Effects of AB Mix and Azolla microphylla-Based Liquid Organic Fertilizer Proportions on the Growth and Yield of Water Spinach (Ipomoea reptans Poir.) in a Wick Hydroponic System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24843/Keywords:
AB Mix, Azolla microphylla, liquid organic fertilizer, urban farming, water spinach, wick hydroponicsAbstract
Water spinach (Ipomoea reptans Poir.) is a fast-growing leafy vegetable with strong potential for household and urban farming systems. The wick hydroponic system offers a simple, low-cost, and energy-saving cultivation approach; however, its productivity depends strongly on the nutrient source used. This study evaluated the effects of different proportions of inorganic AB Mix and Azolla microphylla-based liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) on the growth and yield of water spinach cultivated in a wick hydroponic system. The experiment was conducted from April to July 2025 at the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University, Denpasar, Indonesia, using a randomized block design with one factor and four replications. Seven nutrient treatments were tested: water control, 100% AB Mix, 100% Azolla LOF, 75% AB Mix + 25% Azolla LOF, 50% AB Mix + 50% Azolla LOF, 25% AB Mix + 75% Azolla LOF, and 100% AB Mix + 100% Azolla LOF. The observed variables included plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem diameter, leaf chlorophyll, root length, fresh and dry biomass, and shoot-to-root ratio. Analysis of variance showed that nutrient proportion significantly or highly significantly affected most growth and yield variables, except plant height and leaf number at 7 days after planting and shoot-to-root ratio. The combined 100% AB Mix + 100% Azolla LOF treatment produced the highest vegetative performance, whereas 100% Azolla LOF produced the highest total fresh weight (33.5 g plant−1), representing a 50.2% increase over the control. These findings indicate that Azolla microphylla-based LOF can be used as a sustainable nutrient source in wick hydroponics, either alone or combined with AB Mix, particularly for low-input urban vegetable production.
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