From June 7- 18, 2023, five biology students from UGM namely Rachmawati Dwi Hasanah, Vida Rahma Lathifah, Tiara Amelia Putri, Novia Noor Rachmawati, and Karso Suryo Putro – participated in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) guided by Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., and Mr. Gede Sangu Gemi. The MBKM activities were conducted online to present various types of melons and hydroponic applications. The melon used as the subject of the MBKM research was the ‘Hikapel’ cultivar. ‘Hikapel’ is a melon resulting from the crossbreeding of the ♀ ‘Sun Lady’-3 and ♂ ‘Hikadi’ cultivars. It is one of the melon cultivars developed by the Faculty of Biology UGM. Hikapel has smooth, unribbed skin and tends to be round in shape. Its striking yellow color sets it apart from other melon varieties, making it popular among melon enthusiasts.
The melon planting took place in the hydroponic greenhouse of Dusun Jamusan, Bokoharjo Village, Prambanan Subdistrict, Sleman Regency, DIY (Special Region of Yogyakarta). The ‘Hikapel’ melon cultivar was planted using cocopeat as the growing medium, and the hydroponic technique with the drip irrigation system.
Throughout the MBKM activities, the students learned about various hydroponic techniques, various of mediums that can be used, and the application of IoT (Internet of Things) in hydroponics. The activities concluded with the collection of data on phenotypic characteristics and various deviations observed in ‘Hikapel’ during the planting process, such as observing segregation and plants affected by viruses. [Author: MBKM Team]