PENGARUH SOLARISASI DENGAN PENUTUP TANAH TERHADAP KOMPOSISI VEGETASI DAN POPULASI GULMA PADA MAIN NURSERY KELAPA SAWIT (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

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Gulma pada fase main nursery kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) dapat menghambat pertumbuhan bibit akibat persaingan unsur hara, air, cahaya, dan ruang tumbuh. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh penggunaan penutup tanah terhadap komposisi dan populasi gulma serta menentukan perlakuan yang paling efektif dalam menekan gulma. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada April–Mei 2026 di Mendel Nursery, Institut Teknologi Sawit Indonesia, menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) non-faktorial dengan tiga perlakuan, yaitu tanpa penutup tanah (P1), kain hitam (P2), dan mulsa plastik hitam (P3), masing-masing 9 ulangan. Pengamatan dilakukan pada umur 5 MST dengan menghitung jumlah gulma dan dianalisis menggunakan ANOVA serta uji BNT 5%. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa P1 menghasilkan gulma tertinggi (217; rataan 24,11), P2 (176; rataan 19,56), dan P3 terendah (59; rataan 6,56). Hasil uji BNT menunjukkan perbedaan nyata terutama antara P1 dan P3. Kesimpulannya, penutup tanah berpengaruh dalam menekan gulma dan mulsa plastik hitam merupakan perlakuan paling efektif.

Kata Kunci: Kelapa Sawit, Main Nursery, Gulma, Penutup Tanah, Mulsa

Weeds in the main nursery stage of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) can hinder seedling growth due to competition for nutrients, water, light, and growing space. This study aimed to analyze the effect of ground cover application on weed composition and population, and to determine the most effective treatment in suppressing weed growth. The research was conducted from April to May 2026 at Mendel Nursery, Indonesian Oil Palm Institute, using a non-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three treatments: no ground cover (P1), black fabric (P2), and black plastic mulch (P3), each with nine replications. Observations were carried out at 5 weeks after planting (WAP) by counting weed populations. The data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by a 5% LSD test. The results showed that P1 had the highest weed population (217; mean 24.11), followed by P2 (176; mean 19.56), while P3 had the lowest (59; mean 6.56). The LSD test indicated a significant difference, especially between P1 and P3. In conclusion, ground cover application affects weed suppression, and black plastic mulch is the most effective treatment in reducing weed growth in the oil palm main nursery.