Permintaan Terhadap Komoditas Jagung Selalu Meningkat Setiap Tahun Tetapi Luas Areal Tanam Semakin Menurun, Sehingga Perlu Upaya Untuk Meningkatkan Produksi Jagung Nasional Melalui Perluasan Areal Tanam. Salah Satu Upaya Yang Dapat Dilakukan Adalah Dengan Memanfaatkan Lahan Marginal Seperti Lahan Berkadar Garam Tinggi (Lahan Salin). Lahan Salin Banyak Memiliki Kendala Pengelolaannya Seperti Kadar Garam Tinggi Sehingga Cekaman Salinitas Dapat Mempengaruhi Pertumbuhan Dan Fisiologi Tanaman Salah Satunya Pertumbuhan Tanaman Jagung. Upaya Yang Dapat Dilakukan Untuk Meningkatkan Pertumbuhan Tanaman Jagung Pada Tanah Salin Adalah Dengan Mengaplikasikan Rhizobakteri Pada Benih Untuk Mengetahui Peran Rhizobakteri Yang Paling Efektif Dalam Mendukung Pertumbuhan Tanaman Jagung Pada Tanah Salin.
Penelitian Ini Dilaksanakan Pada Bulan Maret Sampai Mei Tahun 2018. Penelitian Dilakukan Di Laboratorium Perlindungan Tanaman Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Borneo Tarakan. Alat Yang Digunakan Adalah Cawan Petri, Botol Kaca, Laminar Air Flow, Lampu Bunsen, Plastik Tahan Panas, Plastik Bening ¼ Kg, Timbangan Analitik, Tabung Erlenmeyer, Gelas Ukur, Spatula, Alat Tulis, Autoclave, Gelas Ukur, Jarum Ose, Kompor, Panci, Shaker, Kertas Label, Plastik Wrap, Aluminium Foil, Lemari Pendingin, Tissu Steril, Inkubator, Wadah Dan Suntikan 5/Ml. Bahan Yang Digunakan Adalah 35 Isolat Rhizobakteri Indigenous, Benih Jagung Varietas Bonanza F1 Cap Panah Merah, Akuades, Alkohol 70%, Media Nutrient Broth (NB), Media Nutrient Agar (NA), Agar-Agar Bakto, Natrium Chloride (NaCl), Spritus, Tanah, Pasir, Dan Pupuk Kandang Sapi. Penelitian Dilakukan Dengan 2 Tahap, Yaitu Tahap Seleksi Secara In Vitro Dan Tahap Pengujian Di Rumah Kaca. Seleksi In Vitro Dilakukan Untuk Menyeleksi Bakteri Tahan Salin, Mengikuti Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) Dengan 2 Ulangan, Kemudian Diambil 23 Isolat Bakteri Terbaik Untuk Uji Perkecambahan. Selanjutnya Pada Uji Perkecambahan Juga Dilakukan Dengan Mengikuti Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) Sebanyak 2 Ulangan Menggunakan 23 Isolat Bakteri Yang Telah Diuji Tahan Salin Dan 2 Perlakuan Kontrol (Tanpa Rhizobakteri), Kemudian Diisi Masing-Masing 10 Benih Setiap Ulangan, Sehingga Diperoleh 50 Unit Percobaan (Hingga Umur 7 Hari). Kemudian Diambil 8 Isolat Yang Memiliki Persentase Perkecambahan Terbaik Untuk Pengujian Dirumah Kaca. Pengujian Pertumbuhan Fase Vegetatif Awal Tanaman Jagung Dilakukan Di Rumah Kaca Mengikuti Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) Dengan 1 Faktor Perlakuan (Rhizobakteri) Yang Terdiri Dari 8 Isolat Bakteri Dan 2 Pelakuan Kontrol, Setiap Perlakuan Diisi Sebanyak 1 Benih Yang Akan Diuji, Masing-Masing Diulang Sebanyak 5 Kali, Sehingga Terdapat 50 Unit Percobaan (Hingga Umur 30 Hari). Perameter Penelitian Pada Fase Perkecambahan Yaitu Persentase Perkecambahan Dan Parameter Fase Vegetatif Awal Tanaman Jagung Berupa Tinggi Tanaman, Diameter Batang, Jumlah Daun, Panjang Akar, Volume Akar Berat Basah, Dan Berat Kering.
Hasil Penelitian Menunjukkan Bahwa : 1) Isolat B311 Menghasilkan Persentase Perkecambahan Tertinggi Yaitu 90%, Sedangkan Perlakuan Kontrol Nutrient Broth (KNB) Dan Kontrol Air (KA) Menghasilkan Persentase Perkecambahan Hanya Sebesar 25%. Pada Fase Vegetatif Awal Tanaman Jagung Di Tanah Salin, Perlakuan Isolat B19 Menghasilkan Tinggi Tanaman, Diameter Batang, Jumlah Daun, Volume Akar, Berat Basah, Dan Kandungan Klorofil Yang Tertinggi Dari Semua Perlakuan Lainnya; Dan 2) Hasil Screening Rhizobakteri Terdapat Delapan Isolat Yaitu B19, B26, B46, B59, B117, B310, B311, Dan B519 Yang Terbukti Menghasilkan Persentase Perkecambahan Yang Tertinggi (?70%).
