Effect of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Hydrogel Loaded with NPK Compound Fertilizer on Capsicum sp. Growth and Fruiting Yield Analysis

Publication Date : 20/06/2019

Author(s) :

N.H.M. Nayanmm, M.S.A. Hamzah, A. Austad, E.F. Muslih, S.I.A. Razak.

Volume/Issue :

Volume 2

Issue 1

(06 - 2019)

Abstract :

This paper reported on the reinforcement of superabsorbent (SA) fertilizer based from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using chitosan via superficial freeze-thawing method. The obtained SAP beads are well developed with excellent mechanical properties and high NPK compound fertilizer loading at 6 wt% chitosan loading. The effect of PVA/chitosan hydrogel on plant growth and fruiting yield was observed using Capsium sp.by comparing with conventional fertilizer. The studies showed plant samples with PVA/chitosan hydrogel growth exceptionally in term of its number of fruits(43±1), total mass fruit yield (1654±1.3g), fresh and dry weight of plant (139.5±1.2%), leaf number (130.6±0.2%) and width (19.8±0.6%) as well as chlorophyll content (0.036659) compared to conventional fertilizer method. Overall, these give good indication of the modified SAP fertilizer as a new technology to be used in future agriculture.