SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025, 37-48 SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology Journal homepage: http://jurnal.
id/tanah Chemical properties analysis of liquid and semi-solid bioconversion products from organic waste and their effects on soil fertility and sweet corn yield Emma Trinurani Sofyan1*.
Stefina Liana Sari2.
Saefur Rohman3.
Indra Permana4.
Rahmat Budiarto5.
Mansour Ghorbanpour6.
Sastrika Anindita1 1 Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management.
Faculty of Agriculture.
Universitas Padjadjaran.
Sumedang, 45363.
West Java.
Indonesia 2 Agrotechnopreneur Study Program.
Faculty of Agriculture.
Universitas Padjadjaran.
Sumedang, 45363.
West Java.
Indonesia 3 Agrotechnology Study Program.
Faculty of Agriculture.
Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran.
Surabaya.
East Java, 60294.
Indonesia 4 Faculty of Agriculture.
Universitas Siliwangi.
Tasikmalaya.
West Java, 46196.
Indonesia 5 Department of Agronomy.
Faculty of Agriculture.
Universitas Padjadjaran.
Sumedang, 45363.
West Java.
Indonesia 6 Department of Medicinal Plants.
Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Arak University.
Arak, 38156-8-8349.
Iran
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Keywords:
Bioconversion products Liquid fertilizer Semi-solid fertilizer Zea mays production Food security remains a critical global challenge, particularly as land degradation, driven by excessive use of synthetic fertilizers, continues to threaten soil fertility and crop This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of liquid and semi-solid fermented organic waste and their effects on several soil chemical properties and sweet corn yield.
The experiment was conducted in a corn field in Pagerwangi Village.
West Java.
Indonesia.
The experiment used a Split-Plot Design with three replications.
The main plot was the fermented waste product treatment, which consisted of three levels: no product (A.
, liquid product (A.
, and semi-solid product (A.
The subplot was the N-P-K dose level, which consisted of four levels: 0 N-P-K .
, 1/2 N-P-K dose .
, 3/4 N-P-K dose .
, and standard N-P-K dose .
The research findings indicated that the macro and microelements present in semi-solid products were several times higher compared to liquid ones.
Furthermore, the microbial population in semi-solid products exhibited higher density compared to liquid products.
Field tests also demonstrated that both liquid product (A.
and semi-solid product (A.
significantly increased total nitrogen, organic-C, and soil pH compared to the control (A.
The highest sweet corn productivity was observed in treatment A2, with a yield increase of 47.
62% compared to the control.
The research results suggested that the use of fermented organic waste products could enhance soil fertility and sweet corn production.
Article history Submitted: 2024-11-30 Revised: 2025-02-17 Accepted: 2025-02-24 Available online: 2025-03-30 Published regularly:
June 2025 * Corresponding Author Email address:
trinurani@unpad.
How to Cite: Sofyan.
Sari.
Rohman.
Permana.
Budiarto.
Ghorbanpour.
, & Anindita.
Chemical properties analysis of liquid and semi-solid bioconversion products from organic waste and their effects on soil fertility and sweet corn yield.
Sains Tanah Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 37-48.
https://doi.
org/10.
20961/stjssa.
INTRODUCTION
Food security has become a global concern.
This is due to the increasing human population, which is projected to reach 5 billion by 2030 and 9.
7 billion by 2050 (Sadigov, 2.
Indonesia is expected to contribute 300 million.
At the same time, our capacity to produce sufficient foods keeps being hampered by many problems such as unstoppable land conversion, climate change, biodiversity loss, increased farming costs, decreasing interest in farming, and land degradation (Chew et al.
, 2019.
Kumar et al.
, 2.
Particularly land degradation, problem must be given special attention as this causes the existing arable land to decrease in productivity, hence increasing production costs, lowering farmerAos revenue, and in the long-term, damaging the sustainability of crop production (Eswaran et al.
, 2.
Land degradation is caused by many but most importantly by irrational and excessive use of synthetic fertilizer as this practice wreaks havoc on soil native microbiome by suppressing nitrogen fixers and amplifying soil decomposer's activity in decomposing organic matter which further leads to decreasing soil organic matter (Widowati et al.
, 2.
and soil fertility in whole (Bhatt et al.
, 2019.
Jamilah et al.
, 2.
answer the problem, an eco-friendlier practice such as organic or semi-organic farming is advocated.
