Caraka Tani: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture
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The Growth Performance of Oil Palm Seedlings in Pre-Nursery and Main Nursery Stages as a Response to the Substitution of NPK Compound Fertilizer and Organic Fertilizer
Get PDFThe need of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) nutrient in oil palm nursery are usually fulfilled with synthetic chemical fertilizers such as NPK fertilizer. The application of NPK fertilizer can cause the soil to become hard due to the accumulation of the residue left on the ground. Cow manure is able to substitute NPK fertilizer based on the chemical status of the soil. This study aimed at analyzing the effect of NPK fertilizer substitution with cow manure on the growth of oil palm seedlings in the pre-nurseries and main nurseries. The experiment was conducted from February to September 2018 in the Banguntapan research and experimental field, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The experiment applied the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with one factor and six blocks as replications. The factors were subtitution using the replacement series method with five levels of doses, 100% NPK, 75% NPK + 25% cow manure, 50% NPK + 50% cow manure, 25% NPK + 75% cow manure and 100% cow manure. The observed parameter variables were root lenght, root area, hump diameter, leaf area, the number of leaves, plant height and plant dry matter. The use of 25% NPK substitute with 75% organic material was the best result in increasing the growth performance of oil palm seddlings in pre-nursery and main nursery
The Radical Scavenging Activity and Thermal Stability of Cinnamon Extract-Loaded Nanoparticles
Get PDFThe cinnamon extract-loaded nanoparticles with high phenolic content and antioxidant activity were successfully developed in a previous study. This study aimed to investigate the radical scavenging activity in 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl system and stability of the nanoparticles under heat treatment. This study is important for directing the application of the nanoparticles in foods in the future. The thermal stability test was conducted using two different methods, which were the combination of relatively lower temperature (20-100°C) with a long time treatment (up to 120 hours) and the combination of relatively higher temperature (110-150°C) with a short time treatment (equal to or less than 2 hours). The results show that the cinnamon extract-loaded nanoparticles exhibited a radical scavenging activity. The higher proportion of cinnamon loading resulted in the higher radical scavenging activity of the nanoparticles. The thermal treatment caused a significant degradation on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the nanoparticles. The energy activation (Ea) of the phenolic content and antioxidant activity was found at 35.17 kJ mol-1 and 27.91 kJ mol-1, respectively. This study suggests that the cinnamon extract-loaded nanoparticles might be preferably incorporated into foods minimally involving heat exposure during their manufacture
Effect of Shading and Mowing on the Growth of Indonesia’s Native Zoysia grass in Silty Clay Soil
Get PDFIn general, turfgrass grows well and forms high quality turf under full sun exposure. It is very difficult, however, to grow a warm season turfgrass under shaded condition. Zoysia grass is a popular warm season grass that commonly grow under full sun exposure condition. There are limited information regarding the growth response and turf quality of zoysia grass when grown under shaded condition. This study aims to observe the growth and quality of various zoysia grass local cultivars at different shading intensities and different mowing. This research was carried out using 10 zoysia grass cultivars planted in the rice fields’ vertisol clay with randomized complete block design. The shading used were control, shade-nets with 25% and 65% hole densities. Zoysia grass was fertilized using NPK; 4:1:3 and mowed three times. The results showed that plants without shade, 25% and 65% received on average solar irradiance of 25,141; 12,456 and 3,727 lux. The increase in shade level decreased the shoot fresh weight, dry weight, root dry weight and the plant height. Shading and frequent mowing effected the plant height. Mowing has more effect on plant height in 25% shading than in 65% shading. The increase in shading, in mowed grass showed increased plant height and decreased plant dry weight. Mowing three times can reduce plant height in all shades. The grasses under 25% shading resulted the highest plant dry weight; whereas and shading 65% resulted the lowest. Plant dry weight and uniformity of turf were affected by the cultivars
The Effect of Potassium Addition on Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Roots Anatomic Properties under Drought Stress
