Land resources management of shallots farming: a case study in the highlands of Solok Regency, West Sumatera

Abstract

Solok Regency in West Sumatera Province is one of the new development centers for shallot production in Indonesia. This region has a specific cultivation characteristic that is different from other shallot production centers, where the cultivation is done in the highlands throughout the year. It is estimated that there will be differences in yields and production techniques between the rainy and wet seasons. The purpose of this study was to investigate farming practices of shallot cultivation in the highland of Solok Regency during the dry and wet seasons. Survey on 95 shallot farmers in Solok Regency showed that the use of labour inputs, solid pesticides, leaf fertilizers, and adhesives was significantly different between the rainy season and the dry season. At the same time, the land area inputs, mulch use, organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, dolomite, and liquid pesticides were not significantly different. The productivity of each land unit in the rainy season is lower than that of the dry season. The results of this study are expected to be a reference for planning the application of integrated pest and disease management technology according to the appropriate season on the shallot commodity in the highlands of Solok Regency.