Compost at 40 Grams per Seedling Speeds Nyatoh Growth in the Nursery

Image: article cover, from Muchtar et al. (2025), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

A research team from Universitas Indonesia Timur — Muchtar, Renpius Muib and Herawati — investigated the effect of compost fertiliser on the growth of nyatoh (Palaquium sp) seedlings in the nursery. Nyatoh is a timber species endemic to South Sulawesi and is of good quality for house-building materials, but its seedlings grow very slowly and therefore require special treatment. The findings, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025), show that compost application had a highly significant effect on the height increment and leaf count of nyatoh seedlings.

In the study, nyatoh seedlings about two months old and of uniform height (approximately 15 cm) were given compost made from fermented cattle manure. Three doses were tested: 30 grams per seedling, 40 grams per seedling and 50 grams per seedling. The results showed that the dose of 40 grams per seedling produced the most pronounced effect on the height increment and leaf count of nyatoh seedlings in the nursery.

These findings are important for forest-edge communities and forestry extension workers in South Sulawesi who wish to cultivate nyatoh. With the correct compost dose, nyatoh seedlings can grow faster and are therefore better prepared for field planting. The study also makes use of fermented cattle manure as compost material, adding value for local livestock keepers.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Effect of Compost Dosing on the Growth of Nyatoh (Palaquium sp) Seedlings in the Nursery by Asikin Muchtar, Renpius Muib and Herawati Herawati, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Muchtar, A., Muib, R., & Herawati, H. (2025). Effect of Compost Dosing on the Growth of Nyatoh (Palaquium sp) Seedlings in the Nursery. Jurnal Wasian, 11(1), 01–08. https://doi.org/10.62142/ntf8ng19

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.