Optimum Soil Tillage Method On Dry Land Sugarcane Cultivation

Abstract

The objective of the research was to analyse effectiveness and efficiency of soil tillage results and to determine optimum soil til/age method on dry land sugarcane cultivation. The research was conducted on September 2002 until August 2003 in an Ultisol dry land sugarcane area at Gula Putih Matararn Company, Sugar Group Company, Central Lampung, Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Six-seNl tillage methods were applied and sugarcane seedlings of TC-9 vanety were planted, and then soil physical conditions, tractors' performanre, and sugarcane growth and productivity were measured and calculated. Soif dry bulk density before scillf7ling is 1,40 glcc in average, and after soil tilling IS between 1 29 glcc and 1 38 glcc Effective soil tilling causes an optimum so;1 dry bulk density of 1.29 glce up to 1.31 glee, or 1.30 glcc in average. A highest average of sum of sugarcane sprouts (i.e 3 stalkslbunch) is obtained on this soil physical condition. This case becomes a key for obtaining a highest average of sugarcane productivity of 63.08 ton/ha, so that average sugar productivity is highest too (i.e 7.30 ton/ha) Optimum soil tillage, which result in maximum sugarcane growth and production, is obtained by applying minimum soil tillage methods. It produces a maximum temporary profit for sugar company of Rp 34966034,00lha. EffiCient soil tifJago action produces minimum soil tillage operation time of 0.64 hourlha and minimum soil til/ago operation cost of Rp 57673,00Ala. A "subsoiling-plowing-harrowing-furrowing" method is an optimum 5011 tillage method on Uttisol dry land sugarcane cultivation