Growth and production of superior rice varieties in freshwater swampland at the Alabio Polder, Hulu Sungai Utara

Abstract

The freshwater swampland is one alternative as a source of food production in Indonesia because it is quite fertile and vast about 25.20 million ha. Several limitations of this area includes unpredictable water regime, floods in the rainy season, and drought in the dry season. The objective of this study is to evaluate new high yielding varieties and planting system in the freshwater swampland. The experiments were carried out in the freshwater swampland of the Alabio polder area, Teluk Cati Village, Hulu Sungai Utara Regency covering an area of 5 ha, in the dry season in 2013 and 2014. In 2013 there were two kinds of treatment: planting system (2:1 and 4:1) and varieties (Ciherang, Inpari-1, Inpari-17, and Inpari-19). In 2014, the treatment were varities (Ciherang, Inpari-1, Inpari-17 and Inpari-30) and planted by jajar legowo planting 4:1. The treatments were implemented by randomized block design with 10 replication. This study indicates that high-yielding varieties can increase rice productivity and farmer income. Rice productivity in the two growing seasons ranges from 4.46 to 7.12 t ha−1 dry grain. The study concluded that at freshwater swampland, jajar legowo (2:1 and 4:1) was not significantly different. The new superior varieties of rice like Inpari-1, Inpari-17 dan Inpari-30 can increase the productivity and income of farmers at Teluk Cati Village. In 2013 n 2014, the yield of inpari varieties (1, 17, 19, 30) were higher than ciherang, average yield 5,91 t/ha. Rice farming on freshwater swampland is profitable (RC−1 3.09 and 2.78) and feasible (BC−1 2.09 and 1.78).