Use of elicitors weeds to increase the stability of the microenvironment and chili resistance to main pests and yield

¹ Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Science University of Muhammadiyah Malang, 65144 East Java, Indonesia
² Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Science University of Muhammadiyah Malang, 65144, East Java, Indonesia
³ Department of Information Technology, State Polytechnic of Malang, Jl. Soekarno Hatta No. 9 Malang 65144, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: dian@umm.ac.id

Abstract

Chili productivity is still relatively low (t ha^-1). One of the causes of chili crop failure is pest attacks, as well as extreme environmental changes. On the other hand, in the chili planting environment, a robust ecosystem of various weeds often grows that is not shaken by extreme environmental changes. These weeds contain various elicitors that act as biostimulants to help increase plant productivity and provide defense mechanisms against various stresses. The research aims to increase the resistance of chili plants to major pest attacks and yield by applying elicitor compounds in several indigenous weeds and evaluating the stability of the chili microclimate. The research used a randomized block design with elicitor treatments of Alternanthera sessilis leaves, Cleome rutidosperma, Bidens pilosa, Tithonia diversifolia, a combination of these four leaves, and control (Water). The research results show that applying elicitors for various weeds can increase red chili yields and resistance to significant pest attacks, as well as the stability of the microenvironment of chili plantings. Chili production under condition six harvesting with the application of the Cleome rutidosperma elicitor was 3.8 times greater than the control treatment or an increase in yield of 280%.