Tanaman jagung ketan merupakan salah satu jenis tanaman pangan penting bagi masyarakat Indonesia sebagai sumber karbohidrat. Jagung ketan banyak diminati oleh masyarakat karena rasanya agak manis, lunak dan pulen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh konsentrasi eco-enzyme dari limbah buah-buahan terhadap produksi tanaman jagung ketan. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Kebun Percobaan II, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) yang terdiri atas 5 taraf perlakuan, yaitu: tanpa pemberian eco-enzyme (E0), eco-enzyme 10 mL + 990 mL air (E1), eco-enzyme 20 mL + 980 mL air (E2), eco-enzyme 30 mL + 970 mL air (E3) dan eco-enzyme 40 mL + 960 mL air (E4) yang diulang sebanyak 4 kali sehingga diperoleh 20 unit percobaan. Aplikasi eco-enzyme dilakukan dengan cara menyiramkan di sekitar pangkal batang tanaman jagung. Variabel yang diamati meliputi bobot tongkol dengan kelobot, bobot tongkol tanpa kelobot, panjang tongkol, diameter tongkol, jumlah baris biji, jumlah biji dan produktivitas. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsentrasi eco-enzyme berpengaruh nyata terhadap bobot tongkol dengan kelobot, bobot tongkol tanpa kelobot, jumlah biji serta produktivitas. Produktivitas tanaman jagung ketan tertinggi diperoleh pada perlakuan eco-enzyme 20 mL + 980 mL air (E2) sebesar 7,32 ton ha-1.

Pertanian modern menghadapi tantangan serius akibat ketergantungan tinggi pada pupuk anorganik yang berdampak negatif terhadap lingkungan, meningkatkan biaya produksi, dan menurunkan kesuburan tanah. Padahal, sumber daya lokal berupa vegetasi sekunder seperti gulma, limbah pertanian, dan tumbuhan liar di pedesaan masih jarang dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan baku pupuk organik. Melalui kegiatan pengabdian ini dikembangkan teknologi tepat guna untuk mengolah vegetasi sekunder menjadi pupuk bokashi yang ramah lingkungan, murah, serta mudah diterapkan oleh petani. Program dilaksanakan dengan tiga tahapan, yaitu pra-implementasi berupa sosialisasi dan pelatihan teknis, implementasi melalui praktek langsung pembuatan serta aplikasi bokashi, dan pasca-implementasi berupa monitoring serta pembentukan kelompok tani pengolah bokashi. Metode ini disusun adaptif sesuai kondisi sosial ekonomi dan biofisik lokal, dengan menekankan efisiensi input, keberlanjutan ekosistem, dan partisipasi aktif masyarakat. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan peningkatan kapasitas petani dalam memproduksi serta menggunakan bokashi, berkurangnya ketergantungan pada pupuk kimia, dan meningkatnya kesadaran ekologis terhadap pengelolaan tanah berkelanjutan. Selain itu, terbentuk kelompok tani mandiri yang mampu mereplikasi inovasi ke wilayah lain. Program ini sekaligus menjadi media diseminasi penelitian pengelolaan limbah hijau, menjawab lambatnya adopsi teknologi organik, serta memperkuat jaringan kelembagaan lokal. Dengan demikian, pupuk bokashi berbasis vegetasi sekunder merupakan strategi penting dalam mendukung pertanian berkelanjutan dan ketahanan ekonomi rumah tangga petani

The stewardship of water resources, a vital pillar of any ecosystem, underpins the evolution of sustainable socio-economic systems, particularly on islands.This study employs a dynamic system analysis to model sustainable water resource management on Wangi-Wangi Island in Wakatobi Regency, an area prone to raw water deficits.Four distinct scenarios have been constructed for this analysis: the existing 'Business as Usual' scenario (BAU), Scenario-1 (water conservation efforts and water-saving movements increased by 5%), Scenario-2 (an extension of Scenario-1 with a 7.5% increase in interventions and a 2.5% tourist growth rate control), and Scenario-3 (an expansion of Scenario-2 with an additional 5% increase in interventions).Preliminary system dynamic analysis outcomes indicate that, under the BAU scenario, the Wangi-Wangi Islands could face a raw water shortfall of -1,293,622 m 3 /year from 2016 through 2055.This underscores an urgent need for policy intervention to foster a sustainable water resource management system.Under Scenario-1, a modest improvement is predicted, with a small surplus of water availability (543,785 m 3 /year) projected.Scenario-2 anticipates a surplus of 1,690,506 m 3 /year until the period of 2044-2047, while Scenario-3 predicts a surplus of 1,085,029 m 3 /year through the end of the projection period.These projected surpluses, however, are contingent upon robust support from all stakeholders in terms of policy enforcement, financial investment, and public awareness.This study's findings underscore the critical need for comprehensive, sustainable water resource management policies and practices in island settings to avert impending water crises.

