Addition of urea fertilizer to Crocober Plus Liquid Organic Fertilizer improves growth and yield of corn plants (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of adding urea to Crocober Plus liquid organic fertilizer (CP LOF) on the growth and yield of corn. The research was conducted from March to July 2024 on dry land in Aia Pacah, Koto Tangah District, Padang City. The study employed a factorial completely randomized design (CRD). The first factor involved the addition of urea at doses of 0 g/L CP LOF, 5 g/L CP LOF, and 10 g/L CP LOF. The second factor was the concentration of CP LOF at 0 ml/L water, 25 ml/L water, and 50 ml/L water, with three replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 5% significance level, followed by Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at the same level. The results showed that the combination of urea fertilizer and CP LOF significantly affected parameters such as plant height, total leaf area, 75% tasseling age, grain weight per sample plant, and 100-grain weight. The addition of 10 g urea/L CP LOF resulted in better growth and yield of corn compared to lower urea doses. The application of 50 ml/L CP LOF increased dry grain yield, reaching 6.33 tons/ha. Further research is needed to explore higher doses of CP LOF to achieve optimal corn yields. © 2024 The Author(s)