Linking marginal soil to sugarcane productivity in Takalar, Indonesia

Abstract

Land expansion to meet productivity is often carried out without further consideration or study of the condition of the land. Insufficient soil quality leads to a decline in plant productivity. This research examines the soil conditions on sugar cane plantations in Takalar, Indonesia. We partitioned a single hectare of land into nine distinct observation plots to assess and compare the homogeneity of soil conditions and plant growth within each plot. In this study, we measured the organic carbon and the physical properties of the soil (bulk density and soil permeability), which are the main characteristics that reflect soil conditions in an area. Plant growth parameters such as the number of sugarcane tillers, height, and diameter were measured to compare growth in each plant plot. The research findings indicated that low organic C content values signified a lack of nutrient availability in the soil due to low soil permeability, resulting in a 50% reduction in production. These findings validated the shallow and marginal soil conditions. While soil processing demonstrated a capacity to decrease bulk density at depths of 15–30 cm, it proved ineffective in enhancing soil permeability. Post-tillage, the soil permeability rate at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depths declined, leading to compromised plant growth. Sugarcane plants in Takalar exhibited below-average growth with insufficient plant height (below 200 cm), stem diameter (less than 3 cm), and a low stem count per meter at the initial growth stage. Low organic C content values indicated a lack of nutrient availability in the soil due to low soil permeability, resulting in a 50% reduction in production. This research can be a reference for further research regarding improving soil quality and plant productivity.

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