In this STJSSA, p-ISSN 1412-3606 e-ISSN 2356-1424 http://dx.
org/10.
20961/stjssa.
A 2025 The Authors.
Published by Universitas Sebelas Maret This is an open-access article under the CC BY NC license .
ttp://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by/4.
Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 approach, the input of synthetic fertilizer is reduced in part or fully substituted by organic fertilizer (Sharma et al.
, 2.
The bioconversion of organic wastes into organic fertilizers happens through a process called fermentation.
This process facilitates the breaking down of organic components .
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, organic acids, etc.
) into a more simple and stable organic material assisted by a decomposer microbial consortium in the presence of oxygen, i.
anaerobic fermentation (Sabater et , 2.
The final organic product, once applied to the soils, could serve as (Myller, 2018.
Pujara et al.
, 2.
pools for use by plants as either organic fertilizer or soil conditioner.
Nevertheless, there are several considerations that must be addressed first that directly affect the characteristics of organic products (Kwanyun et al.
, 2023.
Tsaniya et al.
, 2.
such as pH, organic-C content, macronutrients .
, organicN, total-N, total P2O5, total K2O), micronutrients .
Fe.
Cu.
Zn.
Mn, etc.
), and other compounds such as humic acid, phytohormones .
, auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, etc.
) and microbial contents .
, total fungi, total N-fixing and Psolubilizing bacteri.
to ensure the products meet the standards for organic fertilizers or soil conditioners.
Hence it is important to optimize the organic waste fermentation process to generate fermentation products that conform to the criteria as organic fertilizers to apply in soils promoting plant growth and development (Khalisha et al.
, 2022.
Marouek et al.
, 2.
The bioconversion of organic wastes, e.
, vegetable and fruit waste, generates either liquid or semisolid fermentation products depending on the phase harvested.
The use of both products, e.
liquid (LOF) and semisolid organic fertilizer (SOF) has become a trend nowadays due to the multiple benefits aforementioned (Zamri et al.
, 2.
However, both tend to have low nutrient contents (Roba, 2.
hindering their use in a full cropping system.
For instance, typical LOF contains low macronutrient content (Nanda & Berruti, 2.
45 Ae 1.
8, 0.
024 Ae 0.
55, and 0.
024 Ae 0.
55% for N.
P, and K, respectively which do not conform to the standard regulation.
The Ministry of Agriculture.
Republic of Indonesia mandates for such products to have at least 10% of total macronutrients and 2 Ae 6% total of every N.
P2O2, and K2O content (Kementan.
Therefore, optimization of the fermentation process is critical to generate fermentation products with higher nutritional content to conform with the governmentAos Among effective strategies to yield high nutrient content of the products can be done physically by grinding the raw organic waste materials first into a finer texture before the fermentation process.
Such an approach would obviously increase the surface to area ratio of the materials.
better decaying and decomposing processes undertaken by the microbial consortium to generate fermentation products that are higher in nutrient contents (Sharma et al.
, 2.
This study aimed to optimize the fermentation process of organic wastes physically by grinding the materials to produce higher nutrient contents.
The novelty of this research lies in the innovative development and comparative evaluation of semi-solid organic waste fermentation products (SOF) against conventional liquid organic fertilizers (LOF), demonstrating the superior nutrient concentration and field performance of SOF.
The characteristics of the products were assessed physically, chemically, and biologically on several parameters:
water solubility, pH, organic C, total bacteria, total fungi.
Nfixing bacteria, and P-solubilizing bacteria.
to conform to the Indonesian governmentAos regulation.
The dynamic of soil properties upon product application was also assessed on parameters such as soil organic C, organic matter (Guo et al.
, pH, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (Mazzon et al.
Pranckietien et al.
, 2023.
Rathore et al.
, 2.
Finally, the effect of product application on plant growth and yield was assessed through tissue nutrient content and sweet corn yield (Ngoune Tandzi & Mutengwa, 2020.
Solihin et al.
, 2.
applied in gradual supplementations to reduce inorganic NPK Moreover, reducing environmental risks, improving soil fertility, and boosting plant productivity in a more sustainable manner.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Materials Organic wastes in the form of vegetables, fruit, and tuber waste were obtained from a local market nearby.
Those wastes were subjected to bioconversion into organic fertilizer through an aerobic fermentation process.
