A PIMNAS team of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) comprising of Fatia Mahdi Ibnu Sabili Sofan, Joni Prasetyo, Ririn Ernawati, Riska Sukmawati, and Widi Kusuma, achieved a bronze medal of National Scientific Week (PIMNAS) 29 conducted at Bogor Agricultural University on 8-11 August 2016. The team gained the 3^rd place for a poster category of Student Creativity Program in Research (PKM-P). Their research was entitled ‘ZeNS Fertilizer, an Extension Effort of Sustainable Agricultural Areas of Beach Sand on Yogyakarta Special Region’.

In an interview at Public Relations and Protocol Office of UMY on Monday (15/8), Fatia Mahdi Sabili Sofan stated that the research was used zeolite and night soil of beach sand. “Sand of beaches is lack of organic materials and quick-drying so that it is not good for planting. The sand is also lack of nutrients and cannot save water for long period of time. Thus, giving zeolite will assist the sand to reserve water longer and giving night soil will add the nutrients,” he informed.

Zeolite and night soil are organic fertilizer that everyone can make it and the materials are cheap. “Zeolite is a stone absorbing minerals, while night soil is organic fertilizer from human feces. Therefore, the fertilizer is easy to make,” Ibnu told.

The ZeNS Fertilizer affects the number of leaves, the weight of tuber, fresh plant canopy, and dry plant canopy. “My team tried the organic fertilizer in onions beach sand in Sanden, Bantul. As the result, the plant can grow well and the crops are enhanced,” he asserted.

Additionally, chief of PIMNAS teams of UMY, Joni Prasetyo conveyed that the poster should mentioned all research contents since one of the scoring criteria was the poster content which was clear and brief. “Other scoring criteria were organized explanation cycle, and the poster presentation,” Joni mentioned.

Even though the team finished in the 3^rd place, they did not demotivated. “We were slightly sad, but we remained grateful for what we obtained. Our preparation was not quite well. We prepared it for only two weeks, and it was holiday. We wish that we could be better for the next research, our research article can be published in Plantatropica journal of Agricultural Faculty of UMY, and our next research can concern with further areas,” he ended.