Produksi kacang hijau di Sulawesi Tenggara selalu mengalami fluktuasi yang disebabakan oleh kondisi iklim yang berubah-ubah, kesuburan tanah yang rendah serta sistem budidaya yang masih konvensional. Untuk meningkatkan produksi kacang hijau, maka perlu adanya budidaya tanaman yang baik dengan input yang mudah diterapkan oleh petani. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh fungi mikoriza arbuskula dan jarak tanam terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman kacang hijau. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Lapangan Kebun Percobaan II Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Halu Oleo Kendari. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) pola factorial yang terdiri dari dua factor yaitu: faktor pertama propagul fungi mikoriza arbuskula (FMA) yang terdiri atas empat taraf dan Faktor kedua yaitu jarak tanam yang terdiri atas tiga taraf. Variabel yang diamati yaitu: tinggi tanaman (cm), jumlah daun (helai), diameter batang (cm), luas daun (cm2). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat interaksi antara fungi mikoriza arbuskula dengan jarak tanam terhadap tinggi tanaman 21, 28 dan 35 HST, jumlah daun 28 HST, diameter batang 35 HST dan luas daun 21, 35 dan 42 HST.

The quality of acidic soil is determined by organic C content produced from rice straw biochar in agriculture. In this context, liquid extract from Kappapychus alvarezii (K-sap) is used as a biochar enrichment agent. Therefore, this research aimed to (i) analyze the character of K-sap enriched rice straw biochar with different volumes, as well as (ii) evaluate the impact on soil water holding capacity, size class distribution, aggregate stability index, respiration rate, and acidic soil chemical characters. The treatment tested was the volume of K-sap kg-1 biochar, namely (i) without biochar, (ii) 0 mL, (iii) 500 mL, (iv) 1,000 mL, and (v) 1,500 mL. Each treatment was repeated three times and placed according to a randomized block design procedure. The area covered by K-sap, pore size, and amorphous degree increased while the pore volume of the biochar surface decreased. The addition of 1,000 mL of K-sap kg-1 biochar released a new peak number associated with the aliphatic and aromatic groups. The K-sap enriched biochar increased the proportion of soil aggregate size of 1-2 mm, water holding capacity, carbon storage, pH, total N, available P and K, exchangeable base cations as well as base saturation. Meanwhile, the concentration of Al3+ and H+ were decreased in the acidic soil solution. The results showed that the performance of rice straw biochar, K-sap volumes, soil chemical quality, water holding capacity, and ability to store carbon of the acidic soil was improved by adding K-sap volume.

Peanut is a plant food with high economic value because of their nutritional content, especially protein, and high fat. The nut land needs from year to year continue to increase in line with the increase in number population, nutritional needs of the community, food diversification, and increasing feed and food industry capacity. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of bio-organic fertilizers in producing local peanuts (Wadaga) from Muna Island, Indonesia. The randomized block design (RBD) was done with 12 bio-organic fertilizer treatments (T1 to T12) based on arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) and cow manure fertilizer (CMF). The variables were viz. pod weight, total pod number, filled pod number, percentage of empty pods, seed number, the weight of 100 seeds, dry seed weight, and productivity were observed. The results of the study showed that the highest average pod weight (55.0 g), total pod number (50.3 pods), filled pod number (46.3 pods), and seed number (84.3 seeds) occurred with the treatment of T8: A2B1 ( AMF 10 g per plant + CMF 3 kg per plot). The highest average productivity was obtained with T3: A0B2 (without AMF + CMF 6 kg per plot) as 3.97 tons ha-1. The use of mycorrhizal fungi combined with organic fertilizers can improve the growth of peanut plants which has a positive impact on their production.

