The Influence of Dense Planting System on the Technical Efficiency of Saffron Production and Land Use Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from Gonabad County, Iran

The cultivation of saffron, which is one of the most expensive agricultural products in the world, is the main source of livelihood and economic wellbeing for the rural communities of Gonabad county in the eastern part of Iran. Nevertheless, farm monitoring in the region has shown that many saffron growers apply a high-density planting system for more profit. This practice results in the loss of land productivity after a six-year production cycle. As a consequence, farmers abandon the cultivated lands and move to plant saffron in available virgin lands. The purpose of this study is to analyse the technical efficiency of saffron farms and its determinants with an emphasis on the role of planting density. A survey was conducted in 2019, and a cross-sectional random sampling technique was used to select 110 saffron growers. We first assessed the technical efficiency of farms using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with input orientation. In the next step, efficiency scores were regressed on explanatory variables using OLS and bootstrapped truncated regression to identify efficiency related factors. We find that planting density negatively influenced technical efficiency, suggesting that it is necessary for saffron growers to be educated on the negative impacts of the dense planting system.

Growth responses of maize-soybean intercropping system and its potential for cattle feed in Bali

There had been a 2.145 ha fields transition in Bali which had a major impact on the loss of food production. However, there was raise in the population annually, therefore it disrupts local food security. Effort to raise the effectiveness and agricultural productivity areas through changing cropping system from monoculture to intercropping. This study aimed to find out the growth responses of maize and soybean crops cultivated by monoculture and intercropping planting systems and its carrying capacity for cattle feed. The study was arranged using a randomized block design with 3 treatments and 3 replications, namely: T1: Bima 20 URI VUB maize seeds in monoculture (40cm x 20cm x 80cm; 1 seed/hole or 70cm x 40cm x 100cm; 2 seeds/hole); T2: Anjasmoro, Deja 2 and Devon soybean VUB seeds in monoculture system (40cm x 20cm; 2-3 seeds/hole); T3: maize-soybean intercropping; Maize (2 rows; 40cm x 12.5; 2 seeds/hole); Soybeans (4 rows; 30cm x 10cm; 2-3 seeds/hole); both distance: 40cm. Data collected were growth performance, yield components and yield capacity of both maize and soybean crops also competition and profit value of maize and soybeans crops cultivated by intercropping planting system. The results showed that monoculture maize crops cultivated by monoculture planting system were better than it intercropped with soybean crops in terms of growth parameters. However, intercropping maize and soybean were produced greater yield components on cobs number, cobs and grains weight than monoculture (P<0.05), except grains weight per cobs. The monoculture soybean plant in growth, components and yield parameters were greater than intercropping (P>0.05). The ATER, LER, RCC, CR, and AYL values were 3.24; 1.28; -2.69; 4.58; -0.098 on maize and 2.52; 0.84; 1.82; 0.21; -0.158 on soybean. Those result was followed by carrying capacity in intercropping system by 30% usage can be used for 1.804 AU meanwhile 40% usage was sufficient for 1.353 AU. Intercropping system can be recommended to farmers to increase growth responses of maize-soybean and its potential carrying capacity for cattle feed.

Teknologi Tanaman Padi Sistem Tanam Benih Langsung dengan Hambur di Dataran Tinggi Sumatera Utara (Studi Kasus di Kabupaten Humbang Hasundutan)

Rice farmers in Humbang Hasundutan Regency still maintain rice technology with the scattering system because farmers feel this planting system to be still relevant to the condition of available resources in Humbang Hasundutan Regency. The study of direct seed planting system technology in Humbang Hasundutan Regency was carried out using a survey method by conducting interviews with key informants in Polung Subdistrict, Humbang Hasundutan Regency. From the interview results, it was found that the transplanting system technology, both with tiles and jajar legowo in Humbang Hasundutan Regency, did not give significantly different results compared to the scattering system. The results of the farming analysis obtained show that the scattering system gives an R/C value of 1.88 compared to the transplanting system of 1.94 R/C.

Prospect of development of 2:1 “Jajar Legowo” planting system technology in the development of rice area, Takalar District

Technology is one factor in increasing agricultural production capacity. The use of new technologies will increase the use of inputs, making it possible to achieve production and farm efficiency. The jajar legowo (double row) system is a technological engineering to obtain a plant population of more than 160,000 per hectare. The implementation of Jajar Legowo in addition to increasing the cropping population, is also able to increase the smooth circulation of sunlight and air around the pingir plants so that the plants can photosynthesize better. Assistance in the application of engineering technology for the legowo row 2: 1 system was carried out in Panrannuangku sub-district, Polut sub-district, Takalar district. The technology engineering of the legowo row 2: 1 system is supported by other technologies that are applied through pilot farming models (demfarm) at strategic locations in the development area that have fairly good access, which can be seen by the community in the assisted area. The selection of the demfarm location is determined together with the farmer groups, field officers / PLL and stakeholders involved so that it can be ascertained that the pilot farming model can represent the conditions of the development area to be built. The results of the assistance in the area of rice farming in irrigated rice fields in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, show that the development of the rice crop area has a large enough opportunity to be developed with the support of legowo row 2: 1 technology engineering and institutional innovation. The results of the assistance for the paddy farming area with a 2: 1 legowo row technology engineering planting system in the irrigated rice fields of Takalar Regency also provide understanding to the relevant agencies starting from the planned mentoring model to the implementation stages. The rice technology demfarm with the legowo row system technology engineering 2: 1 showed an increase in yield from 4-5 tonnes per ha (local productivity) to 7-8 tonnes per ha.

