Growth and biomass of Porang (Amorphophallus onchophyllus Prain ex Hook. f.) at several ages of oil palm as a shading crop

Satriawan, Halus; Fuady, Zahrul; Zulkifli, Ernawita

Growth and biomass of Porang (Amorphophallus onchophyllus Prain ex Hook. f.) at several ages of oil palm as a shading crop

2024

Satriawan, Halus | Fuady, Zahrul | Zulkifli, Ernawita

Oil palm, with its wide spacing and broad canopy, has the potential to be intercropped with crops that are adapted to shaded conditions. Porang (Amorphophallus onchophyllus Prain ex Hook. f.) is a type of plant that requires shade to grow well. Porang is known as an alternative food crop with a low glycemic index and is included in the healthy food group. This study aims to test the growth of porang in 3 groups of oil palm stands of different ages-3 years, 6 years and 9 years-and compared it with non-shaded conditions as a control. This research was designed as a field experiment using a Completely Randomised Design. The results showed that the growth of porang plants was influenced by shade, with the shade provided by 6-year-old oil palms (N2) and 9-year-old (N3) creating an ideal growing environment. This was indicated by parameters such as plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and canopy width, which tended to be better. Similarly, nutrient uptake indicators, consisting of C, N, P and K elements, also indicated higher nutrient absorption compared to 3-year old shade (N1) and non-shaded conditions used as a control. The findings demonstrate that the presence of shade from 6 years (N2) and 9 years (N3) oil palm trees fosters an optimal growing environment for porang cultivation.

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