Utilization of Fishery Processing Waste as Liquid Organic Fertilizer to Enhance the Growth of Red Chili Peppers (Capsicum annuum L)

Abstract

Fluctuating red chili production in West Sulawesi and the potential availability of fishery waste highlight the need for environmentally friendly fertilization alternatives. This study evaluated the effects of fish-waste liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) on red chili growth and identified the concentration that produced the best response among the tested levels. A Completely Randomized Design was used with four LOF concentrations: P0 (0%/control), P1 (10%), P2 (20%), and P3 (30%), each with three replications, resulting in 12 experimental units. LOF was produced by fermenting 1 kg of fish waste (heads, bones, and viscera) with 100 g of palm sugar and 1 L of water for 10–14 days. Plant height, leaf number, fruit number, and fresh weight were measured. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at α = 0.05 for significant parameters. LOF significantly affected plant height, leaf number, and fresh weight (p < 0.05), but did not significantly affect fruit number (p > 0.05). P3 (30%) produced the highest plant height (38.00 cm) and fresh weight (12.30 g), P1 (10%) produced the highest leaf number (26.00 leaves), and P2 (20%) showed the highest fruit number (12.00 fruits), although the latter was not statistically significant. These results indicate that the best LOF concentration differed among growth parameters. Fish-waste LOF therefore has potential as an organic fertilizer alternative while supporting the utilization of fishery-processing waste.