Optimizing dry land through the implementation of maize and rice multiple cropping system in Pemalang Regency

Abstract

Maize is one of the food crops as the second staple food after rice in Indonesia. Efforts that can be done are not only to increase maize production but also increases the cropping index as through intercropping in dry-land. This study aims to determine the production of maize intercropped with rice. The research was carried out on the farmer’s-land at Planting Season (PS-2) on April-October 2019 in Pemalang. The maize variety planted were farmers existing varieties Bisi-18 and introduced variety (Nasa-29 varieties). The rice varieties planted are Inpari-42 and Inpago-10. Corn spacing (120x30x20 cm) and rice spacing (20x20 cm). The study used a randomized block design with 4 treatments (was repeated 6 times). The results showed that the intercropping system affected the yield of maize productivity and rice. The highest maize production (5.96 t ha−1) was obtained for intercropping maize (Bisi-18) and rice (Inpago-10) while for the highest rice production (1.76 t ha−1) was intercropping Bisi-18 with Inpari-42. The intercropping of maize and upland rice with a population of maize (81%) and a population of rice (62%) with a total of both 143%, and can increase the cropping index (CI) by 100-143% compared to the existing zero planting of PS-2.