Pengaruh Aplikasi Basah Water Absorbent Pati Singkong Terhadap Sifat Retensi Air pada Tanah Bertekstur Pasir

Abstract

Water retention is one of soil physical properties that indicate water availability tobe used by a plant. The low water retention ability is generally owned by sand textured soils such as former mine tailings and other sand texture of soils. Plant on soil with low water retention ability will quickly sustain of water stress that extreme condition will lead to permanent wilting. Common effort to overcome this problem is generally by high frequency irrigation. This effort is however inefficient. Other alterative is needed to solve this problem. Presently BATAN (Badan Tenaga Nuklir Nasional) introduce a Super Water Absorbent (SWA) of Cassava Starch that capable to retain water ± 300 than of it weight. Nevertheless, how the SWA work and influence soil water retention characteristic is still questionable. The study aimed to assess the effect of SWA on soil retention characterstic was carried in a green house of IPB. Results of the study showed that SWA application had no significantly effect on the amount of water retained by soil with very high sand. Organic matter and content of sand are influencing the soil capability in water holding and storing.