Effectiveness of Combined Organic Fertilizer and Mulching on Ramie Biomass Production (<i>Boehmeria nivea L. Gaudich</i>)

Abstract Ramie ( Boehmeria nivea Gaud ) is a natural fiber-producing plant, but its fiber productivity in Indonesia has declined due to the lack of superior varieties and soil degradation. Organic fertilizers, formulated from a combination of biochar, goat manure, fish hydrolysate, and dolomite, present a viable alternative to enhance soil fertility and increase ramie production. This study aims to evaluate the effects of combining organic fertilizers with plastic mulch on soil chemical properties, ramie growth, and fiber yield. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two treatment factors: fertilizer combinations (P) and mulch (M). The mulch factor consisted of two levels: (M) with mulch and (TM) without mulch, with three replications. The fertilizer treatments comprised five levels: (P0) no fertilizer; (P1) recommended inorganic fertilizer; (P2) organic fertilizer at 1 ton/ha; (P3) organic fertilizer at 1 ton/ha + fish hydrolysate; and (P4) recommended inorganic fertilizer + organic fertilizer at 1 ton/ha. The results demonstrated that the MP1 treatment significantly increased soil N-total availability by 76.47%. The TMP4 treatment improved soil P availability by 27.58%, doubled soil K-exchangeable compared to the control, and enhanced soil organic carbon by 7%. Furthermore, the MP4 treatment markedly increased ramie biomass, China grass fiber yield, and wet weight by 95% compared to the control.