| Summary: | Water spinach (Ipomoea reptans Poir.) is a high-value vegetables and has been
expand cultivated in the Southeast Asian region. Water spinach is commonly
consumed by Indonesian people and become one of the menu in restaurants. The
production of water spinach in Indonesia reach 50.000-60.000 kg per hectare, but the
production is still less than other crops. Crop production of water spinach could be
increased by using liquid seaweed fertilizer from brown alga (Turbinaria sp.). Liquid
seaweed fertilizer has a high water absorption capacity and became a good substrate
for soil microorganisms. The aim of this research was to study the influence of liqiud
seaweed fertilizer on the growth and anatomical characters of water spinach, and to
know a proper liquid seaweed fertilizer concentration which have the most effect for
increasing the growth and development of the water spinach.
5 Randomized complete design was used to this study with treatments, each
treatments with 3 replicates. Two weeks of water spinach in a polybag was treated
with liquid seaweed fertilizer in different concentration: 0% (control), 0.25%, 0.50%,
1.00% and 1.50%. This seaweed liquid fertilizer was given every week as much as
120 ml per polybag by spraying method. Growth parameters were measured: plant
height increment, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh and dry weight, water content,
chlorophyll content, and levels karetonoid, whereas anatomical character were
determined: stem thickness, diameter tracheal, leaf thickness, vascular bundles
diameter, leaf epidermis thickness, size and density of leaf stomata. Data were
analyzed by using ANAVA (Analysis of Variance) and followed by DMRT (Duncan's
Multiple Range Test) with 5% of significance level.
seaweed The results showed that treatment of liquid fertilizer indeed could
increased the growth and anatomical characters of water spinach. The optimum
concentration of liquid seaweed fertilizer of 0.50% resulted in an increasing leaf area,
plant biomass, chlorophyll content, stem thickness, diameter of trachea, size and
density of leaf stomata. As well as optimum concentration of liquid seaweed fertilizer
of 1.00% could also increased the levels of carotenoids, leaf thickness, air cavity
thickness, and leaf vascular bundles. From this study it can be concluded that
application of liquid seaweed fertilizer in concentration about 0.50% or 1.00% had
been able to influenced the growth and the size of the anatomical character of water
spinach.
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