Growth and Production Response of Maize (Zea mays L.) to Biofertilizer and NPK Fertilizer

Abstract

Farmers habits in cultivating maize include excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which cause environmental pollution and decreased soil quality, both chemical, physical, and biological, affecting low production, therefore efforts are needed to remain productive, namely by using biological fertilizers for soil improvement and reduction. giving a dose of NPK fertilizer so that the soil is not contaminated. The research objective was to determine the response of growth and production of maize to the application of biological fertilizers and NPK fertilizers. The research was conducted in Telaga Sari Village, Sunggal Subdistrict, Deli Serdang Regency from April 2020 to July 2020. The research used a factorial randomized block design, namely the first factor was giving biological fertilizer consisting of 0, 400, 800 and the second factor was giving NPK fertilizer consisting of 0, 100, 200, 300. The parameters observed were plant height, leaf area, stem diameter, dry seed weight per plant sample, dry seed weight per plot, number of ears, ear length. The results showed that the application of biological fertilizers and NPK did not significantly affect all parameters, but the application of biological fertilizers and NPK fertilizers on the growth and production of maize resulted in a significant effect on dry seed weight per plot