ANALISIS PERBANDINGAN LAJU PERTUMBUHAN RUMPUT PAKCHONG MENGGUNAKAN PUPUK ORGANIK DAN ANORGANIIK

Abstract

Pakchong grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is a forage crop with the potential to meet the feed requirements of ruminants. Optimizing its growth requires the selection of an appropriate fertilizer, as this factor influences plant height, leaf count, and biomass production. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine differences in the growth of Pakchong grass treated with organic versus inorganic fertilizers, aiming to determine which type is more effective for supporting plant growth.

The study was carried out in July 2026 in Kenteng (RT 03 RW 02, Ngadirojo Kidul, Ngadirojo, Wonogiri) using an experimental design with two treatments—organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer—applied to 10 plants each. Observations were conducted over four weeks, measuring parameters such as plant height, leaf count, fresh weight, and dry weight. Data were analyzed using an Independent Samples t-test to assess growth differences between the two treatments.

The analysis revealed highly significant differences (P<0.01) between the organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments across all observed growth parameters. Inorganic fertilizer yielded an average plant height of 59.60 cm, 14.75 leaves, a fresh weight of 235.90 g, and a dry weight of 96.90 g. In contrast, organic fertilizer resulted in an average plant height of 49.21 cm, 9.63 leaves, a fresh weight of 138.00 g, and a dry weight of 25.30 g. Based on these results, inorganic fertilizer produced superior growth outcomes compared to organic fertilizer across all measured parameters. Thus, inorganic fertilizer proved more effective in supporting Pakchong grass growth under the conditions of this study. The research findings are expected to serve as a basis for consideration when selecting fertilizers to enhance the growth and production of forage.