ABSTRAKPenelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui karakteristik morfologi, produktivitas dan kualitas rumput gajah kultivar Taiwan, King dan Mott yang dipanen pada umur 8 dan 13 setelah tanam. Pengaruh kultivar dan umur panen disusun dalam Rancangan Tersarang (3x2). Peubah yang diamati terdiri atas karakteristik morfologi, produksi bahan kering dan kualitas hijauan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa karakteristik morfologi, rasio daun batang, kadar serat, kandungan protein kasar dan kecernaan in vitro bahan kering rumput gajah kultivar Taiwan dan King tidak berbeda, namun keduanya memiliki karakteristik morfologi, kandungan serat lebih tinggi (P<0,05) dibandingkan dengan kultivar Mott, sebaliknya rasio daun batang, kandungan protein kasar dan kecernaan in vitro bahan kering kultivar Mott lebih tinggi (P<0,05) dibandingkan dengan kultivar Taiwan dan King. Secara umum, terjadi peningkatan tinggi tanaman dan kadar serat pada umur 13 minggu, sedangkan kandungan protein kasar dan kecernaan in vitro bahan kering menurun. Disimpulkan bahwa produksi bahan kering tertinggi terdapat pada kultivar Taiwan dan King, sedangkan kualitas tertinggi terdapat pada kultivar Mott. Produksi bahan kering tertinggi pada umur 13 minggu, sedangkan kualitas tertinggi pada umur 8 minggu setelah tanam untuk semua kultivar diuji.Kata kunci : kualitas, kultivar, produksi, rumput gajah ABSTRACTThe research was conducted to determine the morphological characteristics, productivity and quality of Napier grass cultivars Taiwan, King and Mott harvested at 8 and 13 after planting. Effect of cultivar and harvest arranged in a nested design (3x2). The variables were observed consisting of morphological characteristics, dry matter production and forage quality. The results showed that the morphological characteristics, leaf stem ratio, fiber content, crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility of Napier grass Taiwan and King cultivar were not different, but both morphological characteristics, fiber content was higher (P <0.05) compared to Mott cultivar, whereas leaf stem ratio, crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility Mott cultivar was higher (P <0.05) compared to Taiwan and King cultivars. In general, an increase in plant height and fiber content at the age of 13 weeks, whereas crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility decreased. It was concluded that the highest dry matter production found in Taiwan and the King cultivars, whereas highest quality found in Mott cultivar. Dry matter production was highest harvested at 13 weeks, whereas the highest quality harvested at 8 weeks after planting for all cultivars tested. .

Reforestation programs should be supported by adequate forest nursery techniques. Seedlings used for reforestation programs in Indonesia were based on the height of seedlings ready to be planted in the field without basic knowledge of seedling morphology. White jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba [Roxb.] Miq.), a potentially fast-growing multipurpose tree species, has been extensively planted for land rehabilitation and reforestation programs. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of seed viability and initial morphology (diameter and height classes) of A. cadamba seedlings on field survival and growth after planting at Parungpanjang Research Station, Bogor, Indonesia. Correlations were found between seedling characteristics at initial stages and survival or growth in the field: seed viability and seedling height; seedling diameter or survival rate in the field; and seedling height growth in both the nursery and field. Thus, more viable seeds may predict better seedling height growth, seedling diameter growth, and higher survival in the field after planting. The morphology class of H2D4 (height 20À< 30 cm, diameter > 4.5 mm) was a good diameter and height class because of good sturdiness quotient of 5.47 and also high total dry weight of 3.05 g.

An experiment was conducted to determine Total Non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) of three cultivars of napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) harvested at vegetative and reproductive phases. The cultivars tested were Taiwan (Gt), King (Gk) and Mott (Gm) and arranged in a 3 x 2 of treatments with four replicates following nested design. The results showed that the highest sugar content (P<0.01) was found in Gt cultivar and the lowest was in Gm cultivar. The highest starch content (P<0.01) was found in Gk cultivar and the lowest was in Gt cultivar. TNC content of Gt and Gk cultivars were not significantly different, but both were significantly higher (P<0.01) compared with the Gm cultivar. It can be concluded, that there were differences in TNC between cultivars, however, the TNC content in Gk cultivar was not different with Gt cultivar, while Gm cultivar have the lowest (P<0.

