Abstract

This research was aimed to know the morphologic and physiologic characteristics and corn plant production as forage on alfisol and vertisol soil at Kayuputih intercropping system. Supporting forage supply is one of goals in forest for food/feed program, and it significantly showed at Kayuputih (Melaleuca leucadendron Linn) intercropping system. Kayuputih intercropping system of corn was planted particularly at the 3rd rotation (May-July). The research performed by a strip plot design, soil type was the main plot, and the interface zone (IZ) was the secondary plot. Interface zone was 1 m (IZ-1), 2 m (IZ-2), and 3 m (IZ-3) distance from the Kayuputih plantation row. Growth and physiologic data was analyzed using Bartlette to obtain data homogenity, followed by analysis of variance and DMRT at 5% degree of confidence, data transformation was performed when needed. Contrast orthogonal (5%) test was used to do the grouping based on soil type. Biplot technique as a development from the multivariate technique was performed to determine the stability of IZ treatment toward result. Forage potency on alfisol was higher (5.04 ton/ha) than on vertisol (4.04 ton/ha). Interaction between the IZ and soil type was found at several variables: number of stomata, stomatal aperture width, proline content, plant growth rate on 3-6 wap, net assimilation rate on 3-6 wap, fresh root weight on 3 wap, root dry weight on 3 wap, fresh canopy weight on 6 wap and canopy dry weight on 6 wap. The highest level of corn forage production was IZ-3 on alfisol soil (1.26 ton/ha) and the lowest production was IZ-1 on vertisol soil (0.73 ton/ha).

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