The effect of growing medium composition and AB mix nutrient type on the growth rate of Alocasia Black Velvet in a greenhouse

This study aimed to determine the effect of planting medium composition and AB Mix nutrient type on the growth acceleration of Alocasia Black Velvet cultivated in a greenhouse. This study was conducted at the Sukamantri IPB Experimental Garden Greenhouse, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, from July to November 2025. A two-factor randomized block design was used. The first factor was the composition of the planting medium mixture (raw rice husks and chopped andam) and the second factor was the type of AB Mix nutrients (Regular AB Mix and Kryptonium AB Mix). The variables observed included plant height increase, stem diameter increase, leaf thickness, trichome density, and trichome length. The research results showed that the composition of the planting media mixture of raw rice husk and andam shreds (4:1) produced the highest values in plant height increase (3.15 cm), stem diameter increase (3.75 mm), leaf thickness (0.70 mm), trichome density (35.71 mm²), and trichome length (22.53 μm) compared to other treatments. The application of AB Mix Kryptonium produced the highest value compared to regular AB Mix. Analysis results showed that the interaction between growing medium composition and AB Mix nutrient type did not have a significant effect on all variables. This study concludes that selecting the appropriate growing medium composition and optimal AB Mix nutrient type can accelerate the growth of Alocasia Black Velvet.