UTILIZATION OF COMPOSTED COCOA HUSK FOR IMPROVING EARTHWORM POPULATION AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COCOA PRODUCTION (Theobroma cacao L.)
Cahyo Prayogo, Lina Dwi Agustina, Erwin Prastowo, John Bako Baon, Novi Arfarita

Cahyo Prayogo 1), Lina Dwi Agustina 2), Erwin Prastowo (3) John Bako Baon (3), Novi Arfarita 4)

(1) Soil Science Department academic staff, Faculty of Agriculture-University of Brawijaya, Jl.Veteran No 1 Malang-Indonesia
(2) Soil Science Department Graduate Students, Faculty of Agriculture-University of Brawijaya, Jl.Veteran No 1 Malang-Indonesia
(3) Coffee and Cocoa Research Centre-Jember
(4) Agroecotechnology Study Progrramme, Faculty of Agriculture-University of Islam Malang

Abstract

Coffee and Cocoa plantations in East Java-Indonesia are generally had low in organic matter. As an organic material, cocoa husk has rich nutrient composition are rarely being used. Most of coffee and cocoa plantation were rely of an inputs from an-organic fertilizer. However, the use of cocoa husk in cocoa plantations and those effect on soil biota such as earthworm are rarely informed. The information of the effect earthworm populations impacted organic fertilizer are important to guarantee sustainable cocoa production along with maintaining soil quality status. The study was conducted from April 2015 to May 2017 at the Coffee and Cocoa Research Center-Jember and followed by laboratory and data analysis for the next following year at the Faculty of Agriculture-Brawijaya University-Malang. The study was carried out by taking earthworms and soil samples in various treatments for the application of cacao husk which equivalent to 5, 10 and 20 Mg ha-1, goat manure were used as comparison at the dosage of 20 Mg ha-1. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) which consisted from 8 treatments, each treatment was repeated 3 times were used. A soil sample were collected from depth of 5-10 cm and earthworm were collected using metal frame quadrat at the size of 25 cm x 25 cm x 20 cm. The results of the study showed that the earthworm population were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the treatments, in which the highest population were detected under the application of cocoa pod husk at the level of 20 Mg ha-1, whereas this treatment also produce the highest soil nitrogen (N) content. Multivariate analyses (CVA/Biplot) can revealed the clustered treatment according to selected variable inputs.

Keywords: agricultural waste, cocoa production, organic fertilizer, soil nutrients

Topic: AGRO FORESTRY AND BIODIVERSITY