Get PDFThe availability of water is one of the main limiting factors for oil palm growth and production. Potassium (K) is an essential nutrient for plants because of its role in controlling metabolic and physiological activities. This study aimed to examine the effect of different K fertilizer doses on root anatomic properties under drought stress. The experiment was arranged in factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two factors. The first factor was drought stress, consisting of three levels of fractions of transpirable soil water (FTSW) (FTSW 1 (control: field capacity); FTSW 0.35 (moderate drought); FTSW 0.15 (severe drought)) and the second factor was K dose (sourced from KCl), consisting of five levels (K0: 0%; K1: 50%; K2: 100%; K3: 150%; K4: 200%). The results showed that there was an interaction between the addition of K doses and the tolerance level of oil palm plants to drought stress. The addition of 100% K gave higher results in the parameters of xylem diameter, phloem diameter and cortex cell width compared to the plants without K. The results disclosed that 200% K application on moderate drought stress and severe drought stress in oil palm seedlings could widen xylem diameter, phloem diameters, strengthen cell such as epidermal cells, cortex cells, thickness of endodermic cells, thickness of sclerenchyma cells and increase hardness of cell compared to field capacity. As for the parameters of thick endodermic cells, stele diameter and sclerenchyma diameter, an addition of 50% K could give higher results
The Pruning Effect on the Storage Root Yield and Starch Content of Sweet Potato Clones Planted at Dry Land
Get PDFSweet potato is a dual-purpose crop, which could produce both food and feed. The vine pruning prior to storage root harvesting was intended to increase the quantity and quality of fresh forage for animal feed. This study aims to evaluate whether periodic pruning can affect the storage root yield and its starch content. This experiment employed split-plot design with two factors and three replications. The first factor as main plot was vine pruning which consisted of four distinct pruning times (four times, three times, twice and once). The second factor as sub-plot was cultivars which consisted of six dual-purpose cultivars and two controls. The storage root yields, vine yields, starch yields and the reduction in storage root yields were observed. The results showed that the vine pruning decreased the storage root yields, with small increases the vine yields. The percentage of the reduction in storage root yields were 4-58%, while the decrease vine yields are relatively inconsistent. The starch yield of the cultivars with one pruning time were in the range of 2.34-6.67 ton ha-1. On the contrary, the three times pruning or more since 80 days after transplanted can reduce the starch yields for more than 50%. The slight increase in vines yield due to pruning was followed by the decrease in storage root yields and starch content of the sweet potato
The Effect of Farmers' Entrepreneurial Behavior on Business Performance of PUAP Program in Pandawai Sub-district, East Sumba Regency
Get PDFRural Agribusiness Development (PUAP) was a program for poverty alleviation among farmers through capital assistance with entrepreneurship training. This study were aimed to determine: (1) the effect of internal factors, Gapoktan dynamics and supporting factors of the PUAP program on farmers' entrepreneurial behaviors and (2) the effect of farmers' entrepreneurial behavior on the farmers' business performance whose received PUAP programs. This research was conducted in Pandawai sub-district, East Sumba regency. Data were obtained from 115 farmers respondent who received PUAP funds, that had been selected by simple random sampling technique. Parameter estimation procedures were carried out with the Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis approach by using AMOS 24 software. The result showed that the internal factors of PUAP recipient farmers had a positive yet not significant effect on entrepreneurial behavior, while the dynamics of Gapoktan and the supporting factors of PUAP program positively and significantly influenced farmers' entrepreneurial behavior. Entrepreneurial behavior had positive and significant effect on business performance. Thus, by increasing the entrepreneurial behavior, it will improve the business performance of farmers who received the PUAP programs in Pandawai sub-district
An Analysis of Wheat Farming: Calculations and Perceptions
Get PDFNational diversification of wheat-based food has been put into practice. Public consumption of flour-based food, such as noodles and bread, is in great demand. This study aims to determine the calculations, perceptions and attitudes of farmers towards wheat farming, considering that Indonesia is a non-wheat developing country. This qualitative descriptive research using in-depth interviews with 7 informants and observation methods was conducted in Klaten and Demak Regencies. In analyzing the data, this study used an interactive analysis model including data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results show that: 1) based on farmers' calculations, wheat farming is financially not profitable to farmers because the products harvested are not worth the expense; 2) farmers' calculations affect farmers' perceptions which shifted to negative perceptions that wheat farming is not as promising as other farming businesses. Despite the negative perceptions, wheat farming has provided a valuable experience for farmers which is shown by their pride and pleasure and 3) the majority of farmers are not interested in wheat farming, which is shown by their attitude of not being able to accept wheat farming, while other farmers behave otherwise, indicated by their willingness to recommence wheat planting testing. Further research may examine: 1) how to change the culture of rice farming into culture of wheat farming; 2) how to change subsistence rice farming into enterprise and 3) how to change rice farming as social activities to rice farming as business activities
