Articles

Comparative Effects of Two Organic Fertilizers, Inorganic Fertilizer, and Their Integrated Application on Growth and Yield of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at Kabul Condition

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The sustainable management of soil fertility is essential for improving common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) productivity under the semi-arid conditions of Afghanistan. This study evaluated the comparative effects of two organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizer (NPK), and their integrated application on the growth and yield performance of common bean during the 2025 growing season at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kabul University. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with six fertilizer treatments and three replications. Growth traits, yield components, grain yield, biological yield, and harvest index were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were separated by Tukey’s HSD test at the 5% probability level. Fertilizer treatments significantly influenced most growth and yield parameters. The integrated application of 50% OF-1 + 50% NPK (T5) consistently produced superior plant growth, increased yield components, and achieved the highest grain yield, biological yield, and harvest index compared with the sole application of organic or inorganic fertilizers and the unfertilized control. The improved performance of the integrated treatment was attributed to enhanced nutrient availability and more efficient nutrient utilization throughout the crop growth period. These findings demonstrate that integrated nutrient management is a sustainable and effective strategy for increasing common bean productivity under semi-arid agroecological conditions. Future studies should evaluate long-term effects of integrated nutrient management under diverse agroecological conditions.

The Impact of Employing Microbacter Alfaafa – 11 (MA-11) and Organic Fertilizer on the Quantity and Quality of Rice Resulting from the Crossing of Sigupai and IRBB27

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The objective of this study is to assess the impact of employing Microbacter Alfaafa-11 MA-11 and organic fertilizer on the yield and quality of the F9 rice variety resulting from the crossbreeding of sigupai with IRBB27. The research was conducted at the Saree State Vocational School-PP located in the Lembah Seulawah District of Aceh Besar Regency. The physical and chemical parameters of rice were analyzed at the Seed Science and Technology Laboratory and Plant Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, between February 2023 and August 2023. This study employed a factorial Randomized Group Design (RAK) with 12 treatment combinations. Each treatment had 3 replications, and each replication consisted of 3 pots. Therefore, there were a total of 36 experimental units. The variables in this study include the initial factor: the concentration treatment of Microbacter Alfaafa-11 (MA-11) (A), which is divided into 4 levels: A0 (with no MA-11), A1 (0.05 ml MA-11 per 2.50 ml water), A2 (0.1 ml MA-11 per 2.50 ml water), A3 (0.15 ml MA-11 per 2.50 ml water). The second factor is the application of organic fertilizer treatment, which includes two components: Super Bokashi Fertilizer dose and Biofarm concentration. This factor is divided into three levels: B1 Super Bokashi (10 t ha-1), B2 Biofarm (14-liter ha-1), and B3 Super Bokashi + Biofarm (10 t ha-1 + 14-liter ha-1). The observation criteria include agronomic factors such as harvest age, as well as rice quality tests that assess physical features such as yield rice, milled rice, rice dimensions, and chemical attributes such as water content and protein content. The findings indicated that the use of Microbacter Alfaafa-11 MA-11 and organic fertilizer did not have any notable impact on the harvest age and rice quality parameters of the F9 line resulting from the crossbreeding of sigupai with IRBB27. The maximum rice yield achieved a percentage of 74.98%, with the average being slender rice. The water content ranged from 14.00% to 15.80%, while the highest protein level reached 6.93.

Organic Fertilizer and Technical Efficiency in Melon Cultivation in Wonogiri, Central Java

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Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a potential seasonal fruit crop. In melon cultivation, farmers combine various inputs. Combined inputs such as land, seeds, organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, labor.  Organic fertilizer is now a promising method for sustainable agriculture where it is most affordable compared to synthetic fertilizers.  The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the technical efficiency (ET) of melon farming, (2) to determine the effect of manure on melon production. (3) To determine the effect of age, formal education and farmer experience on the use of manure. Giriwoyo sub-district was chosen as the research location because it has the largest area of harvested land and the highest amount of melon farming production in Wonogiri Regency. Selection of farmer samples using accidental sampling technique. The number of respondents was 60 farmers.  The conclusion from the results of the study that (1) the average technical efficiency of melon farmers is 96.7% classified as high criteria, (2) manure has a positive effect on melon production, thus the use of manure can increase melon production which will further increase technical efficiency. (3) Age, education and experience have a positive effect on the use of manure. The suggestions given are (1) to increase technical efficiency can be done by adding manure and (2) increasing the use of manure can be done by increasing age, education and experience. Increasing age as a proxy for information, namely by adding information, increasing knowledge with training and increasing experience can be improved by apprenticeship activities with other parties. Experience is a key factor to increase the use of manure.