Effect of different levels of potassium on the growth and yield of sugarcane ratoon in inceptisols
Fitriningdyah Tri Kadarwati
Abstract
The production of sugarcane in Indonesia has been decreased from a year to another, because its growth is less than optimal due to potassium content in the soil is low. Potassium is an activator of several enzymes of generative growth and synthesis of sucrose in sugarcane, therefore adding KCl fertilizer is expected to increase the growth and productivity of sugarcane. The research aimsed to determine the effect of potassium fertilizer on the growth and productivity of sugarcane. Research has been conducted from September 2015 until July 2016 in Karangploso Experimental Station, Malang. The study used PSJK 922 ( a middle ripening variety) and arranged in a randomized block design (RBD) with 4 replications. The treatment consisted of five doses of K2O fertilizer, ie: 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg/ha. The results showed that increasing the potassium fertilizer dose from 0 kg K2O/ha to 240 kg K2O/ha did not significantly affect plant height (average 3.36 m) and number of the stalk (average of 13 stalk/m). However, 180 kg K2O/ha increased sugarcane stalk diameter from 28.20 mm to 30.53 mm, sugarcane stalk weight increased from 0.67 kg/m to 0.78 kg/m, so sugarcane yield also increased from 109.58 to 138.18 ton/ha.