Bioactivator products created by the vocational school of Universitas Padjadjaran (ASEM-.
were used to assist the fermentation ASEM-7 consists of microbial consortia including lactic acid (Lactobacillus spp.
), actinomycetes (Streptomyces ), bacteria.
yeast, and cellulose degrading fungus (Pseudomonas spp.
Bacillus spp.
Aspergillus spp.
Saccharomyces spp.
, and Trichoderma spp.
Sweet corn used for the field experiment was of Paragon variety, obtained from a local vendor.
Organic waste fermentation process and product The fermentation process was carried out through two different methods.
hence, two fermentation products were In the first method, the wastes were shredded using a shredding machine and then placed in a 25 L waterresistant plastic bucket.
A hole in the bottom of the bucket was made to collect the liquid.
Water was then added into the bucket to make the ratio of organic wastes : water = 1 : 3.
After that, 50 ml of bio activator (EM.
was added.
The digestate was stirred until homogeneous and fermented for 28 days.
The final product of the first method was called liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) (Esparza et al.
, 2.
Meanwhile, in the second method, the wastes were first ground into a finer texture resembling porridges using a grinding machine.
After that, the process was identical to the first method, with the distinction that no water was added in the second process.
The moisture content solely originated from plant residues and waste materials.
The second method required more time .
compared to the first, not only due to the decomposition of solid waste particles that took more time but also to reduce the water content though evaporation.
The second method generated products called semisolid organic fertilizer (SOF).
Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 Table 1.
Analysis Methods for Various Parameters of Bioconversion Products No.
Parameters Method Electrometry, pH meter .
Organic-C Walkley & Black Organic-N and Total N Kjeldahl.
Titrimetry P 2 O5 Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
Molybdovanadat.
Spectrophotometry K2 O Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
AAS Ae Flamephotometry Total Fe.
Cu.
Zn Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
AAS Total Mn.
Mo Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
Spectrophotometry Total B Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
Azomethine- H.
Spectrophotometry Humic Acid Gravimetry Plant Growth Regulator Content (Auxin.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Cytokinin.
Gibberelli.
N-fixing bacteria.
Quantitative Total Plate Count.
JNFB Media P-solubilizing bacteria Quantitative Total Plate Count.
Pikovskaya Media Total fungi Quantitative Total Plate Count Heavy metals contaminant Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
AAS (As.
Hg.
Pb.
Cd.
Cr.
Table 2.
Extraction and Analysis Method No.
Parameters Organic-C (%) Soil Organic Matter (%) CEC .
mol kg-.
Method Walkley & Black Calculating organic-C content by a factor of 1.
Electrometry, pH meter .
Criteria for Analysis Results* <1 % .
, 1-2 % (Lo.
, 2-3 % .
, 35 % .
, >5 % Very High <4.
5 (Strongly acidi.
, 4.
5 - 5.
5 (Acidi.
, 5.
5 Ae 5 (Slightly acidi.
Neutral .
6 Ae 7.
Slightly alkaline .
6 Ae 8.
, >8.
5 (Alkalin.
<5 % .
, 5-16 % (Lo.
, 17-24 % .
, 25-40 % .
, >40 % Very High Ammonium acetate .
H=.
extraction, direct distillation N uptake Kjeldahl.
Titrimetry P uptake Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
Molybdovanadat.
Spectrophotometry K uptake Wet Oxidation.
HNO3 HClO4.
AAS Ae Flamephotometry Notes: *Criteria for Analysis Results are based on the Technical Guidelines for Soil.
Plant.
Water, and Fertilizer Analysisissued by the Indonesian Soil Research Institute.
After that, both products were subjected to analytical tests on several physical, chemical, and biological characteristics including water solubility, pH, organic carbon and nitrogen, nutrients content .
otal N.
P2O5.
K2O.
Fe.
Cu.
Zn.
Mn.
Mo, and B), humic acid, phytohormones content .
uxin, cytokinin, gibberelli.
, and functional microbes .
otal bacteria.
N-fixing bacteria.
P-solubilizing bacteria, and total The quantitative analysis methods used are presented in Table 1.
mean precipitation of 158.
18 mm.
The experiment was conducted in the rainy season from September 2022 to January 2023.
The media used for the experiment was Soil analysis was carried out using the method based on Table 2, to ensure its initial chemical properties.
