Growth Response of Cacao Seedlings (Theobroma cacao L) with the Provision of Subsoil Layer and Palm Oil Bunch Ash

Cocoa plants are one of the plantation crops that play an important role in the economy in Indonesia. The cause of low cocoa production can be caused by plant maintenance and the lack of good cocoa seeds. One effort to produce good seeds is using organic fertilizer, namely oil palm ash fertilizer which has the ability to improve the physical, biological, and chemical properties of the soil. The purpose of this study was to obtain the best dose of oil palm ash fertilizer in increasing the growth of cocoa seedlings and the effect of giving oil palm ash on the growth of cocoa seedlings. This research was conducted at the Plantation Crop Cultivation Demonstration Garden Laboratory of Samarinda Agricultural Polytechnic from June 6 to October 6, 2023. This study used a Completely Randomized Design method with 3 treatments and each consisting of 10 replications, the total number of plants was 30 plants, namely control without treatment (A0), treatment A1 subsoil and oil palm ash (1:1), treatment A2 using top subsoil and oil palm ash (2:1). The parameters observed were plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter. The results of the study showed that the dose of palm oil bunch ash can increase the growth of cocoa seedlings is 2 kg of subsoil soil and 1 kg of palm oil bunch ash (2:1). Treatment P2 with the provision of subsoil soil and palm oil bunch ash (2:1) was seen to have a significant effect on all parameters observed, namely seedling height, number of leaves and stem diameter which were faster and better growth of cocoa seedlings.