Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an important tropical fruit crop, but its productivity is often constrained by poor seedling quality during the nursery stage. This study evaluated the effects of rice husk charcoal and indigenous microorganism (MOL) fertilizer from banana weevil on the vegetative growth of papaya seedlings. A factorial randomized block design was applied with three levels of rice husk charcoal (0 g, 150 g, and 200 g per plant) and three levels of MOL fertilizer (0, 10, and 30 mLL⁻¹), replicated three times. Growth parameters observed included plant height and stem diameter, measured weekly for six weeks. Results indicated that rice husk charcoal had significant effects on plant height and stem diameter, particularly from the third week onward, with the highest dose producing the greatest improvements. MOL fertilizer significantly enhanced early growth, especially at two and three weeks, although differences diminished at later stages. Interaction effects were mostly non-significant, except for stem diameter at the third week, where the combination of no charcoal and the highest MOL dose resulted in the widest stems. The findings suggest that rice husk charcoal and MOL fertilizer independently enhance seedling vigor, with biochar providing sustained growth benefits and MOL stimulating early development. Their combined use offers a sustainable approach to papaya nursery management by improving seedling quality while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. These results provide a basis for integrating organic amendments and microbial fertilizers into papaya cultivation systems.
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