OPTIMIZING USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND INCREASING RICE PRODUCTIVITY

Three studies were carried out during the wet season 2000/2001 to investigate the benefits of reduced tillage in different rice cropping systems in Indonesia. The first study conducted in the tail part of a tertiary irrigation scheme in Subang district demonstrated how minimum tillage and direct seeding practice can accelerate the planting of rice. Using these techniques, the planting time was three to four weeks earlier than the transplanting technique which requires full tillage. Under minimum tillage, the land cultivated for rice was about three times much greater than that of full tillage. The second study was carried out in rainfed rice in Lombok Tengah district where the cost for land cultivation and weed control was quite high, due to the heavy Vertisols. In this area a method of soil cultivation to minimize the rice production cost was assessed. The zero tillage practice facilitated rice cultivation and minimized the cost of production. A third study was conducted in tidal swamp rice in Southern Kalimantan in the Barito Kuala district. Clearing weeds prior to planting using paraquat herbicide followed by shallow rotavation, allowed farmers to accelerate the planting of rice and reduce production costs.