ANDI RAHMAD RAHIM
Abstract
Seaweed Gracilaria verrucosa is a superior commodity with high economic value, especially in East Java. However, seaweed quantity and quality decrease from year to year due to the decreasing productivity of the cultivation ponds. This decrease is caused by poor pond maintenance and inorganic fertilizer application. Abundant wastes around the ponds can be utilized as the feed for the cultivation of earthworms that will produce environmentally friendly and economical vermicompost fertilizer to increase the pond productivity. One of the parameters to increase the pond productivity is by increasing the quality and quantity of seaweed G. verrucosa. The purpose of this research is to analyze the utilization of pond wastes as the feed for the cultivation of earthworms in producing vermicompost fertilizer. This research was conducted in Pangkah Wetan village, Ujungpangkah Subdistrict of Gresik Regency, Laboratory of Fisheries Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik, Laboratory of Food Quality and Laboratory of Soil Science Universitas Brawijaya Malang. This study used the completely randomized design (CRD) with 5 treatments and 3 replications. The results of the research showed that vermicompost fertilizer using banana stem waste could increase the number of cells, absolute weight and carbon content in seaweed G.verrucosa of 199 cells/mm-3, 48.51 g and 29.47%, respectively. For the quality, the viscosity was 153.0 cps with vermicompost fertilizer using Imperata and the gel strength was 58.5 g/cm2 with vermicompost fertilizer using the combination of waste. Quality of water and soil range of carbon 725.78 - 4711.46 ppm and 14558.67 - 27051.00 ppm; nitrogen 14.61 - 94.88 ppm and 1200.00 - 2266.67 ppm; phosphorus 18.76 - 37.28 ppm and 16.05 - 24.22 ppm.