Pengaruh Medan Listrik Direct Current (DC) terhadap Pematahan Dormansi Benih Mentimun (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

Mentimun (Cucumis sativus L.) merupakan komoditas penting di Indonesia yang produksinya menurun 15,41% pada periode 2021-2024. Salah satu kendala budidaya mentimun adalah dormansi fisiologis akibat after-ripening yang menyebabkan perkecambahan tidak seragam. Penelitian ini bertujuan memperoleh kombinasi durasi perendaman, intensitas dan waktu paparan medan listrik DC yang paling efektif untuk mematahkan dormansi benih mentimun. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Fisika Lanjut dan Laboratorium Fisiologi dan Kesehatan Benih, Institut Pertanian Bogor pada Februari-Maret 2026, menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) split plot dengan petak utama adalah durasi perendaman (0, 2, 4, dan 6 jam), sementara anak petak merupakan kombinasi intensitas dan durasi aplikasi medan listrik DC (0, 4 kV cm-1 selama 60 detik, 4 kV cm-1 selama 90 detik, 6 kV cm-1 selama 60 detik, 6 kV cm-1 selama 90 detik), masing-masing diulang tiga kali. Peubah yang diamati meliputi potensi tumbuh maksimum (PTM), daya berkecambah (DB), intensitas dormansi (ID), radicle emergence (RE), kecepatan tumbuh (KCT), dan first count germination (FCG). Hasil sidik ragam menunjukkan pengaruh yang sangat nyata pada semua peubah yang diamati, baik faktor tunggal maupun interaksi. Perendaman 2 jam dengan aplikasi medan listrik DC 6 kV cm-1 selama 60 detik merupakan kombinasi terbaik dan konsisten menghasilkan viabilitas tertinggi yaitu, PTM (42,67%) , DB (40,67%), RE (13,33%), KCT (10,66 % etmal-1), dan FCG (36,67%) serta intensitas dormansi terendah (56,67%). Kombinasi tersebut menurunkan intensitas dormansi sebesar 20-32%, dan meningkatkan daya berkecambah sebesar 30,67-36% dibandingkan kontrol.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important horticultural commodity in Indonesia, whose production declined by 15.41% during the 2021–2024 period. One of the constraints in cucumber cultivation is physiological dormancy caused by after-ripening, which results in non-uniform germination. This study aimed to determine the most effective combination of soaking duration and the intensity and exposure time of a DC electric field for breaking cucumber seed dormancy. The research was conducted at the Advanced Physics Laboratory and the Seed Physiology and Health Laboratory, IPB University, from February to March 2026, using a split-plot Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with soaking duration (0, 2, 4, and 6 hours) as the main plot, and combinations of DC electric field intensity and exposure duration (0; 4 kV cm?¹ for 60 seconds; 4 kV cm?¹ for 90 seconds; 6 kV cm?¹ for 60 seconds; 6 kV cm?¹ for 90 seconds) as the subplot, each replicated three times. The variables observed included maximum growth potential (MGP), germination capacity (GC), dormancy intensity (DI), radicle emergence (RE), growth rate (GR), and first count germination (FCG). Analysis of variance showed highly significant effects on all observed variables, both for single factors and their interaction. Soaking for 2 hours combined with a DC electric field of 6 kV cm?¹ for 60 seconds was the best and most consistent combination, producing the highest viability, namely MGP (42.67%), GC (40.67%), RE (13.33%), GR (10.66% etmal?¹), and FCG (36.67%), along with the lowest dormancy intensity (56.67%). This combination reduced dormancy intensity by 20–32% and increased germination capacity by 30.67–36% compared to the control.