Altitude And Shading Conditions Affect Vegetative Growth Of Kaempferia parviflora

Abstract

Kaempferia parviflora is a native plant of Thailand which potentially developed in Indonesia because of its pharmacological values. Thus, in order to develop appropriate cultivation system of K. parviflora in Indonesia, this research was conducted to study the effect of different altitudes and shading conditions on the vegetative growth of K. parviflora. The experiment was arranged in Split-plot Nested design, where the main plot was altitude with two factors (1 200 m asl at Pasir Sarongge Experimental Farm and 240 m asl at Cikabayan Experimental Farm), the subplot was three levels of shading condition (0% shading, 55% shading, and natural shading), and replication was nested at subplot. The results showed that there was no significant different in plant height, number of leaves, and leaf area of K. parviflora grown at 1 200 m asl and 240 m asl respectively. However, higher altitude affects the color of K. parviflora leaves. Plants grown at higher altitude (1 200 m asl) had greener adaxial leaf color and more reddish abaxial leaf color than plants grown at lower altitude. The vegetative growth of K. parviflora was more affected by shading conditions. Kaempferia parviflora had taller plant, higher leaf area, and greener adaxial leaf color under natural shading than under full sun condition. Plants grown under natural shading and 55% artificial shading also had higher number of leaves at the early vegetative growth than those grown under full sun condition. Plants grown under 55% artificial shading showed similar growth with plants grown under natural shading, except that plants under natural shading had higher leaf area than plants grown under 55% artificial shading. The best combination between altitude and shading was of 240 m asl with natural shading. Based on the early vegetative growth, Kaempferia parviflora was shade plant that can be grown at 240 to 1 200 m asl without major difference.