The effects of biofertilizer with different drying system and storage period on growth and production of tomato and potato in the field

Abstract

Biofertilizer is one alternative of fertilizer that is able to increase soil fertility and crop production. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of biofertilizer dried by different methods and exposed to different period of storage on nutrient uptake, vegetative growth and production of potato and tomato plant grown in the field. Two experiments were carried out in the field Laboratory of Baltsa Lembang, Bandung. The first experiment was prepared using Randomized Block Design with one factor (biofertilizer application) including i.e (B0) without biofertlizer (control), (B1) liquid biofertilizer, (B2) freezedried biofertilizer without storage, (B3) freezedried biofertilizer with 3 months storage, (B4) centrifuged biofertilizer without storage and (B5) centrifuged biofertilizer with 3 months storage. In this experiment 3 replications (blocks) were applied with total of 18 combination blocks. The second experiment was also prepared using Randomized Block Design with two factors. The first factor was anorganic NPK dosage by (A1) 50% NPK and (A2) 100% NPK and the second factor was biofertilizer application i.e (B0) without biofertlizer (control), (B1) liquid biofertilizer, (B2) freezedried biofertilizer without storage, (B3) freezedried biofertilizer with 3 months storage for tomato, whereas for potato, the factors of (B2) freezedried biofertilizer, (B3) centrifuged biofertilizer were applied. Besides that the plant were fertilized with manuare by about 20 ton/Ha. In this experiment 3 replications (blocks) were applied with total of 24 combination blocks. The results showed that viability of bacterium tended to decline during storage of biofertilizer. The storage of biofertilizer during 3 months did not significantly reduce the effect on growth and production of plant. Application of biofertilizer increased macro and micro nutrient absorption, vegetative growth and plant production. In tomato plant application of biofertilizer increase total macro and micro nutrient as well as plant growth parameters. Plant production also increased as response to biofertilizer by about 112.1% that was indicated by application of B4 for fruit weight per plant. Application of biofertilizer in combination with 100% NPK was almost similar to that of 50% NPK in improving growth and production of plant. All application of biofertilizer significantly reduced disease attack caused by alternaria solani fungus. In potato plant, macro and micro nutrient absorption and root dry weight increased significantly by application of biofertilizer but not on shoot parameters. Plant production, also increased as response to biofertilizer by about 41.6 % indicated by application of centrifuged biofertilizer (B4) for tuber weight per plant and increase plant production per plot by about 79.5 % that was indicated by application of 50 % NPK+ centrifuged biofertilizer (A1B3).