Evaluating Soil Improvers for Enhancing Soil Quality in Shallot Production

Applying effective soil improvers is expected to enhance soil quality and optimize the growth and productivity of shallots. This study aimed to evaluate the most effective soil improver treatment for improving the soil quality and shallot yield. The research was conducted in Poncokusumo, Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two factors. The first factor was soil improver (P), consisting of four levels: B1 = vermicompost, B2 = compost, B3 = biochar, and B4 = goat manure. The second factor was variety (V), consisting of three levels: V1 = Batu Ijo, V2 = Tajuk, and V3 = Super Philip. Each treatment combination was replicated three times, resulting in a total of 36 experimental units. Growth measurements were taken every 10 days from 14 to 54 days after planting (DAP), including plant height, the number of leaves, and the number of tillers. Yield parameters included the number of bulbs, fresh bulb weight per plant, bulb diameter, and total yield. Analysis of variance indicated that no significant effect of soil improvers was observed, whereas variety has a significant impact on both growth and yield parameters. The Tajuk variety showed superior growth, while Batu Ijo produced the highest overall yield.