Abstract. Nasaruddin N, Sabaruddin L, Analuddin K, Sudia LB. 2023. Taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate from natural forest as reference for streams health indicators in Lasolo Watershed, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 5523-5538. Macroinvertebrates are known to play a crucial role in nutrient recycling and serve as valuable stream degradation indicators. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the structural and functional diversity of macroinvertebrate communities as a reference for stream health indicators in tropical Sulawesi, Indonesia. Spatial sampling using a multi-habitat method was conducted between September 2021 and March 2022 in five streams connected to natural forest and three from drainage areas in dryland farming. Data on forest cover, physical-chemical variables, and macroinvertebrate samples were collected, while the species richness and diversity trends across streams were analyzed using individual rarefaction curves. In addition, the composition of macroinvertebrate functional group was also evaluated. The results showed that 2474 individuals belonging to 77 genera were recorded throughout the area. We found a reduction in taxa composition by comparing the reference and impacted stream at the genus, family, and order levels with approximate values of 83.1%, 74.07%, and 55.6%, respectively. At least seven significantly different potential metrics that differentiated between reference and the impacted ecosystem were found, including the number of family taxa (#family), the number of insect taxa (#insect), the number of Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera taxa (#EPT), the number of scraper taxa (#scraper), as well as Shannon-Wiener diversity, Simpson Evenness, and Margalef Richness index. These metrics offer a strong method for assessing land use change and their impact on freshwater biodiversity, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts in the ecosystem.

This research aims to determine the effect of subsurface irrigation water level and biochar application on the growth and yield of lowland rice. The research was conducted at Experimental Garden I, Faculty of Agriculture University Halu Oleo. The study consisted of two factors of treatments laid out in an RBCD-based factorial experimental design. The first factor consisted of four levels of subsurface irrigation (S) (i.e., 0, 4, 8, and 12 cm below the soil surface). The other factor also consisted of four levels of rice husk biochar (B) (i.e., 0, 10, 20, and 30 metric tons ha–1). Each treatment combination was given three replications. The collected data were analyzed with ANOVA and the differences among treatments were tested with DMRT at P=0.05. The study showed that both factors had no interaction effect on all parameters. The subsurface irrigation treatments, however, showed significant effects on plant height (56, 70, 84 DAS), leaf area (56, 70 DAS), flag leaf area, dry weight of root and shoot, panicle length, number of grains per panicle, grain weight after harvest per hill, dry weight of 1,000 rice grains, and yield. On the other hand, the biochar treatment only showed significant effects on leaf area at 70 DAS, flag leaf area, number of grains per panicle, grain weight after harvest per hill, and dry weight of 1,000 rice grains.

This study aimed to determine the effect of rice straw mulch and plus organic fertilizer residue on the growth of glutinous corn. This study was conducted from May to July, 2022 at the Field Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Halu Oleo University, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. This study used a randomized block design with split-plot design treatments. Main plots were residue of rice straw mulch (M): without residue of rice straw mulch (M0), 4 t ha-1 residue of rice straw mulch (M1), and 8 t ha-1 residue of rice straw mulch (M2). Main subplots were residue of plus organic fertilizer (P): without residue of plus organic fertilizer (P0), 2.5 t ha-1 residue of plus organic fertilizer (P1), 5 t ha-1 residue of plus organic fertilizer (P2), and 7.5 t ha-1 residue of plus organic fertilizer (P3). Each experimental unit was repeated three times. Measured variables were plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, , plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, and flowering age. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, if the analysis result was significant (Fhit> Ftab), then analyzed further using DMRT on α=0.05. The research results showed a single effect in 8 t ha-1 residue of rice straw mulch (M2) or 7.5 t ha-1 residue of plus organic fertilizer (P3) by producing the highest growth of glutinous corn

Sejalan dengan budaya untuk kembali ke alam (back to nature) menyebabkan meningkatnya kesadaran masyarakat akan bahaya mengkonsumsi hasil-hasil pertanian yang mengandung bahan kimia. Saat ini pola hidup sehat yang akrab lingkungan telah menjadi trend baru yang diawali dengan pola hidup sehat dalam skala rumah tangga. Metode yang diterapkan dalam pelaksanaan kegiatanini ini yaitu: Participatory Rapid Appraisal, Focus Group Discussion, Enterpreneurship Capacity Building, serta demonstrasi plot. Hasil kegiatan menujukkan bahwa masyarakat Desa Puuwehuko sangat antusias dalam mengikuti semua tahapan kegiatan pengabdian. Melalui kegiatan ini, masyarakat memiliki keterampilan, pemahaman serta perubahan pola pikir dalam melakukan kegiatan pertanian. Hal ini diperkuat dengan pernyataan Kepala Desa Puuwehuko bahwa kegiatan ini sangat bermanfaat bagi masyarakatnya dalam hal memahami pentingnya pupuk organik bagi kesehatan tanah, produk tanaman serta kesehatan masyarakat. Oleh karena itu, pemerintah Desa dan masyarakat mengharapkan agar kegiatan seperti ini dapat dilakukan kembali pada masa-masa yang akan datang.