Assessment of maize-peanut intercropping and its potential waste usage for cattle feed in dry land

Intercropping planting system is one of methods to enhance the land productivity. The maize and peanut crops waste has high beneficial to farmers for cattle feed. The study of maize and peanut crops intercropping has been conducted in May-August 2020. Study was arranged by using Randomized Complete Block Design with 5 treatments and replicated for 8 times. Treatments examined were P1: Srikandi Kuning maize variety cultivated by monoculture planting system; P2: Nasa 29 maize variety cultivated by monoculture; P3: Peanut crop cultivated by monoculture; P4: Srikandi Kuning and peanut crop cultivated by intercropping; P5: Nasa 29 and peanut crop cultivated by intercropping. Variables observed were growth and yield components and analysed by analysis of variance and advanced tested by LSD at 5%. To know the land productivity, the calculation of Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was done meanwhile the Index of Plant Competition (IPC) also was calculated to know the plant competition level. Results showed that the peanut crop productivity by intercropping was decrease about 37.50%-38.79% compared to monoculture. Meanwhile, the productivity of Srikandi Kuning maize variety was also decrease due to the reducing of plant population. The intercropping of Srikandi Kuning and Nasa 29 variety with peanut crop enhance the LER became 1.02 and 1.03. The utilization of Nasa 29 maize variety by intercropping with peanut crop was better than Srikandi Kuning with the lower IPC namely 0.8932 meanwhile the IPC of Srikandi Kuning was 0.9270. The potential waste for cattle feed at maize crop plantation by monoculture was higher than intercropping with peanut crop and peanut crops by monoculture namely P3: 572 head/ha; P1: 500 head/ha; P5: 484 head/ha; P4: 454 head/day; P3: 288 head/day.

COMBINATION OF PLANTING METHODS AND MULTIPLE NPK FERTILIZER ON PLANT GROWTH AND PRODUCTION SWEET CORN (Zea mays saccharata Sturt)

This study aims to obtain differences in the response of growth and yield of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccarhata Sturt) using a single row planting system and a two row planting system. This research was conducted in Sukajadi Village, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra Province. Research time in January. This study used a split plot design with 8 treatment combinations which were repeated 4 times. The treatment factors in question are as follows: Main Plot : Single Row Planting System (S1), Two Row Planting System (S2), P0: No treatment , P1: NPK : 60g (plot) P2: NPK : 120g (plot) P3 : NPK : 180g (plot). The variables observed in this study were plant height/plant (cm), length of seed cob/plant (cm), cob weight/plant (gr), production of plots/plot (kg). Based on the results of the study, it was shown that the treatment with a two-row planting system (DB) and application of 300kg/ha compound NPK fertilizer gave the best effect on sweet corn production of 12.96 kg/plot or equivalent to 17.28 tons/ha.

Effect of raised bed, mulching and fertigation on productivity and quality of guava (Psidium guajava L.) under high density planting system

Aim: Increasing the input use efficiency by planting of guava on raised bed, mulched with black polythene sheet along with fertilizer application through drip and foliar spray of micro-nutrients (zinc and boron). Methodology: Experiment was carried out during 2015-2019 for mrig bahar crop in Lalit guava planted at 3 × 3 m spacing in ICAR-CISH, Lucknow with 5 different treatments (T1 = Raised bed +drip irrigation @ 80% PE + fertigation @ 75% RDF + mulching with 100µ black polythene + micro-nutrient spray in July and August @ 0.2% each of zinc sulphate and boric acid, T2 = Raised bed + drip irrigation + fertigation + mulching, T3 = Raised bed + drip irrigation + fertigation + micronutrient sprays, T4 = Raised bed + drip irrigation +micro-nutrient sprays + soil application of RDF @ 50:25:50 g N:P:K, T5 / control = Flat bed + soil application of RDF + basin irrigation). Results: Canopy volume, trunk-cross sectional area and yield were significantly increased in T1, which could be attributed to better microclimate in root zone, resulting in improved growth and yield. Interpretation: The findings of this research have generated the technique of improving space, water and nutrient use efficiency under high density planting system of guava cv. Lalit in subtropical climate which will help the guava growers for sustaining quality production.