Specific Leaf Area, Jumlah Trikomata dan Kandungan Kalium Daun Semai Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.) pada Kandungan Air Tanah Berbeda

Abstract

The existence of global warning caused the climate change such as the occurance of long dry seasons associated with ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation). The climatologist predict these events will occur more often in the future. Cocoa plants require a relatively uniform distribution of rainfall in the year without a long dry season. The existence of drought stress can affect the rate of decline in the growth and development such as expansion rate and decreased availability of nutrients in the root zone. This study aims to determine changes in specific leaf area (SLA), the number trichomes and K+ content of leaves of cocoa seedlings at diffferent soil water content. This study uses 36 cacao plants with 12-month-old were grown for two months on medium soil with soil water content of 75%, 50%, and 25%. Parameters observed are the SLA, the number trikomata and K+ content of leaves. The result showed the age of 12 months of cocoa seedlings planted on different soil water content showed differences in SLA, thricomes and K+ content of leaves. The seedling grown optimum when planted on soil water content of 75%,whereas in 50% soil water content began to decline in growth with decreasing SLA and without leaves trichomes. The development and growth of seedlings decline sharply if planted in soil water content of 25%.