Growth Response of Patchouli Plant Cuttings (Pogostemon Cablin Benth.) to Eggshell Waste as Liquid Organic Fertilizer

Respons Pertumbuhan Stek Tanaman Nilam  (Pogostemon Cablin Benth.) terhadap Pemberian Limbah Cangkang Telur sebagai Pupuk Organik Cair

Abstract

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) is a plant that produces essential oils with high economic value and is increasingly popular for cultivation in North Sulawesi. The increasing need for seeds due to the expansion of planting areas requires effective propagation techniques, one of which is through cuttings. However, low soil fertility in some areas is a constraint in the growth of patchouli cuttings. This study aims to determine the growth response of patchouli cuttings to the application of liquid organic fertilizer (POC) from eggshell waste and to determine the best concentration that supports optimal growth. The study was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with six treatments and four replications, each treatment consisting of six plants, resulting in a total of 144 plants. The results showed that the administration of eggshell waste POC significantly affected the variables of root number (22.5–36.75 strands), root length (10.5–22.5 cm), root weight (1.75–3.25 g), number of shoots (5.75–8.5 shoots), number of leaves (11.25–17.25 strands), and plant weight (11–16.25 g). However, the treatment did not have a significant effect on the time of root emergence, although visually showed an acceleration compared to the control. These results indicate that the content of nutrients such as calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in eggshell waste POC plays an important role in stimulating the vegetative growth of patchouli cuttings. Thus, eggshell waste has the potential to be used as a liquid organic fertilizer to increase the growth of patchouli seedlings sustainably through cutting techniques.