The Effect of Plant Densities in System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Method to Water Productivity of Paddy Field in East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

Principle of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) adapted to local conditions to increase productivity and environmentally friendly. The main component of SRI is single seedling per hill, young seedlings, wider spacing, intermittent irrigation, inter-cultivation, and organic fertilization. This study area of the System of Rice Intensification is in East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, which has typical areas like soil texture, bulk density, soil water content, and rainfall. The research aimed to know the effect of plant densities in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method on the water productivity of paddy fields. This research initially focused on transplanting very young rice seedlings of 14 days old in two treatments of plants. The densities are broad in a square pattern (30 x 30 cm) and a Jajar Legowo pattern (20 x 10 x 40 cm). The rice was not grown in flooded paddies but moist ground, with intermittent irrigation. When SRI was concerned at a different wider spacing, it discovered the effect on water productivity for paddy fields, especially in East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara. So that it determined the best wider spacing of the System of Rice Intensification method can apply in the area. The results show that the Jajar Legowo pattern spacing (20 x 10 x 40 cm) has a higher water productivity value of 3,4% than the spacing treatment (30 x 30 cm). Jajar Legowo was 11.9% higher than the spacing treatment (30 x 30 cm).