Berdasarkan Hasil Penelitian Ini Maka Perlu Dilakukan Penelitian Lanjut Untuk Mengetahui Pengaruh Kedelapan Isolat Rhizobakteri Tersebut Terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Jagung Pada Tanah Salin.

Demand For Corn Commodities Is Always Increasing Every Year But The Area Of Planting Is Decreasing, So It Needs An Effort To Increase National Corn Production Through Expansion Of Planting Areas. One Effort That Can Be Done Is By Utilizing Marginal Land Such As High Salt Levels (Saline Land). Many Saline Fields Have Problems Managing Such As High Salinity So That Salinity Stress Can Affect Plant Growth And Physiology, One Of Which Is The Growth Of Corn Plants. Efforts That Can Be Done To Improve The Growth Of Corn Plants On Saline Soil Is By Applying Rhizobacteria To The Seeds To Determine The Role Of Rhizobacteria That Are Most Effective In Supporting The Growth Of Corn Plants On Saline Soils. This Research Was Carried Out In March To May 2018. The Study Was Conducted At The Plant Protection Laboratory Of The Faculty Of Agriculture, University Of Borneo Tarakan. The Tools Used Are Petri Dishes, Glass Bottles, Laminar Air Flow, Bunsen Lamps, Heat-Resistant Plastic, Clear Plastic ¼ Kg, Analytic Scales, Erlenmeyer Tubes, Measuring Cups, Spatulas, Stationery, Autoclaves, Measuring Cups, Ose Needles, Stoves, Pan, Shaker, Label Paper, Plastic Wrap, Aluminum Foil, Refrigerator, Sterile Tissue, Incubator, Container And 5 / Ml Injection. The Materials Used Were 35 Indigenous Rhizobacteria Isolates, Bonanza F1 Corn Seed, Red Arrow Cap, Distilled Water, 70% Alcohol, Nutrient Broth Media (NB), Nutrient Agar (NA) Media, Bacto Agar, Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Spritus, Soil, Sand And Cow Manure. The Study Was Conducted In 2 Stages, Namely The In Vitro Selection Stage And The Greenhouse Testing Phase. In Vitro Selection Was Carried Out To Select Saline Resistant Bacteria, Followed By A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) With 2 Replications, Then 23 Best Bacterial Isolates Were Taken For Germination Test. Furthermore, The Germination Test Was Also Carried Out With Complete Randomized Design (CRD) As Many As 2 Replications Using 23 Bacterial Isolates That Had Been Tested For Saline Resistance And 2 Control Treatments (Without Rhizobacteria), Then Filled Each Of The 10 Seeds Each Replication, So That 50 Experimental Units Were Obtained (Up To 7 Days). Then 8 Isolates Were Taken Which Had The Best Germination Percentage For Greenhouse Testing. The Initial Vegetative Phase Growth Testing Of Corn Plants Was Carried Out In A Greenhouse Following A Randomized Block Design (RBD) With 1 Treatment Factor (Rhizobacteria) Consisting Of 8 Bacterial Isolates And 2 Control Treatments, Each Of Which Was Filled With 1 Seed To Be Tested, Each Repeated 5 Times, So There Are 50 Experimental Units (Up To 30 Days). The Research Parameters In The Germination Phase Were Germination Percentage And Initial Vegetative Phase Parameters Of Corn Plants In The Form Of Plant Height, Stem Diameter, Number Of Leaves, Root Length, Root Volume Of Wet Weight, And Dry Weight. The Results Showed That: 1) The B311 Isolate Produced The Highest Germination Percentage Of 90%, While The Nutrient Broth Control (KNB) And Water Control (KA) Resulted In A Germination Percentage Of Only 25%. In The Initial Vegetative Phase Of Maize In Saline Soil, Treatment Of Isolate B19 Resulted In Plant Height, Stem Diameter, Leaf Number, Root Volume, Wet Weight, And The Highest Chlorophyll Content Of All Other Treatments; And 2) The Results Of Screening Of Rhizobacteria Contained Eight Isolates Namely B19, B26, B46, B59, B117, B310, B311, And B519 Which Proved To Produce The Highest Germination Percentage (?70%). Based On The Results Of This Study, Further Research Is Needed To Determine The Effect Of The Eight Isolates Of Rhizobacteria On The Growth Of Corn Plants On Saline Soil.