Comparative Analysis of Biofertilizer and Organic Fertilizer Doses on Pegagan (Centella asiatica L. Urb.) Biomass Accumulation

Abstract

The Pegagan plant (Centella asiatica) is widely utilized for medicinal purposes. Investigating biofertilizer and organic fertilizer applications, based on varying dosages, is crucial for enhancing Pegagan biomass. This study was conducted at Pasar 1 Street, Tanjung Sari, Medan, from November 2021 to February 2022, using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two factors: biofertilizer at concentrations of 0, 2, 4, and 6 mL/L, and organic fertilizer at rates of 0, 3.512, 7.032, and 10.548 tons/ha. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were done for the data, and significant differences were further examined with Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 5% significance level. The findings indicated that biofertilizer significantly enhanced fresh leaf weight and dry leaf weight per sample compared to untreated plants, with the optimal biofertilizer dose observed at 4 mL/L. Organic fertilizer application significantly enhanced fresh leaf and root weight per sample, as well as dry leaf and root weight per sample, with the optimal dose found at 10.548 tons/ha. No significant interaction effects between biofertilizer and organic fertilizer were observed across all measured parameters.