Pemberdayaan Mahasiswa Prodi Agribisnis USK dalam Penerapan Variasi Dosis Pupuk NPK terhadap Tanaman Tomat

Abstract

This community service activity was carried out to enhance the practical understanding and analytical skills of Agribusiness students at Syiah Kuala University in applying varying doses of NPK fertilizer to tomato plants. The program aimed to provide students with hands-on experience in agricultural input management, particularly in recognizing the optimal fertilizer dose for achieving maximum yield. Through a series of field practices, students observed plant responses to different NPK doses and analyzed growth indicators such as plant height, number of leaves, and fruit production. The findings revealed three stages of production response consistent with the Law of Diminishing Returns: increasing return, constant return, and decreasing return. The optimal dose was found at 8 grams of NPK fertilizer per plant, where both vegetative growth and fruit yield reached their peak. Doses beyond this point resulted in either stagnant or reduced output, validating the economic production theory in a real-world agricultural context. This activity not only deepened students’ understanding of theoretical concepts such as input-output relationships and efficiency, but also reinforced the value of experiential learning in agribusiness education. The outcomes suggest that community service integrated with field practice is an effective strategy for developing critical thinking and sustainable agricultural skills among students.

This community service activity was carried out to enhance the practical understanding and analytical skills of Agribusiness students at Syiah Kuala University in applying varying doses of NPK fertilizer to tomato plants. The program aimed to provide students with hands-on experience in agricultural input management, particularly in recognizing the optimal fertilizer dose for achieving maximum yield. Through a series of field practices, students observed plant responses to different NPK doses and analyzed growth indicators such as plant height, number of leaves, and fruit production. The findings revealed three stages of production response consistent with the Law of Diminishing Returns: increasing return, constant return, and decreasing return. The optimal dose was found at 8 grams of NPK fertilizer per plant, where both vegetative growth and fruit yield reached their peak. Doses beyond this point resulted in either stagnant or reduced output, validating the economic production theory in a real-world agricultural context. This activity not only deepened students’ understanding of theoretical concepts such as input-output relationships and efficiency, but also reinforced the value of experiential learning in agribusiness education. The outcomes suggest that community service integrated with field practice is an effective strategy for developing critical thinking and sustainable agricultural skills among students.