Eco-enzymes
Data in Table 1 shows the average effective dose of the effect of husk carbon and eco-enzymes on the growth of vanilla beans analyzed using Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at a 5% level in the experimental and control activities and shows the differences in eco-enzyme treatment on various aspects of plant growth, such as height, leaf width, plant dry weight and root fresh weight. However, no significant differences were observed in terms of number of leaves, plant fresh weight and root dry weight.
Eco-enzymes are organic substances that help break down soil nutrients into components that can be used for plant growth. This process occurs through the process of photosynthesis which then causes an increase in the number and size of cells so that the plants become taller, the leaves are wider, the dry weight of the plants is greater and the weight of the roots is heavier
(Harman et al., 2021; Novianto, 2022). Photosynthesis also plays an important role in increasing the growth rate of plants
(Rahmawan et al., 2019). According to
Nurhayati, (2021), photosynthesis is responsible for ATP synthesis, the production of photosynthetic enzymes (
eg RuBP carboxylase), absorption of CO
2 through leaf stomata, and maintaining electrical balance during the photophosphorylation process in chloroplasts, all of which are influenced by nutrients absorbed by plants. Organic molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates and lipids can be broken down by enzymes such as proteases, amylase and lipases, which are then used for plant metabolism (
Arun and Sivashanmugam, 2015).
The use of eco-enzyme chicory orange as much as 15 ml L
-1 on the dry weight of Lokananta tubers increased by 20.47% compared to the control on the Sanren variety
(Hasanah et al., 2022), with significant effects on root length, stem circumference and dry weight of lettuce plants
(Yuliandewi et al., 2018), supported by research from
Novianto, (2022) which showed that eco-enzymes increased root length and number of shallots, as well as the growth of Sacha inchi
Plukenetia volubilis L.
Rosnina et al., (2022) and Turi (
Sesbania grandiflora)
Ginting et al., (2021).
Husk charcoal
Table 2 shows how different doses of husk charcoal affect plant growth. Parameters of leaf width, plant fresh weight, and root dry weight were significantly different at P4, while plant height and number of leaves were not significantly different. The husk charcoal contains potassium, an essential macronutrient for plant transport and assimilation. It also plays a role in soil improvement, silica extraction, and supports plant growth in extreme soil conditions and saline soils
(Perdanatika et al., 2018). The decomposition of husk charcoal affects various factors such as seed germination, root growth, seedling emergence, number of shoots, nutrient availability and plant productivity
(Kumar et al., 2022). Potassium is very important for wet stem-type plants to maintain the balance between the vegetative and reproductive phases (
Sardans and Peñuelas, 2021).
In that study, it was found that giving rice husk charcoal at a dose of 20 g/plant to vanilla seedlings increased leaf area, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, fresh root weight, and root dry weight (Table 2). Whereas in
Lycopersicum esculentum Mill., plant growth requires a dose of 50 g/plant (
Kiswondo, 2011). In another study, a dose of 5 g/plant on
Lactuca sativa plants increased fresh weight, and the addition of fresh weight also occurred on Arabica coffee and shallot plants
(Bismantara et al., 2022; Ngindi et al., 2022). In soybeans, this dose can also increase seed weight
Perdanatika et al., (2018). In addition, in
Vigna sinensis L long bean plants, this dose also increased plant height, fresh weight of long bean plants, and fruit weight per plot
(Walianggen, 2022).
Combination of eco-enzymes and rice husk charcoal
Data in Table 3 shows that the combination of eco-enzymes and rice husk charcoal did not have a significant effect on plant height, live area, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, and vanilla root dry weight. However, there was a significant difference in the fresh weight of vanilla tubers. The only significant difference found was in the treatment of fresh root weight. This is because each treatment has a different effect and they do not interact significantly, except for the treatment of fresh root weight which showed a significant effect, indicating an interrelation between the two treatments. When eco-enzymes and husk charcoal enter the plant tissue, they are stored and fill in the gaps in the tissue.
Eco-enzyme which comes from orange peel has advantages because oranges contain various substances such as phenols, amino acids, essential oils, pectin, carotenoids, flavonoids and vitamin C
(Epifano et al., 2014; Benny et al., 2023), hormones, organic acids, enzymes and mineral salts that accelerate plant biochemical reactions
(Fadlilla et al., 2023). One of the advantages of eco-enzyme is its ability to dissolve organic compounds in inside. what was previously insoluble becomes a soluble form. The protease, amylase, and lipase enzymes in eco-enzymes can help break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats
(Verma et al., 2019) and have antifungal, antibacterial and insecticidal properties (
Hemalatha and Visantini, 2020). Giving eco-enzymes enhances the growth of chili plants
(Darusman et al., 2023), Brassica chinensis L (
Nugraha and Sa’diyah, 2023),
Allium cepa (Panataria et al., 2023).
Microscopic observation
Vanilla stems filled with ecological enzymes (A) and husk charcoal (B) fill the transport packets at the base of the stem (Fig 1). This shows that the treatment of ecological enzymes and rice husk charcoal enters the plant tissue and is useful and influences plant growth and development (Tables 1, 2 and 3). Ecological enzymes present in vanilla tissue include functional enzymes amylase, lipase, protease, and cellulase (
Gallage and Møller, 2015;
Raveendran et al., 2018), as well as secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, quinones, saponins, alkaloids, and cardio glycosides (
Vama and Cherekar, 2020), thereby reducing environmental toxicity. in agriculture and as liquid organic fertilizer (
Hemalatha and Visanti, 2020). Supported by research conducted by
Nasar et al., (2019) that charcoal and compost treatment play a role in maintaining soil fertility including soil physio-chemical properties and increasing yields consisting of (number of tillers per square meter, plant height, number of grains per spike and 1000 grain weight) in wheat plants (
Triticum aestivum L), in chickpea (
Cicer arietinum L.) by
Anjali et al., (2021). The husk charcoal in the soil is porous, light, not dirty, and can store air, then enters the plant through the roots to fill the plant tissue (
Mishra et al., 2017). Rice husk charcoal functions as a biological fertilizer
Maftuah et al., (2020) and biopesticide
Sala et al., (2020). The effect of rice husk ash in improving soil dryness is the same as using lime to adjust acidic soil pH in the Kuttanad area (
Mini and Lekshmi, 2021).