3. Farming Systems Development 1 Soil and Water Management
3.2 Crop Management
Initially the purpose of reclamation of tidal swamp lands directed to support the transmigration program with food crops based farming system. Farming systems have to be developed in tidal swamps lands based on biophysical and
socio-Stoplog Stoplog
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economic conditions. Crop planted in rice based farming involve food crops, horticultural and perennial crops.
The ability to manage the land is generally less than the allocated land per family, due to the limited labor and capital as well as land less productive. Generally farmers planting rice only once a year with the cropping pattern rice-fallow and coconut. The farming system performed with low input, known as terbas-planting-lift, and low productivity and quality of rice. However, the economic value of oil palm plantations are higher, the tidal swamp lands that have been opened have been converted to the expansion of oil palm estate.
Farm technologies was developed in tidal lands should be site-specific and tobe adapted to the biophysical and social institutions. Technology should be a combination of soil and water management, farming techniques, supported social and economic institutions. Base on the typology of land, the priority given to the development of a typology of potential land, followed by peatland and acid sulfate soil.
Various studies show that tidal swamp lands have the prospect to be developed into farmland in order to support increasing of food crop production (Ismail et al, 1993).
But be aware that even though it has good prospects, development of wetlands also have a various constraints, both biophysical and socio-economic aspects and institutional.
Increased food production in tidal lands can be done through the intensification and extensification with the opening of new land and increasing cropping intensity in the areas that have been cultivated. It is quite possible, because acreage tidal potential for agriculture is estimated 9.53 million hectares. Moreover, the current cropping intensity on existing cultivated areas generally planted only once per year with crop productivity is also still low. Various studies show that based on the agronomic reasons, planting 2-3 times a year is possible and productivity can also be increased by using improved varieties and appropriate technologies (Ismail et al, 1993; Ananto et.al., 2000).
In the early stages, can develop food-based agricultural systems and horticulture, with the main commodities of rice, corn, soybeans and vegetables. By using appropriate varieties and location specific technologies can provide high yields. Rice crop should be prioritized on the typology of potential and flooding type A and B, because stable and have high productivity. In the perspective of agribusiness, some commodities can be integrated into farming systems, such as chili, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, coffee, chicken and fish. Exploitation means essential commodities to increase family income.
Cultivation techniques are applied in the development of food crop farming systems include (Suprihatno et al., 1999; Ananto et al., 2000):
1. The use of adapted, improved varieties, including superior local variety.
2. Location specific fertilization.
3. Soil amelioration employing ash or lime, to increase soil-pH, specifically for acid sulphate and peat soils.
4. Proper control of pests and diseases of crops, including weeds.
5. The use of agricultural machineries, in both pre and post harvest handling, to solve labor scarcity problem, yield losses, and improving product quality.
Various locations of research and development of rice farming in the tidal lands, shows rice productivity is higher than the surrounding areas (ISDP, 2000; Ananto et al., 1999). Experience developing rice based farming systems at eight tidal South Sumatra (Ananto et al., 1999; Djajusman et al., 2000); Isbandi et al., 2000; Nuryanto et al., 2000: Saputra et al., 2000: Sutriadi et al., 2000: Yudarfis et al., 2000), shows that although the technology has not been applied to the package as a whole, improved water management and micro rice cultivation techniques, including the use of phosphate as much as 200-300 kg / ha as a source of P, its has been able to increase rice yields between 0.78 to 1.14 t / ha (Table 4). Stability of crop land between typology and type overflow is still low. However, the potential land typology of type A and B flood water, the rice crop is quite stable. Therefore, tidal wetlands typology of potential overflow of type A and B should be maintained as a commercial development with high productivity of rice farming.
In testing VUB rice (Inpari 1 and 4 and Inpara 3) at three locations of tidal swamp areas in South Sumatra (Makarti Jaya, Banyuasin II and Air Saleh0, looks average productivity Inpari 1, Inpari 4, and Inpara 3 respectively are 4.93 GKP ton / ha, 4.77 tons GKP / ha and 8.3 ton GKP / ha. While the implementation evaluation of the SL-PTT in tidal Banyuasin district, site productivity SL-SL-PTT, Field Laboratory (LL), and in non-SL-PTT is as follows: GKP 4.63 tons / ha, 5.38 tons GKP / ha, and 3.98 tons of GKP / ha (BPTP South Sumatra, 2011).
To support the development of rice farming, the used of farm machineries is needed to overcome the labor shortage, especially in the activities of tillage, planting, as well as harvest and post harvest activities. Land preparation using tractor is aimed to puddle the soil and suppress weed growth. The intensive land preparation is also aimed to facilitate leaching process of toxic elements and land leveling. On the land with flooding type of A and B, rice is planted as lowland paddy field. No-till system can be done periodically, by using selective herbicides. The fertilizer levels used for rice on potential soils were 150 kg Urea, and 100 kg KCl per hectare. Whilst for acid sulphate and peaty soils, the amount were 200 kg Urea and 150 kg KCl per hectare.
Phosphate fertilizer was applied as rock phosphate, with a common levels of 250-350 kg per hectare.
Table 4. Average yield of rice in different tidal land typology, South Sumatera (Ananto et al.,1999; Djajusman et al.,2000; Isbandi et a.,2000; Nuryanto et al.,2000: Saputra et al.,2000: Sutriadi et al.,2000: Yudarfis et al,.2000) Typology/Flooding type
WS 97/98
DS 1998
WS
98/99 DS 99 WS 99/00 (t/ha) (t/ha) (t/ha) (t/ha) (t/ha) Land typology
Potential soil 3,54 3,15 4,09 1,33 2) 4,52
Acid sulphate soil 3,02 - 3,22 - 3,57
Peaty soil 2,92 - - - -
Flooding type
A 4,99 - 2,86 1) 1,33 2) 4,12
B 4,46 3,20 4,71 - 3,98
C 2,96 3,10 3,72 - 4,02
D 2,64 - - - -
Average of cooperator farmer 3,43 3,15 3,84 1,33 2) 3,96 Average of non-cooperator
farmer 2,65 2,40 2,66 Fallow 2,81
1) Rat damage 50% 2) Rat damage 90% WS = Wet season DS = Dry season Controls of pests and diseases were carried out following the concept of Integrated Pest Management, and was particularly directed for major pests, such as rats, ―orong-orong‖ (soil borer), army worms, stem borers, and wild pigs. Control for rat was particularly done according to the growth stages of crops. Mass control and fumigation were carried out before planting time, while baiting and another fumigating were during the plant growing periods. The major disease of rice in particular was blast, commonly attacking rice plants grown on the upland farming, with flooding type C and D.
Improved harvest and post-harvest activities using power thresher and dryers have been able to improve the quality and yield of milled-milled as shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Comparison of rice quality under different drying system (Sutrisno et al.,1999)
Quality criteria/
Rendement Sun-drying Dryer machine BULOG standard
……….(%)………
Whole grain 34,83 64,75 Min. 35
Broken grain 43,58 24,65 Max. 25
Gritty grain 5,87 2,75 Max. 2
Greenish/Milky grain 8,29 5,01 Max. 3
Yellowish grain 7,20 0,29 Max. 3
Rubbish 0,19 0,00 Max. 0,05
Unmilled grain 0,12 0,04
Rendement 59,60 62,10