The application of Hydrogel (Super Absorbent Polymer) and chicken manure fertilizer to increase pH, N-total, C-organic and soil water content in Entisol

Abstract

Entisol is one of the soils which not only poor in nutrients, especially Nitrogen and organic carbon, but also has an acidic pH and low water-holding power due to the sandy soil fraction hence additional soil conditioners are needed to improve the soil, such as hydrogel and chicken manure as organic material. This research aimed to assess the ability of hydrogel and chicken manure to increase pH, N-nutrient, C-Organic and moisture content in Entisol soil. The research was conducted in a greenhouse using a randomized block design with 2 factors, factor I was the hydrogel consisting of H0 = 0 g/polybag, H1 = 100 g/polybag, H2 = 200 g/polybag, H3 = 300 g/polybag and factor II was chicken manure consisting of K0 = 0 g/polybag, K1 = 50 g/polybag, K2 = 100 g/polybag, and K3 = 150 g/polybag. The results showed that the hydrogel and chicken manure and its interaction were able to increase the pH, N-total, C-organic and soil water content of Entisol.