The field experiment was aimed to investigate the potential of two organic products (LOF and SOF) to supplement inorganic NPK fertilization regimes.
To achieve this aim, the field experiment was designed in a split-plot design experiment.
The main plot was organic products application which consisted of A0 = without SOF LOF.
A1 = LOF, and A2 = SOF.
The subplot was set as gradual NPK fertilization regimes consisted of a1 = 0 NPK .
kg ha-.
, a2= 1/2 NPK .
-40-25 kg ha-.
, a3 = 3/4 NPK .
-60-38 kg ha-.
, and a4 = 1 standard NPK dosage .
-80-50 kg ha-.
The combination produced 12 treatment combinations, which were replicated three times.
The experimental procedure was as such: the media was made in plots sized 1 m y 5 m.
Into each plot, the corresponding products were applied, i.
A0,
Field experiment and experimental condition A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the application of fermentation products on sweet corn growth and yield.
The experiment took place in Pagerwangi Village.
Lembang District.
West Bandung Regency.
West Java Province.
Indonesia .
atitude: 06A50'13.
longitude: 107A37'33.
2904"E).
The experimental site is located in a tropical humid climate (A.
, with an altitude of 1300 m, annual mean temperature of 19.
5 AC, and annual Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 A1, and A2, at a dose of 1 L per plot.
Similarly.
NPK dosages were applied as the subplot treatment (A1 to A.
Both products (LOF and SOF) were applied precisely after plot preparation 14 days before transplanting.
Meanwhile.
NPK fertilizer was applied at 7 and 28 days after transplanting.
Subsequent plant maintenance was followed including watering, pest and disease control, etc.
(CEC).
Plant tissue samples (N.
K uptak.
were collected at 35 days post-transplantation by uprooting the entire plant, followed by drying and analysis using the methods outlined in Table 2.
Maize cobs were harvested at 86 days.
The cobs were measured on several parameters namely cobs length (CL in c.
, cobs diameter (CD in c.
, cobs weight with husks (CWH in .
, and cobs weight without husks (CW in .
Assessment of Soil Properties and Plant Tissues Content, and Plant Yield Statistical Analysis Analysis of the variance procedure was employed to determine the significance of the treatments .
ermentation products.
NPK dosage, and their interactio.
Should there be any significance.
Duncan multiple range tests (DMRT) were employed at a confidence level of 95% (=0.
The principal Component Analysis (PCA) procedure was also used to gain a deeper understanding on the data.
All statistical analyses were performed on SPSS statistical software package version The dynamic of soil properties after product application was assessed on soil organic carbon (SOC), organic matter (SOM), pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC).
Soil samples .
epth 0-20 c.
were taken twice on 0 and 14 days after product applications.
Quantitative methods employed to assess soil properties are displayed in Table 2.
In line with soil, sweet corn plant tissues were also assessed on N-P-K content within the tissues and subjected to tests on soil organic carbon, organic matter, pH, and cation exchange capacity Table 3.
Characteristics of Liquid and Semi-Solid Products Analyzed Based on Several Chemical and Biological Parameters and Compared to the Minimum Technical Requirements Set by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture Technical Requirement* No.
Parameters Unit
LOF
SOF
Fertilizer Soil Conditioner Chemical parameters Organic - Carbon
Organic - Nitrogen
Total - Nitrogen
Total - P2O5
N P K 2-6
Total - K2O Total Fe max.
Total - Fe Available Fe max.
Total - Mn Total - Cu Total - Zn Max 5000 Total - B Total - Mo Additional compound Humic Acid Auxin Cytokinin Gibberellin Biological parameters Total Number of cfu ml-1 30 x 106 80 x 1013 1 x 107 cfu ml-1 Functional Bacteria Total Number of Fungi cfu ml-1 00 x 104 00 x 107 1 x 105 cfu ml-1 N-Fixing Bacteria cfu ml 70 x 10 70 x 10 Positive P-Solubilizing Bacteria cfu ml-1 20 x 106 20 x 1010 Positive Solubility in water Heavy metals Notes: Product A1 = liquid Organic Product.
Product A2 = Semisolid Organic Product.
*based on Kementan .
Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 Figure 1.
Differences in Soil Organic-C .
Soil Organic Matter .
, pH .
and CEC .
of various treatments Notes: The mean values followed by the same letter do not significantly differ based on the DMRT Test at the 5% Level.
