Best Combination of Liquid Organic Fertilizer with NPK Fertilizer for Cocoa Seedling Growth (Theobroma cacao L.)

One strategy for achieving sustainable agriculture is the reduction of inorganic fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers are reduced by substituting them with organic fertilizers. This study aimed to identify the optimal combination of LOF with NPK fertilizers to promote the growth of cocoa seedlings in polybags. The study used completely randomize design. The treatment design, namely the combination of LOF with NPK fertilizers, consisted of five distinct combinations: control, 100% LOF, 100% NPK, 75% LOF +25% NPK, 50% LOF + 50% NPK, and 25% LOF + 75% NPK. The parameters observed were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, total leaf area, plant dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, soil physical properties, soil water content, soil analysis, and seedling quality index. The results showed that treatment 25% LOF + 75% NPK increased the percentage of plant height by 73.47%, stem diameter by 42.13%, number of leaves by 67.36%, total leaf area by 75.30%, plant dry weight by 45.70%, shoot dry weight by 24.81%, root dry weight by 95.54%, and seedling quality index by 90.65%. LOF can reduce the use of NPK fertilizer by 25% in cocoa seedling.