Current Agriculture Research Journal Vol. 3(1), 01-06 (2015) Utilization of Audio Bioharmony to Improve Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) Growth in the Nursery ELYA AFIFAH 1 , MUDITA OKTORINA NUGRAHANI 1 , NUR EKO PRASETYO 1 , INTAN BERLIAN 1 , NOFITRI DEWI RINOJATI 1 and NUR KADARISMAN 2 1 Indonesian Rubber Research Institute, Balai Penelitian Getas, Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia. 2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CARJ.3.1.01 (Received: March 19, 2015; Accepted: April 25, 2015) ABSTRACT Sound waves research in Indonesia has been carried on the tea crop, peanuts, soybeans and potatoes. The result showed that there was an increase in the effectiveness of nutrient uptake and significant growth rate. This research used manipulated frequency of insect sounds, called “Garengpung”, is known as Audio Bioharmony (ABH). However, application of this technology has not been done in rubber, therefore the aim of the study was to find out effect of ABH toward rubber nursery and to find optimum frequency for rubber nursery. The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design, with a frequency of 0 Hz, 3000 Hz, 3500Hz, 4000 Hz, 4500 Hz and 5000 Hz. The second factor was levels of fertilizer 50%, 75% and 100%. The results showed that the application of sound wave significantly influence growth rate of rubber in the nursery, while the level of fertilizer application had no significant effect. There was no significant interaction between sound wave frequency and fertilizer levels. The best plant height growth rate observed in treatment with 3500 Hz and 75% fertilizer level. The largest stem diameter growth rate was observed in treatment with 4000 Hz and 50% fertilizer level. Based on the regression curves the best frequency to obtain optimal growth of stem diameter was 4271.9 Hz. Key words: Rubber growth, Sound waves, Audio bioharmony, Level of fertilization. INTRODUCTION Rubber ( Hevea brasiliensis ) planting material production includes seed germination, seedling maintenance and bud grafting, and all these activities require 18 – 24 months to produce planting materials (Hadi et al., 2013). Vegetative propagation of rubber seedlings are by grafting, where buds (scion) were attached at the rootstock plants. This technique is still the only method of rubber propagation. Grafting was first introduced by van Helten, Bodde and Bags in 1918, and it is still being used because non-conventional technology of planting material production is still has not given the expected results (Djikman, 1951; Hadi et al., 2013). The length of time of this preparation, triggered many research on accelerating the preparation of rubber planting material. The sound wave technology for plant growth has already begun to be developed in the world. Some studies had shown that the use of this technology could increase plant growth, increase production, improve crop quality, increase plant resistance to disease, and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers (Gutierez et al., 2010; Widyawati et al., 2011; Meng et al., 2012; Zhang and Sanling, 2012). This technology is also applied to the different physiological stage of the plant, such as growth of callus, seed germination, and immature plant (Gagliano et al., 2012; Meng et al., 2012; Wei et al., 2012). Sound waves research in Indonesia had been carried on tea crop, peanuts, soybeans, rice and potato (Ratna, 2002; Kadarisman, et al., 2011; Widyawati et al., 2011; Yulianto, 2011). The result showed that there was an increase in the effectiveness of nutrient uptake and significant