Lowercase letters are read horizontally, comparing different N-P-K fertilizer doses within the same waste type.
Uppercase letters are read vertically, comparing among three different waste types at the same N-P-K dosage.
Table 4.
ANOVA Test Results for Soil Parameters under Control.
LOF, and SOF Treatments Parameters F-statistic P-value SOC (%) SOM (%) EC .
mol kg-.
growth regulation.
The biological properties of SOF reveal a greater presence of functional bacteria .
80 y 10AA CFU ml-.
and fungi .
00 y 10A CFU ml-.
, contributing to enhanced soil microbial activity.
Furthermore, both fertilizers meet safety criteria for heavy metals, ensuring their suitability for agricultural applications.
Changes in Soil Carbon.
Organic Matter, pH, and Cation Exchange Capacity RESULTS Characteristics of two Fermented Products The total SOC statistical analysis .
> 0.
indicated that the application of fermented fertilizers did not significantly increase SOC and SOM content (Table .
However, based on the percentage content classification from the technical guidelines for analysis, the SOF and LOF treatments demonstrated an improvement in classification compared to the control, shifting from AupoorAy to AulowAy (Fig.
1a, 1b, and Table .
On the other hand.
SOF significantly increased soil pH (Fig.
1c and Table .
and CEC (Fig.
1d and Table .
< .
, although the classification criteria (Table .
remained within the same range.
This study suggests that SOF supplies more organic compounds than LOF, which can contribute to soil fertility.
The decomposition of organic matter generates charged organic colloids, leading to an increase in CEC.
After 14 days of incubation, soil analysis revealed a significant increase in CEC with the application of semisolid products, indicating that fermented fertilizers effectively enhance soil chemical properties.
The technical evaluation (Table .
of Liquid Organic Fertilizer (LOF) and Semi-Solid Organic Fertilizer (SOF) highlights notable variations in their chemical and biological SOF contains a higher organic carbon content .
21%) compared to LOF .
34%), indicating its greater potential for improving soil organic matter.
Both fertilizers maintain a pH within the acceptable range .
, making them suitable for most crops.
In terms of nutrient composition.
SOF provides higher concentrations of organic nitrogen .
05% vs.
54%), total nitrogen .
89% vs.
68%).
PCCOCI .
54% vs.
93%), and KCCO .
78% vs.
60%), all of which comply with the Ministry of AgricultureAos technical requirements for organic fertilizers.
The assessment of trace elements indicates that SOF contains greater amounts of Fe.
Mn.
Cu, and Zn, which are essential for plant health.
Additionally.
SOF offers higher levels of bioactive compounds such as humic acid, auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin, which contribute to plant Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 Table 5.
Statistical Analysis of Nitrogen.
Phosphorus, and Potassium Content in Plant Tissues Under Different Treatments LOF and SOF treatment
N-P-K Treatment
N (%)
28 ab
30 ab
P (%)
K (%)
Description: The mean values followed by the same letter do not significantly differ based on the DMRT Test at the 5% Level.
Lowercase letters are read horizontally, comparing different N-P-K fertilizer doses within the same waste type.
Uppercase letters are read vertically, comparing among three different waste types at the same N-P-K dosage.
The highest cob length .
10 c.
was observed in SOF treatment (ACA) with N-P-K level aCE, which was significantly greater than the lowest cob length .
41 c.
found in the control (ACA, aCA).
Similarly, cob diameter was maximized .
under SOF treatment (ACA, aCE), showing a significant improvement over the control .
78 cm.
ACA, aCA).
Weight analysis showed a notable increase in cob weight with husk, with the highest weight .
recorded in SOF treatment (ACC, aCE), while the lowest .
was found in the control (ACA, aCA).
Likewise, the weight of cob without husk was significantly higher .
in SOF treatment (ACC, aCE), compared to the lowest .
in the control (ACA, aCA).
The increase in cob weight, with or without husk, under SOF treatments indicates a more favorable growth environment.
These results suggest that the application of SOF is more effective in enhancing growth parameters and sweet corn yield compared to LOF and the control.
Nitrogen.
Phosphorus, and Potassium Content on Plant Tissue The analysis of N.
P, and K content in plant tissues (Table .
revealed significant improvements with the application of SOF compared to LOF and control treatments.
SOF
consistently resulted in higher nutrient content across all NP-K treatments.
