PERTUMBUHAN Asystasia gangetica (L.) subsp. Micrantha YANG DIPUPUK DENGAN CAMPURAN KOTORAN SAPI DAN ARANG AKTIF - D.A. Yudistira; N. G. K. Roni; N. N.C. Kusumawati (Fakultas Peternakan Universitas Udayana, 2025)
Asystasia gangetica is a plant species initially recognized as a weed in oil palm, coconut, and rubber plantations, but it holds potential for development as a forage crop. This study aimed to determine the optimal mixture of cattle manure and activated charcoal that promotes the best growth performance of Asystasia gangetica (L.) subsp. Micrantha. The experiment was conducted over a period of 10 weeks in Sading Village, Mengwi District, Badung Regency, Bali Province. A completely randomized design (CRD) was employed with six treatments: P1 (no fertilizer/control), P2 (100% activated charcoal), P3 (100% cattle manure), P4 (75% cattle manure + 25% activated charcoal), P5 (50% cattle manure + 50% activated charcoal), and P6 (25% cattle manure + 75% activated charcoal), each replicated five times, resulting in a total of 30 experimental units. Observed variables included plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, stem diameter, and leaf area per pot. The results demonstrated that all combinations of cattle manure and activated charcoal did not significantly differ from the control in terms of the measured growth parameters. However, the highest tendencies for plant height and leaf number were observed in P3, while stem diameter and leaf area per pot tended to be highest in P4 and P6, respectively. It can be concluded that the application of cattle manure and activated charcoal mixtures did not significantly influence the vegetative growth of Asystasia gangetica subsp. Micrantha under the conditions of this study. ABSTRAK Asystasia gangetica adalah spesies pertama dikenal sebagai tanaman pengganggu atau gulma di perkebunan sawit, kelapa, dan karet yang berpotensi dibudidayakan sebagai tanaman pakan ternak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan campuran pupuk kandang sapi dan arang aktif yang memberi pertumbuhan terbaik pada tanaman Asystasia gangetica (L.) subsp. Micrantha. Penelitian ini berlokasi di Desa Sading, Kecamatan Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Provinsi Bali selama 10 minggu. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) yang terdiri dari 6 perlakuan diantaranya: P1 : tanpa pemberian pupuk; P2 : 100% arang akttif; P3 : 100% pupuk kotoran sapi; P4 : 75% pupuk kotoran sapi + 25% arang aktif; P5 : 50% pupuk kotoran sapi + 50% arang aktif; P6 : 25% pupuk kotoran sapi + 75% arang aktif, dan disetiap perlakuan diulang 5 kali sehingga terdapat 30 unit percobaan. Variabel yang diamati meliputi; tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, jumlah cabang, diameter batang, dan luas daun per pot. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa semua campuran pupuk kotoran sapi dan arang aktif menghasilkan tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, jumlah cabang, diameter batang, dan luas daun per pot yang tidak berbeda dengan tanpa pupuk (kontrol), namun tinggi tanaman dan jumlah daun cenderung paling tinggi pada perlakuan P3, sedangkan diameter batang dan luas daun per pot cenderung paling tinggi masing-masing pada perlakuan P4 dan P6. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa pemberian campuran pupuk kotoran sapi dan arang aktif belum berpengaruh terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman Asystasia gangetica subsp. Micrantha.