INTERAKSI PEMBERIAN EKSTRAK REBUNG BAMBU DAN PUPUK KNO3 TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN BIBITKELAPA SAWIT (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) DI PRE- NURSERY

Abstract

Oil palm seedlings are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and nutrient availability; therefore, proper management is essential to ensure optimal growth. One method to accelerate seedling growth in the pre-nursery stage involves the use of Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) and nutrient supplementation. PGRs are organic compounds capable of promoting, stimulating, or inhibiting plant physiological processes. Adequate and balanced nutrient availability is also a crucial factor in supporting vegetative growth, including the development of roots, stems, and leaves. Consequently, the application of fertilizers at the correct type and dosage is key to producing high-quality oil palm seedlings. One fertilizer used during the nursery phase is KNO₃ (potassium nitrate). This study aimed to examine the effects and identify the optimal interaction between bamboo shoot extract and KNO₃ fertilizer on the growth of oil palm seedlings (*Elaeis guineensis* Jacq.) in the pre-nursery. The study employed a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factors: R (bamboo shoot extract) and K (KNO₃ fertilizer). The results indicated that the interaction between bamboo shoot extract and KNO₃ fertilizer did not have a statistically significant effect on any of the measured growth parameters. However, the R₂K₂ treatment combination yielded the best growth results, producing the greatest plant height (24.08 cm) and leaf width (5.50 cm). The R₁ treatment resulted in the best stem diameter (0.69 cm), leaf length (17.83 cm), and leaf area (53.06 cm²), while the R₁K₁ combination produced the highest number of leaves (4.83). The natural hormones present in bamboo shoots, combined with the nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) from the KNO₃ fertilizer, are believed to support the vegetative growth of the oil palm seedlings.