Plant Growth and Production Potential of Rice and Maize on Podzol Soil which Enriched by Biofertilizer

Abstract

Yellow Red Podzolic soil (YRP) is one of the low fertility soil. The fertility of YRP soil could be increased using the biofertilizer because it can improve soil fertility, plant growth and yield. The objective of this study were to analyze the growth of plant and production potential of rice and maize on YRP soil, which enriched by biofertilizer. The biofertilizer used in this research were Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) (Azotobacter sp., Azospirillum sp., Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas beteli), arbuscular mycorrihzal fungus (AMF) that was Glomus manihotis, endophytic that was Aspergillus niger, and an anorganic fertilizer used NPK Pelangi. The experiment used Complete Randomized Design with ten levels of treatment for rice and thirteen levels of treatment for maize, all in five replication. Rice cultivated on a pot which filled by 8 kg of soil. Maize cultivated on a poliybag (40 cm x 40 cm) filled by 10 kg of soil. The result showed that the aplication of biofertilizer (PGPR + endophytic) with reduced NPK up to 50% was not different than control (NPK 100% + compost without PGPR) to support plant growth and yield of rice. While maize showed that the aplication of biofertilizer (PGPR + endophytic + AMF) with reduced NPK up to 50% showed significantly increase height of plant, round of stem and length of ear than control (NPK 100% + compost without PGPR). This research suggest that enriched of podzol soil with biofertilizer could reduce application of anorganic fertilizer (NPK) up to 50% of recomendation doses.