The Effectiveness of Applying Chicken Manure and Amino Acids on the Growth of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt)

Abstract

Improvements in increasing and maintaining sweet corn productivity can be achieved through intensive management. Fertilization is one part of intensification efforts. This study aimed to determine the effect of chicken manure and amino acid fertilizer application on the growth and yield of sweet corn. The study used a Factorial Randomized Block Design with two factors: the first factor was the dosage of amino acid fertilizer and the second factor was chicken manure fertilizer. The first factor (amino acid) consisted of A₀ = 0 ml/plot, A₁ = 300 ml/plot, A₂ = 500 ml/plot, and A₃ = 700 ml/plot. The second factor (chicken manure dosage) consisted of K₀ = 0 g/plot, K₁ = 300 g/plot, K₂ = 450 g/plot, and K₃ = 500 g/plot. The parameters observed in this study were plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after planting, number of ears per sample, number of ears per plot, ear length per sample, ear diameter per sample, ear weight with husk, and ear weight without husk. The analysis of variance results showed that the application of amino acid fertilizer had no significant effect on all observed parameters. Meanwhile, the application of chicken manure had no significant effect on plant height at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after planting, number of leaves, stem diameter, and leaf length at 2 and 4 weeks after planting; however, it had a significant effect on the number of leaves, stem diameter, and leaf length at 6 weeks after planting, as well as ear weight with husk and ear weight without husk. The interaction between amino acid fertilizer and chicken manure had no significant effect on all observed parameters.