Optimizing Nutrient Management for Enhanced Growth and Productivity of Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.)

Abstract

Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) is a drought-tolerant perennial plant. Its starch-rich underground rhizomes are used as a valuable food source, including in the Philippines where it grows naturally and in buffer zones. This study evaluated the effects of organic, inorganic, and integrated fertilization schemes on the field performance and yield of arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) under Musuan, Bukidnon conditions. The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven treatments, including a control (T1), inorganic fertilizer (T2), and various organic combinations of vermicompost and broiler chicken manure (T3 to T7). Results revealed that fertilization treatments did not significantly influence arrowroot emergence, vegetative growth (plant height, leaf number, and leaf area index), or rhizome yield components. However, a significant treatment effect occurred in sucker production at 211 days after emergence, where the 2t ha⁻¹ chicken manure treatment (T4) yielded the highest average of 16.67 suckers. Total rhizome yield ranged comparably from 1.50 to 1.90 t ha⁻¹ across all treatments, indicating that arrowroot can maintain acceptable productivity under low-input conditions. Uniform emergence suggests dependence on stored reserves during early growth, whereas the general lack of significant treatment effects on yield may be attributed to environmental constraints, particularly heavy rainfall and fungal blight infestation. Ultimately, while immediate single-season yield advantages from organic amendments are limited by slow nutrient release, applying 2 t ha⁻¹ chicken manure significantly enhances vegetative sucker production and serves as a sustainable management strategy for long-term soil fertility.