Enhancing Hydroponic Celery Growth with Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology Using Papuan Tifa Music
Yusuf Hendrawan*, Velia Elmia Nita, Rut Juniar Nainggolan, Dwi Setiawan, Mochamad Bagus Hermanto, Gunomo Djojowasito, Retno Damayanti

Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, Indonesia
*Email: yusuf_h[at]ub.ac.id

Abstract

Controlled-environment cultivation has emerged as an important strategy to meet increasing demand for vegetables amid limited arable land. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology using traditional Papuan Tifa music in stimulating vegetative growth of celery in a wick-type hydroponic system. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a Completely Randomized Design with four acoustic frequency levels (0 Hz, 3,000 Hz, 8,000 Hz, 13,000 Hz) and four daily exposure durations (0 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h), each with three replications. Acoustic treatments were applied for 30 consecutive days, twice daily, using enclosed chambers equipped with speakers delivering 57-71 dBA. Growth parameters measured included plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh weight, leaf greenness index, and root dry weight. Results showed that both frequency and exposure duration significantly influenced most growth traits, with 3,000 Hz producing the highest overall performance. The combination of 3,000 Hz for 3 h/day yielded the greatest improvements, increasing plant height by 41%, leaf number by 45%, leaf area by 56%, fresh weight by 21%, and root dry weight by 162% compared to control, while the greenness index was not significantly affected by frequency. These findings suggest that low-frequency acoustic stimulation integrated into culturally relevant music can serve as an effective, low-cost, and sustainable method to enhance celery production in hydroponic systems. This approach has potential applicability in urban farming and resource-limited agricultural contexts, supporting food security through innovative, non-chemical growth enhancement.

Keywords: Celery - Papuan Tifa music - Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology - Sound stimulation - Vegetative growth

Topic: Agricultural and bioprocess engineering