The effectiveness of organic materials in growing media on the vegetative growth of drumsticks (<i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam.)

Abstract Drumsticks has known as a multipurpose tree. The objective of this study was to determine the best composition of organic materials for the vegetative growth of drumstick. In this study, drumstick plants were planted in the Experimental Garden I (5°33′59.0″N 95°22′20.2″E) of Agricultural Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh. The composition of organic material in the drumstick growing medium consisting of 4 types i.e. 100% soil (control; M0); soil and manure at ratio of 1:1 (M1); soil and burnt rice husks at ratio of 1:1 (M2); and soil, manure, and burnt rice husks at ratio of 1:1:1 (M3). The effect of the organic material composition was highly significant on the height of shoots at 10 and 12 weeks after transplanting (WAT), on the diameter of shoots at 8 and 12 WAT, on the number of leaves at 12 WAT, and on the fresh weight of plants without roots and the fresh weight of leaves at 12 WAT. The optimum growth and yield of drumstick plants had been found in using the fourth combination of medium.