Biophysical Monitoring on the Effect on Different Composition of Goat and Cow Manure on the Growth Response of Maize to Support Sustainability

Abstract

Currently Indonesia has targeted to satisfy the national demand of maize by fulfilling its own production. The policy will benefit the social economy of the local farmers and communities and create a variety of jobs. Attempts in fulfilling demand should uphold production sustainability, even then many indication show declining capability of soil to have increased. Reducing the capability of soil may lead to the reducing of productivity. Many well-documented data show that using organic fertilizer such as manure might improve soil's biological properties as well as its nutrition, production and quality of the obtained maize. Nevertheless, these improvements depend on the chemical composition of the green manures applied to the soil. Manures have different varieties in its chemical composition of nutrition, and heavy metal content depending on the diet. Little attention has been given by farmers on the probability of their plants might be contaminated by lead. Lead has been known to have a detrimental effect on plants. Therefore monitoring the effect is needed. The research was dedicated to participate on the effort of increasing productivity by promoting manure usage such as goat and cow manure on growing maize. Different compositions of goat and cow manure were applied on the soil media growth of maize on the glasshouse. The growth was monitored biophysically by measuring the leaves surface electrical difference and area and observing for signs of chlorosis. Result has shown that the addition of manure on soil has increases leaf area and electrical potential difference compared to the maize grown in a mere soil media. It is concluded that renewable fertilizer such as cow and goat manure was important in increasing plant growth. A composition of 2/3 soil and 1/3 goat manure was optimal for the leaves growth followed by composition of 2/3 soil and 1/3 cow manure. No signs of stress symptoms such as chlorosis were found; meaning that on all compositions of manure used in the research might be safe for plant and soil and pose no threat for human safety. Further monitoring is needed to ensure no lead contamination.