Key words :Seedling quality is one of determining factors for successful forest establishment and land rehabilitation programs, as good quality seedlings will yield tree with high productivity level. Kualitas bibit tanaman sangat berpengaruh terhadap keberhasilan program pembangunan hutan tanaman dan rehabilitasi lahan bekas tebangan, karena bibit yang berkualitas akan menghasilkan tegakan dengan tingkat produktivitas tinggi. Untuk menghasilkan bibit berkualitas diantaranya diperlukan media yang kaya bahan organik dan mempunyai unsur hara yang diperlukan. Umumnya media yang digunakan adalah , namun pengambilan dalam skala besar dapat berdampak negatif bagi ekosistem di areal tersebut. Oleh karena itu penggunaan bahan lain untuk media pembibitan perlu dilakukan. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan 6 macam media yaitu tanah, sabut kelapa, dan kombinasinya serta campuran tiga media tersebut dengan arang sekam padi pada jenis tanaman suren. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap dengan pola perhitungan faktorial terdiri dari 10 ulangan masing-masing 10 bibit. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa media tanah + sabut kelapa + arang sekam dengan naungan 40 % memberikan pertumbuhan terbaik untuk bibit suren umur 5 bulan yaitu diameter 2,97 mm, tinggi 25,1 cm, persen hidup 94,0 % dan Indeks Mutu Bibit 0,12.

ABSTRAKSuatu penelitian lapangan telah dilakukan pada padang penggembalaan yang didominasi Chromolaena odorata dengan tujuan untuk mengevaluasi efektifitas pengontrolan secara mekanik dan kultural yang terintegrasi terhadap penekanan pertumbuhan gulma dan menentukan komposisi botanis spesies tumbuhan setelah perlakuan dimulai. Perlakuan penelitian adalah T1: pembabatan Chromolaena tiap bulan, T2: penggalian Chromolaena dan dibiarkan mengering (dijadikan mulsa), T3: penggalian Chromolaena yang diikuti dengan pembakaran, T4: penggalian Chromolaena diikuti dengan pembakaran dan penanaman Centrosema pubescens dan T5: penggalian Chromolaena diikuti dengan pembakaran dan penanaman Brachiaria decumbens. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada kondisi kekeringan, penggalian Chromolaena sangat efektif untuk menekan pertumbuhan kembali Chromolaena tetapi tidak efektif terhadap gulma lainnya. Dari semua perlakuan, penanaman Brachiaria decumbens merupakan metoda yang paling efektif dan pembabatan Chromolaena tiap bulan merupakan metoda yang paling tidak efektif untuk menekan pertumbuhan gulma. Komposisi botanis spesies berubah sesuai dengan perlakuan. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis dan Chromolaena odorata merupakan spesies yang dominan pada petak dimana Chromolaena dipotong tiap bulan dan Stachytarpheta jamaicensis dan Calopogonium muconoides dominan pada petak yang diberi mulsa sedangkan Mimosa pudica, Brahiaria decumbens dan Centrosema pubescens merupakan spesies yang dominan pada petak yang dibakar. Kata kunci: Chromolaena odorata, komposisi botanis, penekanan gulma, pengontrolan mekanik dan kultural ABSTRACTA field experiment was conducted on Chromolaena odorata dominated pasture with the objectives of evaluating efficacy of integrated of mechanical and cultural control on weed suppression and determining botanical composition of plant species after treatment started. The treatments were, T1 slashing of Chromolaena every month, T2 digging up of Chromolanea, and exposed to dry (mulching), T3 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning, T4 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning and sowing with Centrosema pubescens and T5 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning and planting with Brachiaria decumbens. Results of experiment showed that under drought conditions, digging up Chromolaena was very effective in suppressing regrowth of Chromolaena but it was not effective to other weeds. Among treatments, digging out of Chromolaena followed by burning and planting with Brachiaria decumbens was the most effective and slashing of Chromolaena every month was the least effective in suppressing weeds. Botanical composition was shifted with treatments. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis and Chromolaena were the dominant species in monthly slashed Chromolaena plots, Stachytarpheta and Calopogonium muconoides were the dominant species in mulched plots while Mimosa pudica, Brachiaria and Centrosema were the dominant species in burnt plots.