Pengendalian Penyakit Layu Fusarium Pada Tanaman Cabai Menggunakan Fusarium Nonpatogenik

Abstract

Cabai merupakan salah satu komoditas hortikultura penting di Indonesia yang memiliki nilai ekonomi tinggi dan menjadi bahan pangan utama masyarakat. Penyakit layu fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici) merupakan faktor pembatas dalam upaya peningkatan produksi cabai. Sementara itu, penggunaan fungisida berulang berpotensi menimbulkan dampak negatif terhadap lingkungan. Pemanfaatan Fusarium nonpatogenik sebagai agens pengendali hayati berpotensi menjadi alternatif pengendalian yang ramah lingkungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh Fusarium nonpatogenik terhadap daya kecambah benih serta mengetahui kemampuan Fusarium nonpatogenik dalam menekan terjadinya penyakit layu fusarium pada tanaman cabai. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada bulan September 2024 hingga Mei 2025 melalui pengujian secara in planta dengan enam perlakuan, yaitu Fusarium nonpatogenik isolat F4N, F4LN, T14, campuran ketiga isolat Fusarium nonpatogenik, kontrol, dan fungisida pada fase persemaian tanaman cabai. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan Fusarium nonpatogenik tidak berpengaruh nyata terhadap daya kecambah benih, tetapi mampu meningkatkan pertumbuhan bibit cabai pada 31 hari setelah semai (HSS). Isolat F4LN menghasilkan tinggi bibit tertinggi, yaitu 9,19 cm, diikuti oleh isolat F4N sebesar 6,14 cm. Selain itu, isolat F4LN menghasilkan jumlah daun bibit terbanyak, yaitu 7,22 helai daun. Kemunculan gejala pertama, insidensi penyakit layu fusarium, serta bobot panen tidak menunjukkan perbedaan yang nyata secara statistik. Secara keseluruhan, perlakuan Fusarium nonpatogenik yang diaplikasikan pada fase persemaian belum mampu meningkatkan pertumbuhan tanaman cabai hingga fase generatif maupun menekan penyakit layu fusarium.

The chili pepper is one of the most important horticultural commodities in Indonesia, and has high economic value while serving as a staple ingredient in daily consumption. Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici is a major limiting factor in efforts to increase chili production. Meanwhile, the repeated use of fungicides may lead to negative environmental impacts. The application of nonpathogenic Fusarium as a biological control agent offers a promising and environmentally friendly alternative for disease management. This study aimed to analyze the effect of nonpathogenic Fusarium on seed germination percentage and to evaluate its ability to suppress fusarium wilt disease in chili plants. The research was conducted from September 2024 to May 2025 through in planta experiments involving six treatments: nonpathogenic Fusarium isolates F4N, F4LN, T14, a mixture of the three isolates, a control, and a fungicide treatment applied during the chili seedling stage. The results indicated that nonpathogenic Fusarium treatments had no significant effect on seed germination percentage but were able to enhance chili seedling growth at 31 days after sowing (DAS). Isolate F4LN produced the highest seedling height (9.19 cm), followed by isolate F4N (6.14 cm). Furthermore, isolate F4LN resulted in the highest number of leaves, averaging 7.22 leaves per plant. However, the time of first symptom appearance, Fusarium wilt incidence, and yield weight did not show statistically significant differences among treatments. Overall, the application of nonpathogenic Fusarium during the seedling stage was unable to significantly improve chili plant growth up to the generative phase or effectively suppress fusarium wilt disease.