For nitrogen, the highest values were observed in the SOF treatment, ranging from 4.
28% to 4.
compared to the control group (A.
which exhibited the lowest N content, particularly in the a1 treatment .
04%).
Similarly, phosphorus content was highest in the SOF treatment, peaking at 1.
21% in the a3 treatment, while the control group had the lowest values, ranging from 0.
76% to Potassium content followed the same trend, with the highest levels found in the SOF treatment .
p to 1.
35% in the a3 treatmen.
compared to the control group (A.
, which ranged from 1.
01% to 1.
These results indicate that SOF is more effective in enhancing nutrient uptake by plants due to its higher nutrient concentration (Holland et al.
, 2.
and improved soil retention properties.
Principal Component Analysis PCA Biplot The performance of inorganic and organic fertilizer combination treatment to all parameters by PCA biplot was shown in Figure 4.
PCA showed that 75 % N-P-K combined with liquid compost resulted in higher N uptake and maize yield, followed by 100 % N-P-K combined with solid compost with higher K uptake and high maize yield compared with other treatments.
The Yield Components of Sweet Corn Commodities The analysis of sweet corn production (Table .
showed that the application of LOF and SOF significantly improved growth parameters such as cob length, diameter, and weight.
Statistical analysis indicated that SOF treatments consistently produced significantly higher values than LOF and the control Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 Table 6.
Statistical Analysis Data on Sweet Corn Production Differences Across Various Treatments N-P-K Treatment Liquid & Semisolid Product Cob Length .
Cob Diameter .
Weight of Cob with Husk .
Weight of Cob without Husk .
Description: The mean values followed by the same letter do not significantly differ based on the DMRT Test at the 5% Level.
Lowercase letters are read horizontally, comparing different N-P-K fertilizer doses within the same waste type.
Uppercase letters are read vertically, comparing among three different waste types at the same N-P-K dosage.
The addition of solid compost at 50% and 75% rate of NP-K increased the uptake of K and P of plant, similar to 100 % N-P-K rate.
Treatments without N-P-K fertilizer had the lowest maize yields despite the addition of liquid or solid compost.
The best treatment in this study was a combination of liquid compost, solid compost and N-P-K fertilizer.
Adding liquid and solid compost can reduce N-P-K fertilizer usage by 25 % while maintaining optimal yields.
Parameter Contribution Based on Variable Effect The correlation matrix in Figure 4 highlights the relationship between nutrient uptake (N.
P, and K) and crop The results indicate a strong positive correlation between nitrogen uptake .
= 0.
and yield, suggesting that increased nitrogen absorption is associated with higher crop Similarly, potassium uptake .
= 0.
exhibits a very strong correlation with yield, demonstrating its crucial role in plant growth and development.
Phosphorus uptake .
= 0.
also shows a significant correlation with yield, albeit slightly lower than nitrogen and potassium.
These findings suggest that nutrient uptake, particularly of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, is directly linked to yield Figure 2.
Visual appearance of the yield Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 The strong interrelationships among these nutrients indicate their collective influence on plant growth and productivity.
DISCUSSION
The main findings of this study reveal the advantage of the semi-solid product.
This product performed better than the liquid product, as evidenced by its enhanced chemical and biological characteristics as shown in Table 3 and this is in line with the explanation by Zubair et al.
, along with its significant impact on several soil properties (Fig.
and sweet corn production parameters (Table .
The fermentation process of semi-solid organic waste enhances nutrient concentration by breaking down and decomposing organic materials, resulting in higher nutrient levels compared to liquid organic fertilizers (Mashur et al.
, 2021.
Walling et al.
, 2.
Microorganisms play a crucial role in decomposing organic matter into nutrient-rich substances (Bernal et al.
, 2.
, and this process is more efficient in semisolid products, where water content is significantly reduced during fermentation (Allaily et al.
, 2.
As water evaporates or is removed through decomposition (Agegnehu et al.
, nutrients in the semi-solid organic fertilizer (SOF) become more concentrated, unlike in liquid organic fertilizer (LOF), which retains higher water content and lower nutrient This nutrient concentration allows SOF to contribute more significantly to soil health compared to LOF (Bhuvaneshwari et al.
, 2019.
Lypez-Cano et al.
, 2.
This is consistent with the research by Chew et al.
and Lin et .
