This research consists of three major studies.

Study I is the analysis of chemistry characteristics

of acid mineral soil, peat, and peat water as well as their compositions and types of both phenolic
acid and carboxylic derivatives of peat and peat water. Study II is aluminium-induced
physiological responses of aloe vera in the presence of phenolic and carboxylic acid derivatives,
and the last one, Study III focuses on the growth and yields of aloe vera plants grown in acid
mineral soil with an addition of both peat and peat water containing phenolic and carboxylic acid
derivatives. Study I was conducted with 2 repetitions. Study II was one factor experiment
consisting of 18 levels and was repeated for three times. Furthermore, experiment 2 of study III
used Randomized Complete Design of two factors. The first factor was of peat dosage including
0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% maximum sorption Al3+ peat water; while the second factor was 0, 25,
50, 75 and 100% maximum sorption Al3+ of peat water. The study revealed that acid mineral
soil at Gajrug Banten has a low level of fertility. The total phenolic acid derivatives of peat was
approximately 3.05 ppm and carboxylic total amounted to 10.01 ppm. With peat water, however,
total of phenolic acid was 12.72 ppm and total of carboxylic was 24.56 ppm. In nutrient solution,
it was found that the application of Al as well as phenolic and carboxylic acid derivatives did not
affect Al solubility but influenced the pH. Towards plant physiology, the application of Al
together with phenolic acid and carboxylic derivatives was able to force Al to remain in the
roots. Al localization in the roots was found in epidermis tissue and root cortexes. In addition,
aloe vera plants accumulated malic and oxalic as a response to the application of Al as well as
phenolic acid and carboxylic derivatives. Protein formed in aloe vera roots as a result of the
above application belonged to Heat Shock Protein (HSP) and its molecule weight was
approximately 7.48 to 139.41 kDa. The application of peat, indeed, increased plant development,
meanwhile, peat water increased the number and the width of frond but decreased Al of aloe vera
plants. Moreover, the interaction between peat and peat water increased soil pH, organic C, K
available and base saturation, and decreased Al exchangeable of acid mineral soil after treatment.
From the above series of studies, it was concluded that peat can be used as an alternative
ameliorant for aloe vera plants grown in acid mineral soil. The content of peat organic acids
which had an influence on the physiological processes of aloe vera plants were carboxylic acid
derivatives.
Key words : Morphophysiological responses, Aloe vera, acid mineral soils, peat, ameliorant.

Penelitian tersusun dalam tiga penelitian utama. Penelitian I analisis sifat sifat kimia tanah
mineral masam, gambut dan air gambut serta komposisi dan jenis derivat asam fenolat dan
karboksilat gambut dan air gambut. Penelitian II tanggap fisiologi tanaman lidah buaya dengan
penambahan Al dan derivat asam fenolat dan karboksilat, serta penelitian III pertumbuhan dan
hasil tanaman lidah buaya yang ditumbuhkan pada tanah mineral masam dengan penambahan
gambut dan air gambut yang mengandung derivat asam fenolat dan karboksilat. Penelitian I
dilakukan dengan ulangan 2 kali.
Penelitian II adalah percobaan faktor tunggal dengan 18 level perlakuan dan diulang 3 kali.
Penelitian III terdiri dari 2 pecobaan. Percobaan 2 penelitian III ini menggunakan Rancangan
Acak Lengkap dua faktor. Faktor pertama adalah dosis gambut meliputi 0; 25; 50; 75 dan 100%
erapan maksimum Al3+ gambut, sementara itu faktor kedua adalah 0; 25; 50; 75 dan 100%
erapan maksimum Al3+ air gambut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tanah mineral masam
Gajrug Banten mempunyai tingkat kesuburan rendah ditunjukkan dengan kemasaman tanah.
Total derivat asam fenolat gambut sebesar 3.05 ppm dan total karboksilat sebesar 10.01 ppm.
Sementara itu, total asam fenolat air gambut sebesar 12.72 ppm dan total karboksilat 24.56 ppm.
Pada larutan hara, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian Al dan derivat asam fenolat
dan karboksilat tidak berpengaruh terhadap kelarutan Al akan tetapi berpengaruh terhadap pH.
Terhadap fisiologi tanaman, pemberian Al dan derivat asam fenolat dan karboksilat mampu
menekan Al agar tetap berada di perakaran. Lokalisasi Al di perakaran berada pada jaringan
epidermis dan korteks akar. Selain itu, tanaman lidah buaya juga mengakumulasi malat dan
oksalat sebagai respon terhadap pemberian Al dan derivat asam fenolat dan karboksilat. Pita-pita
protein yang terbentuk pada akar tanaman lidah buaya sebagai tanggap terhadap pemberian Al
dan derivat asam fenolat dan karboksilat termasuk jenis Heat Shock Protein (HSP) dan berada
pada kisaran bobot molekul 7.48-139.41 kDa. Pemberian gambut meningkatkan pertumbuhan
tanaman, sementara itu, air gambut meningkatkan jumlah pelepah dan lebar pelepah serta
menurunkan Al pelepah tanaman lidah buaya. Interaksi antara gambut dan air gambut
meningkatkan pH tanah, C organik, kation K, KB dan menurunkan Al-dd tanah mineral masam
setelah perlakuan. Dari serangkaian hasil penelitian di atas dapat disimpulkan bahwa gambut
dapat digunakan sebagai alternatif bahan amelioran tanaman lidah buaya yang ditumbuhkan pada
tanah mineral masam. Kandungan asam organik gambut yang berpengaruh terhadap prosesproses fisiologi tanaman lidah buaya adalah derivat asam karboksilat.