Application of Cocoa Pod Extract Compost with the Addition of Biochar and Pleurotus sp to Shallots on Sandy Clay Land

. The utilization of sandy clay is done by adding organic materials to
minimize excessive chemical input. The purpose of this study was to determine
the soil's characteristics after applying cocoa husk compost and Pleurotus sp to 2
types of biochar, namely rice husk and corn cob biochar. Furthermore, the application of them can reveal the growth and production of shallots. The field research was arranged using a factorial design with 3 factors, namely factor 1 was
the application of 2 types of biochar, namely rice husk biochar and corncob biochar. Factor 2 was the adding the Pleurotus sp inoculant, namely, without and
with the adding of Pleurotus sp. The third factor is the application of cocoa pod
husk compost, including 1 kg.m2
and 2 kg.m2
. Soil nutrient characterization was
carried out before and after application. The results showed an increase in the soil
water content by up to 30% after applying organic matter, and the highest was in
the application of rice husk biochar, which was 17%. The organic C, P, and K percentage increased in all treatments and corn cob biochar having the highest. Meanwhile, adding compost and Pleurotus increased the N content by 80%. Pleurotus and compost were added to the highest plant tissue of biochar husk at a dose of 2 kg/m, while the highest wet weight was rice husk. In general, the finding of this study indicated that to increase shallot production, we can process plant biomass, both as compost or as biochar, with the addition of Pleurotus sp in sandy clay soils