Evaluation of Indigenous Dichotomomyces cejpii Formulations from Pb-Contaminated Shallot Fields on the Growth and Yield of Shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.)

¹ Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Fisheries, Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto, Indonesia
² The Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: oetamidwihajoeningtyas@ump.ac.id

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of indigenous Dichotomomyces cejpii formulations on the growth and yield of shallot cultivated in Pb-contaminated soil, as well as to determine the most effective formulation for enhancing plant productivity. The research was conducted at the Laboratory and Experimental Field of the Faculty of Agriculture and Fisheries, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, in September – December 2024, A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used, consisting of a single factor with three levels. Each level had three samples with 10 replications, resulting in a total of 90 polybag experimental units: D0 (control), D1 (tablet formulation), and D2 (fungal suspension). The results showed that the application of Dichotomomyces cejpii formulations did not significantly affect the growth or yield of shallot plants. However, they effectively reduced soil Pb content. The highest Pb reduction was observed in D2 (46.36%), followed by D1 (42.90%) and D0 (14.14%). The reduction in the control treatment (D0) was due to passive phytoremediation through plant uptake and leaching from irrigation during maintenance. The greater reductions in D1 and D2 treatments indicate an active role of Dichotomomyces cejpii in the bioremediation process. This reduction was attributed to the fungus’ capacity for Pb biosorption and bioaccumulation. However, no formulation was found to significantly improve plant growth and yield. Further studies with varied formulation dosages are recommended to optimize its effectiveness.