The study of the growth of ginger plants is described based on the variables of plant height and dry weight of the top of the plant and this is a result of the process of cell division and enlargement, which will form an expansion of plant tissue in the vegetative phase so that in the long term it will increase plant biomass
(Hilty et al., 2021). Meanwhile, the yield of ginger plants in the research was described based on the increase in the number of tillers and the fresh weight of the rhizomes. The formation of saplings in each ginger clump will form new rhizomes positively correlated with increased rhizome weight (
Putri and Maizar 2023). The formation and enlargement of ginger rhizomes is caused by the increasing accumulation of starch collected in the sink (
Krishnamurthy and Kandiannan 2021), ultimately increasing the economic value obtained (
Patra and Podar, 2023).
Height of plants
The height of the ginger plants was significantly influenced by the use of various types of ash, while NPK fertilizer showed the same results. The HSD test results showed that the ash from wood waste obtained the highest plant height growth, significantly higher by 4.09% compared to rice husk ash but not different from the plant height in treating cow manure ash and coconut fiber ash (Table 1).
Dry weight of the top plants
The dry weight of the top part of the ginger plants showed a significant influence from the use of various types of ash, while NPK fertilizer showed the same results. The results of the HSD test showed that the dry weight of the top part of the plant from cow manure ash obtained the highest results and was significantly heavier by 5.79% than the dry weight with the rice husk ash treatment, but was not different compared to the wood ash and coconut fiber ash treatments (Table 2).
Number of tillers
The number of ginger tillers showed a significant influence from using various types of ash, while NPK fertilizer showed the same results. The HSD test results showed that the highest number of tillers in the cow manure ash treatment was significantly greater by 8.98% compared to the number of tillers in the rice husk ash treatment. Still, they were not different in the wood ash and coconut fiber ash treatments (Table 3).
Fresh weight of rhizomes
The fresh weight of ginger rhizomes in the ash treatment showed a significant effect. Still, the same results were obtained when using various doses of NPK fertilizer. The HSD test results showed that the fresh weight of rhizomes was highest in the cow manure ash treatment, which was significantly heavier by 2.28% compared to the new weight of rhizomes in the rice husk ash treatment, but not different compared to the wood ash and coconut fiber ash treatments (Table 4).
The use of various types of ash for the growth and yield of ginger plants in this study showed a significant influence on all variables observed in the development and yield of ginger plants on peat soil. Ash improves soil physicochemical properties, such as pH, CEC, BD and PD and increases the availability of macro and micro soil nutrients, which are beneficial for the growth and development of plants
(Doli et al., 2020). However, each type of ash used on plants has a different nutrient content (Table 5). Various types of ash used for plants have different abilities in increasing soil fertility, which in the end will have other effects depending on the ash source provided (
Riono and Apriyanto 2020;
Ermiwati et al., 2021; Suharti et al., 2021).
The height of ginger plants treated with wood ash obtained better results than other treatments. However, it was not significantly different from the treatment with cow manure ash and coconut fiber ash. This is because wood ash has higher potassium levels than other ash types (Table 5). Potassium is a macronutrient that plants need in abundant amounts besides phosphorus and nitrogen
(Rawat et al., 2022).
The higher availability of potassium elements in the soil can cause the plant’s ability to absorb potassium to be higher so that it can support the increase in plant height and this is related to the role of potassium in stimulating cell division and encouraging plant growth and photosynthesis processes
(Hasanuzzaman et al., 2018; Sardans and Peñuelas, 2021). Plants that lack the element potassium cause photosynthetic CO
2 fixation to decrease, which ultimately results in the utilization of assimilate for plant growth not being optimal
(Waraich et al., 2012).
The dry weight of the top of plants, the number of tillers and the fresh weight of the rhizomes showed that the application of ash sourced from cow manure was better. However, it was similar to the treatment of wood ash and coconut fiber ash (Table 2, Table 3, Table 4). This is because the phosphorus nutrient content in cow manure ash is higher than in other ash (Table 5). Phosphorus, as a plant macronutrient, is vital in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides energy for photosynthesis
(Malhotra et al., 2018).
Lack of phosphorus for plants can cause ATP production to be hampered, resulting in photosynthesis in plants not running optimally, ultimately impeding plant growth and development
(Khan et al., 2022). Several studies have found that plants experiencing a lack of phosphorus cause the rate of plant photosynthesis to be hampered, causing plant development and production to decrease
(Carstensen et al., 2018; Iqbal et al., 2023; Saengwilai et al., 2023). In general, the effect of NPK fertilizer in this study did not have a significant impact in increasing the growth and yield of ginger plants, as seen from various doses of NPK fertilizer, there was no difference in yield in plant height, dry weight of the top of the plant, number of tillers and fresh weight of rhizomes. The ash can cause this applied being able to increase the soil pH, as observed in peat soil that has been incubated using ash, there was an increase with an average pH value of 7.2 and the conditions for growing ginger plants require a soil pH of 6.8-7.4 (
Balai, 2010).
According to
Wijayanti et al., (2023), the increasing pH value in peat soil is the cause of the higher availability of nutrients for plants. So, in this condition, NPK fertilization with a low dose still produces the same plant growth and production as treatment with a higher NPK fertilizer dose because the plant’s nutrient requirements are already available in the soil.