The Effect of Boiler Ash and Cow Manure Dosages on the Growth of Baby Corn (Zea mays saccaratha L.) on Ultisol of Simalingkar

Abstract

To study the effect of boiler ash and cow manure dosages and their interaction on the growth of baby corn (Zea mays saccaratha L.), research was carried out from March to May 2024 on Ultisol of Simalingkar in Medan, Indonesia. The research used a Factorial Randomized Block Design consisting of two factors, namely: boiler ash dosage consisting of four levels, namely B0 = 0 tons/hectare, B1 = 1.25 tons/hectare, B2 = 2.5 tons/hectare and B3 = 3.75 tons/hectare, and cow manure dosage consisting of three levels, namely S0 = 0 tons/ha, S1 = 20 tons/ha, and S2 = 30 tons/ha.  The parameters observed were: plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter at 2, 3 and 4 WAP.  The results showed that the dosage of boiler ash and its interaction with the dosage of cow manure had no significant effect on all growth variables at each age of observation, while the dosage of cow manure had a significant effect on the number of leaves and stem diameter at the age of 3 WAP, but had no significant effect on plant height at the ages of 2, 3 and 4 WAP and on the number of leaves and stem diameter at the age of 2 and 4 WAP.  The relationship between the dosage of cow manure and the number of leaves and stem diameter at 3 WAP were in a positive linear form, respectively.  The interaction of boiler ash dosage and cow manure dosage had a significant effect on plant stem diameter at 4 WAP but had no significant effect on other variables at each observation age, with the optimum dosage of boiler ash when cow manure was applied at a dosage of 30 tons/ha was as high as 2.2 tons/ha.