers on the growth and production of sweet corn.
The development of sustainable and efficient agricultural practices should be promoted to meet the increasing demand for food.

Q: What are the implications of this study?

A: The implications of this study are that farmers should consider the optimal dose and time of giving KCl fertilizer to improve their agricultural output and contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.

Q: What are the conclusions of this study?

A: In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of KCl fertilizer in promoting the growth and production of sweet corn. The results of this study suggest that the optimal dose and time of giving KCl fertilizer are crucial in achieving maximum growth and production of sweet corn.