Water Quality and Pollution Index in Grenjeng River, Boyolali Regency, Indonesia
Get PDFGrenjeng River is one of the irrigation water resources which is currently polluted by waste from industrial, livestock and domestic activities. This study aims to assess the quality and index of water pollution based on physical-chemical and biological parameters in the Grenjeng River, Boyolali Regency. Sampling of river water was carried out in dry and rainy seasons which were taken at three observation stations (upstream, middle stream and downstream). Results from laboratory analysis were compared with water quality standards according to Government Regulation No.82/2001, and quality status was based on the Pollution Index method in accordance with the attachment to Minister of Environment Decree No.115/2003. This study shows that BOD of 53-5.7 mg L-1, COD of 49-510.5 mg L-1 and total coliforms of 540-2,400,000 mLin dry season have exceeded the quality standard water classes, while in rainy season total coliforms 24,000-240,000 mLhave exceeded the standard water for all water classes. The pollution index of the river water in dry season has reached polluted to extremely polluted levels and the index of the river water in rainy season has reached moderately polluted to polluted levels. This condition shows that the practice of dumping waste into river bodies can directly affect river water quality. The irrigation water source for agricultural must comply with irrigation water quality standards so that is suitable as irrigation water for plants. Environmentally friendly approach is needed to prevent worse pollution, which is done by increasing public awareness and business actors in managing liquid waste by making the integrated wastewater treatment system
Farmer Awareness to the Dangers of Heavy Metal Cadmium (Cd) Pollution due to Over-Fertilization in Sragen Regency Central Java
Get PDFP fertilization can add Cd metal content to agricultural land because the raw material for making P fertilizer comes from phosphate rock which naturally contains Cd metal. Farmers assume that by providing fertilizers with high doses can provide maximum results. Community’s knowledge of heavy metals in the environment is still low. This study aims to examine the awareness of farmers in Sragen Regency Central Java to the potential of heavy metal pollution that occurs. This research was conducted from July to December 2017. The type of this research is quantitative descriptive research using a questionnaire with the number of respondents amounting to 10% of the number of farmers, namely 30 farmers. The results show that about 61.11% of the community doesn’t understand that the presence of heavy metals in the environment can cause many problems. About 60% of the community doesn’t understand that the inorganic fertilizers commonly used by them contain heavy metals (especially Cd metal). People unaware of heavy metal pollution due to over-fertilization is 65.01%. Although the community's knowledge and awareness of heavy metals are still low, the community awareness about environmentally friendly agriculture is high (61.33%). About 53.34% of the community doesn’t know that their behavior in using inorganic fertilizers in the long term will increase the accumulation of Cd metal in agricultural land and rice plant tissue. About 70% of the community doesn’t know that agricultural land that is used continuously to plant (without interspersed with non-paddy crops) will cause land degradation
The Effect of Calcium on Photosynthetic Rate due to ABA and Proline Behaviour of Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Seedlings under Drought Conditions
Get PDFPlanting drought-resistance plants in terms of agronomy, such as induction of plant tolerance using calcium is assumed to be able to solve the climate anomaly problem. Calcium is known as an element that plays an essential role in determining the response of plant resistance to drought through biochemical activity. This study aimed to determine the role of calcium in changing photosynthesis activity in order to increase the resistance to drought stress. The treatment was arranged in factorial of 3 x 4 in a split plot Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The first factor was the dose of calcium application consisted of 0 (control/without calcium), 0.04, 0.08 and 0.12 g. The second factor was the intensity of drought stress, which referred to the Fraction of Transpirable Soil Water method consisted of 1 (control/field capacity), 0.35 (moderate drought) and 0.15 (severe drought). The measurement data of stomatal aperture, Abscisic Acid (ABA) content, chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, proline content, nitrate reductase activity and photosynthesis rate that fulfill the assumption of homogeneity and normality were analyzed using variance at 95% accuracy and continued using DMRT. Moreover, regression analysis were determined of relationship between the treatment and parameters. The results revealed that drought resulted in a decline in leaf water potential and stomatal aperture. The effects of calcium on chlorophyll and carotenoid under drought stress could not be explained in this study. However, the application of calcium has a significant effect on decreased ABA, increased proline and nitrate reductase activity resulting in an increase in the photosynthetic rate of oil palm seeds in drought stress