Aplikasi Sitokinin untuk Meningkatkan Pertumbuhan Tanaman Teh di Dataran Rendah

Abstract
Tea (Camellia sinensis [L.] O. Kuntze) is one of priority commodities in West Java. Extensification of tea plantation in lowland and suboptimal areas is believed to contribute significantly in improving the farmers welfare. Temperature differences between the lowland and highland areas affects the metabolism of tea plants. In technical culture, centering (pruning) is required to form the shrub with ideal branching. This study aimed to determine cytokinin effects on the growth of tea plants after centering in the lowland areas. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Station of Faculty of Agriculture, Padjadjaran University, Jatinangor, from November 2016 until June 2017 using 10 months old tea plant materials. The experiments used a randomized block design with 4 replications. The treatment used was cytokinin derived from coconut water with concentration of 25%, 50%, and 75%, cytokinin in the form of benzyl amino purin (BAP) with concentration of 60 ppm, 90 ppm, and 120 ppm, and control (without cytokinin). The results showed that cytokinin derived from coconut water or in the form of BAP applied in tea plants after centering, was only effective up to 3 months after application. At 1 and 3 months after application, 50% coconut water or BAP 60 ppm increased the length of stem diameter, number of leaves, shoot length, and number of shoots. Therefore, coconut water with 50% concentration or BAP 60 ppm can be used as source of cytokinins for tea plants in the lowlands after centering.