Morphology Characteristic and Biomass Production of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) at Different Cutting Time

Background and Objective: Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is a fast-growing legume that can produce high biomass in a short time. It is commonly used as a green manure, fiber source and cover crop. It was also drought-resistant and adaptable in a wide range of soil. Sunn hemp rich in nitrogen and carbon content. Therefore, sunn hemp may be a potential forage option for supplementing livestock feed while also delivering nitrogen into low-fertility soils. This study aimed to investigate the morphology characteristics and biomass production of sunn hemp at different cutting times. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Treatments consisted of three cutting times (8, 10 and 12 weeks). The following parameters observed were morphological characteristics (plant height, number of leaves, leaf length and width, stem diameter and number of branches) and biomass production. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and continued with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (p<0.05). Results: The cutting times had a significant effect (p<0.05) on morphology characteristics such as plant height, number of leaves, leaf length and width, stem diameter, number of branches and biomass production. The plant height, the number of leaves, leaf length and width, stem diameter, number of branches and biomass production were increased in line with the increase of the cutting times. The best results were found at 12 WAP of cutting time, which is before the plant bloom. Conclusion: The morphology characteristics and biomass production of sunn hemp increased as the cutting time increased. © 2024 Mayang Salsabillah Dewanti et al.