Analysis of Plant, Tuber, and Soil Samples for Fertilizer Comparison Controlled Release (CRF) and Conventional Crops Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) on Sandy Soil
Abstract
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an important food commodity, but its productivity often declines in sandy
soils due to low cation exchange capacity and significant nutrient loss. The use of Controlled Release Fertilizer
(CRF) offers an alternative to improve fertilization efficiency and maintain soil chemical stability. This research
was conducted at MARDI, Serdang, Malaysia, with three treatments: conventional fertilizer, CRF, and a
combination of CRF with microbial inoculum. Observed parameters included soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC),
cation exchange capacity (CEC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) content, and nutrient use efficiency
(NUE). Data were analyzed using ANOVA with the GLM procedure in SAS 9.4, followed by LSD tests at P ≤ 0.05. The
results showed that CRF and CRF combined with microbial treatment increased soil pH from 6.05 to 6.22, CEC
from 2.01 to 2.78 meq%, NUE from 31.64% to 94.17%, and dry plant weight to 268.38 g. The combination of CRF
and microbes proved more effective in improving soil chemical properties, enhancing nutrient uptake, and
increasing fertilization efficiency in sandy soils. These findings demonstrate that applying microbe-based CRF can
sustainably increase productivity and are recommended for farmers working with sandy soils to optimize harvest
yields while preserving soil fertility.
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