A Study on the effectiveness of GSA (gibberellin, cytokinin, and auxin) interval applications on maize productivity in the agricultural area of Ugi Village, Sengkang Regency, South Sulawesi

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a strategic commodity in Indonesia’s food system, yet increasing national demand has not been matched by proportional gains in productivity, particularly among smallholder farmers under limited land conditions. Agronomic intensification through optimized management of plant growth regulators offers a promising solution. This study aimed to determine the optimal application interval of combined gibberellin, cytokinin, and auxin (GSA) to enhance maize productivity. The research employed a one-factor completely randomized design with five treatments: a control and GSA applications at intervals of 1, 2, 3, and 7 days. Observed parameters included the number of cobs per plant, cob weight per plant, and seed weight per cob. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at the 5% significance level. Results showed that the 3-day interval consistently produced the highest yield performance, with mean values of 3.6a cobs per plant, 0.792a kg cob weight per plant, and 181.5a g seed weight per cob. Both excessively frequent and infrequent applications resulted in significantly lower productivity. In conclusion, a 3-day application interval represents the most agronomically efficient strategy for improving maize yield, providing a practical approach to sustainable crop intensification.