RESPONSE OF ELEPHANT GRASS (Pennisetum purpureum) ON VARIOUS TYPES AND DOSAGES OF ANORGANIC AND ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is one of the most favored fodder plants and has high nutritional value. This study aims to assess the response of elephant grass plants (Pennisetum purpureum) to various types and dosages of fertilizer and obtain optimal levels of various types of fertilizers in increasing the productivity of elephant grass plants (Pennisetum purpureum). This research will use a completely randomized factorial pattern design of two factors, the first factor is the type of fertilizer (A = NPK inorganic fertilizer; OP = factory organic fertilizer; BO = bioorganic fertilizer; BS = bisluri fertilizer) and the second factor is the dose of fertilizer D0 = without fertilizer ; D1 = dose of 100 kg Nha-1; D2 = dose of 200 kg Nha-1; and D3 = 300 kg dose of Nha-1, so that there are 16 treatment combinations. Each treatment was repeated 4 times so that it consisted of 64 experimental units. The observed variables included growth variables, namely plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, and stem diameter, production variables ie leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, total forage dry weight; growth characteristics variables were leaf area per pot, and leaf / stem dry weight ratio. The results of this study are expected to provide scientific data information for further research, problem solving solutions in the development of fodder plants and pollution due to excessive use of inorganic fertilizers, as well as supporting organic agriculture