Daun pepaya adalah tumbuhan penghasil enzim papain yang merupakan golongan enzim protease sulfihidril dan termasuk golongan tiol protease eukariotik yang mempunyai sisi aktif sistein. Papain terkandung pada berbagai bagian tumbuhan pepaya, termasuk pada daunnya. Enzim bermanfaat untuk membantu mempercepat proses pengurai protein sehingga dapat mempercepat proses pencernaan dan membantu proses percepatan pertumbuhan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dosis optimal penambahan tepung daun pepaya yang dapat memberikan pertumbuhan terbaik terhadap benih ikan nila. Parameter yang diuji meliputi berat mutlak, Panjang mutlak, Spesifik Grouth Rate, Food Convertion Rate, dan Kualitas air. Rancangan penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 perlakuan 3 ulangan, satu sebagai kontrol. Dosis tepung daun pepaya yang dicampurkan kedalam pakan yaitu 30gr, 35gr dan 40gr/500gr pakan. Pemberian pakan dilakukan 3 kali sehari. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh kesimpulan tepung daun pepaya mampu meningkatkan Panjang Mutlak, Berat Mutlak, SGR dan SR dengan perlakuan terbaik yaitu P3 dengan dosis 35gr.
Kata kunci: Daun Pepaya, Pertumbuhan, Ikan Nila

Papaya laef is a plant that produces the enzyme papain categories of sulfyhydryl protease enzymes and belongs to the eukaryotic thiol protease group with an active site on cysteine. Papain is various parts of the papaya plant, including the leaves. This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of adding papaya leaf flour that gives the best growth for Nile tilapia seeds. The parameters tested included absolute weight, absolute length, spesific growth rate, food conversion rate, and water quality. The research design used a completely randomized design (CRD) with four (4) treatments and three (3) replications. The dose of papaya leaf powder mixed into the feed is 30gr, 35gr, and 40gr/500gr feed. Feeding was done three (3) times a day. The results showed that adding papaya powder to the feed gave growth values that were not significantly different compared to the control. However, the value of the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) obtained different results. Based on the research results, it was concluded that papaya leaf flour could increase Absolute Length Absolute Weight, SGR, and SR with the best treatment, namely P3 with a dose of 35gr flour/500gr feed. Keywords: Papaya leaves, Growth, Nile Tilapia