, which states that the macro and micronutrient content in liquid organic fertilizers is lower than in semi-solid The high content of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, proteins, and lipids in organic waste, such as plant residues, contributes to the increase in organic matter and soil organic carbon (SOC) when these materials are processed into SOF (Bhuvaneshwari et al.
, 2019.
Lypez-Cano et al.
, 2.
During decomposition, organic base complexes are formed, which help neutralize soil acidity and increase soil pH.
Additionally, the increased microbial activity during decomposition generates alkaline compounds that enhance cation exchange capacity (CEC) by forming complexes with metal cations (Sulok et al.
, 2.
Improved soil structure and fertility are key factors that make SOF more effective in increasing SOC, organic matter, pH, and CEC compared to LOF (Sayara et al.
The higher nutrient concentration in SOF results in better nutrient availability for plants (Chew et al.
, 2019.
Lin et , 2.
, directly affecting the absorption and accumulation of nutrients in plant tissues.
Sweet corn plants treated with SOF showed higher uptake (Table .
of N.
P (Jindo et al.
, 2020.
Sadji-Ait Kaci et al.
, 2.
, and K (Kabdal et al.
, 2.
, as reflected in the nutrient content of plant tissues (Gao et al.
Liu et al.
, 2.
This improved nutrient availability is the result of greater organic matter content (Ali et al.
, 2.
and the improved soil properties (Chavez-Rico et al.
, 2.
The total SOC analysis indicated that fermented fertilizer treatments increased SOC content, with the SOF product showing slightly higher SOC levels than LOF (Fig.
Additionally, the fermented fertilizers improved soil pH and Figure 3.
Dependent variable contribution affected by Figure 4.
Correlation between observed parameters cation exchange capacity (CEC).
Our study demonstrated that SOF provided more nutrients than LOF.
The decomposition of organic matter generates charged organic colloids, enhancing CEC.
After a fourteen-day incubation, soil analysis revealed a significant increase in CEC with the application of semisolid products, suggesting that fermented fertilizers effectively enhance soil chemical properties (Mashur et al.
, 2021.
Walling et al.
, 2.
provided by SOF, particularly the increased CEC, and pH, which support more efficient nutrient cycling and retention in the soil (Brust, 2019.
Sayara et al.
The increased productivity observed in sweet corn treated with SOF can be attributed to the higher nutrient concentration, which improves soil structure and nutrient The nutrient-rich environment created by SOF supports more efficient nutrient uptake (Zandvakili et al.
This is due to the high buffering properties of organic materials and the humus content which is beneficial for improving soil properties Jamilah et al.
, leading to enhanced growth parameters such as cob length, diameter, and weight (Table .
as well as better visual appearance of the Sofyan et al.
SAINS TANAH Ae Journal of Soil Science and Agroclimatology, 22.
, 2025 corn cobs (Fig.
The superior performance of SOF compared to LOF and the control group demonstrates that the semisolid form of fermented organic fertilizer is more effective in promoting plant growth and productivity (Gao et al.
, 2020.
Liu et al.
, 2.
Furthermore.
SOF aligns with sustainable agricultural practices by reducing the need for inorganic fertilizers and minimizing the environmental impact (Brust.
Principal component analysis (PCA) of various growth and soil parameters further supports SOFAos contribution to sweet corn productivity (Fig.
This analysis highlights the key role of nutrient availability.
SOC.
CEC, and pH in improving yield components, with SOF showing the greatest effect (Fig.
The PCA biplot illustrates the clustering of SOF-treated plants based on these enhanced parameters (Fig.
, reinforcing the effectiveness of SOF as an organic amendment.
Additionally.
SOFAos ability to provide slow-release nutrients and promote beneficial soil microorganisms contributes to its superior performance in improving soil health and crop yield (Gao et , 2020.
Qiao et al.
, 2.
Overall, the use of fermented organic waste products, particularly in semi-solid form, significantly improves soil chemical properties and sweet corn SOF not only increases nutrient availability but also supports sustainable agricultural practices, offering an effective alternative to conventional fertilizers (Hua et al.
Muktamar et al.
, 2.
Through its ability to improve soil health indicators such as SOC, organic matter, pH, and CEC.
SOF proves to be a valuable tool in enhancing agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental conditions, ensuring its broad applicability and long-term benefits for farmers and the ecosystem.
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that no competing financial or personal interests may appear to influence the work reported in this paper.
References