COMPARISON OF CONSUMPTIVE WATER ON CONVENTIONAL AND SEMI ORGANIC METHOD POTATO CULTIVATION

Abstract

Climate change has an impact on the world of water availability. Water use efficiency important to do especially in the agricultural sector which is one of the largest sectors in water use. Potato cultivation in Pangalengan which continues to grow along with the pricing policies of potatoes as a source of diversification of West Java has the potential to deplete the availability of water in these locations. Amount of consumptive water during the cultivation process needs to be known in order to determine the water management policy. Amount of agricultural consumptive water can be influenced by cultivation methods applied. Approach blue and green water footprint was used to determine the amount of consumptive water usage in the cultivation. Purpose of this study was to calculate the amount of blue and green water footprint of potato on two different methods of cultivation they were semiorganic and conventional methods. The calculation of green water footprint in this study used rainfall water evapotranspiration, whereas value of blue water footprint from irrigation water evapotranspiration. Value of green and blue water footprint of conventional potatoes each was 126 m3 /ton and 24.4 m3 /ton. While the value of green and blue water footprint semi-organic potatoes each were 103.3 m3 /ton and 2.5 m3 /ton. Water used in semi-organic method was more efficient than the conventional method. Semi-organic methods can reduce water consumption directly (blue water) up to 89.75%.