Evaluation of land suitability for cocoa (Theobroma cacao L) in Kebonagung District, Pacitan Regency, East Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Pacitan Regency is one of the potential areas for the development of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L). Plants need certain conditions to produce optimally. Land suitability is a way to find out whether land conditions in Kebonagung District are suitable or not for cocoa plants. This study evaluates land suitability for cocoa plants in Kebonagung District, Pacitan Regency. The research was conducted using descriptive method through a survey approach. Based on the overlay of soil type maps, topographic maps, rainfall maps, and administrative maps, ten land map units (LMU) were obtained. Morphological analysis and soil characteristics were carried out qualitatively in the field and quantitatively in the laboratory. Determination of land suitability is done by matching the characteristics of the land with the conditions for growing cocoa plants. The results showed that at LMU 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 were moderately suitable for the class of land suitability, while LMU 1 and 7 were marginally suitable. The limiting factors are the length of the dry month, humidity, pH, available potassium, base saturation (BS), erosion hazard and slope. After improving the limiting factor, the potential land suitability class was obtained in the S2 class (moderately suitable) for all LMUs.