Growth response and nutrition uptake of corn plants on drought stress in peat soil

Abstract

Peat soil has been exposed to drought so it cannot bind water (irreversible drying) and loses its function as soil. Peat soil will be dry organic soil cannot provide water to plants. In addition, drought stress as abiotic stress decreased the ability of the soil to hold roots so that plants can fall easily which is impacted by changing the physical and chemical properties of peat soil. The goal of this research was to acquire biofertilizer components that are optimized for increasing corn in drought-stress land and the sustainability of peat soils. This study was conducted inside the experimental land of Universitas Bina Insan, Lubuklinggau. The layout used in this study became a factorial randomized block design with two elements. The first element has been the biofertilizer method (F) with four stages, specifically: F0 = without mycorrhizae, F1 = Mycorrhiza + Petrobio, F2 = Mycorrhiza + Agrozeabiochar, F3 = Mycorrhiza + Pugam. The second element was the intensity of watering (P) includes 4 ranges, particularly: watering once a day, P2 = watering every three days, P3 = watering every five days, and P4 = watering every seven days. The results showed that the biofertilizer formula with mycorrhizal+petrobio (F1) treatment has significant effects in increasing plant height, plant dry weight, and nutrient uptake. Enhancement of nutrient uptake correlated with increasing the growth of corn plants on drought stress in peat soil, The intensity of watering, was significantly different in all treatments except for K nutrients uptake.