Land use that is not carried out or without considering the ability of the land can cause erosion and flooding risks. The aims of the research are (1) to determine land capability classes in the Lepo-Lepo watershed and (2) to determine land management guidelines at the class level in the Lepo-Lepo watershed as guidelines for sustainable development. The method used is to calculate land capability classes, laboratory analysis, and use geographic information systems. This research was carried out based on land unit maps and determining land capability classes, based on land capability class criteria. The results of the study showed that the land capability class in the Lepo-Lepo watershed was class II land capability with an area of 2,136.59 ha or 25.65%, land capability class III with an area of 1,282.42 ha or 15.39%, land capability class IV with an area of 1,181.15 ha or 14.18%, and Class VI land capability with an area of 497.84 ha or 38.80%. Based on the characteristics of the land, there is a threat of erosion marked with the letter e, with the management of terracing on steeply sloped land to reduce the amount of erosion, and the threat of excess water is marked with the letter w, with land management improving drainage, providing organic matter, planting vegetation and planting agroforestry system. Keywords: Land Capability, Watershed, Management Penggunaan lahan yang tidak dilakukan atau tanpa mempertimbangkan kemampuan lahan dapat menimbulkan resiko erosi dan banjir. Tujuan penelitian yaitu, (1) menetapkan kelas kemampuan lahan di DAS Lepo-Lepo dan (2) menetapkan arahan pengelolaan lahan pada tingkat kelas di DAS Lepo-Lepo sebagai pedoman pembangunan berkelanjutan. Metode yang digunakan yaitu menghitung kelas kamampuan lahan, analisis laboratorium, dan penggunaan sistem informasi geografis. Penelitian ini dilakukan berdasarkan peta satuan lahan dan penentuan kelas kemampuan lahan dilakukan berdasarkan kriteria kelas kemampuan lahan. Hasil kajian yang diperoleh Kelas kemampuan lahan di DAS Lepo-Lepo yaitu Kelas kemampuan lahan II dengan luas 2.136,59 ha atau 25,65 %, Kelas kemampuan lahan III dengan luas 1.282,42 atau ha 15,39 %, Kelas Kemapuan lahan IV dengan luas 1.181,15 ha atau 14,18 %, dan Kelas kemampuan lahan VI dengan luas 497,84 ha atau 38,80 %. Berdasarkan karakteristik lahan tersebut terdapat ancaman erosi yang ditandai dengan huruf e, dengan pengelolaan pembuatan teras pada tanah yang berlereng curam sehingga dapat mengurangi besarnya erosi, dan ancaman kelebihan air ditandai dengan huruf w, dengan pengelolaan lahan memperbaiki drainase, pemberian bahan organik, penanaman vegetasi dan penanaman sistem agroforestri. Kata Kunci: Kemampuan Lahan, Daerah Aliran Sungai, Pengelolaan

This study aims to determine the effect of the application of various types of manure on the production of mung bean. The research was carried out at the Field Laboratory of Experimental Gardens II, Faculty of Agriculture, Halu Oleo University, Kendari, from October to December 2021. The study used a randomized block design consisting of four treatments, namely control (P0), cow manure 10 t ha-1 (P1), goat manure 10 t ha-1 (P2) and chicken manure 10 t ha-1 (P3). Each treatment was repeated 4 times so that there were 16 experimental units. Variables observed were number of pods, pod weight, seed weight, weight of 100 seeds, seed production ton ha-1, analyzed by variance. If the variance shows a significant effect, then proceed with the Least Significant Difference Test (BNT) at the 95% confidence level. The results showed that the application of manure can increase the production of mung bean plants. Treatment of chicken manure 10 t ha-1 (P3) gave a better effect on the number of pods, pod weight, seed weight and seed production t ha-1.

Program Pengabdian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan ketrampilan bagi petani di Dusun Nanga-naga Keluaran Mokoau Kecaamatan Kambu Kota Kendari dalam Usaha Peningkatan Kualitas Produk Pupuk Organik Berbasis Campuran Biochar dengan Limbah Usaha Pertanian, Peternakan dan Perikanan. Pengabdian ini dilakukan dengan pelatihan dan pendampingan meliputi beberapa kegiatan, yaitu pembuatan biochar, kompos, dan pembuatan POC (pupuk organik cair dari kulit pisang), pemcampuran pupuk organik, dan peracikan pupuk organik-plus. Pembuatan pupuk organik-plus terdiri dari 5 bentuk komposisi sebagai penyusunnya meliputi: (1). 10 kg Biochar + 1 liter urin sapi + 1 liter POC kulit Pisang, (2) 10 kg Kompos + 1 liter urin sapi + 1 liter POC kulit Pisang, (3) 5 kg Kompos + 5 kg Biochar + 1 liter urin sapi + 1 liter POC kulit Pisang, (4) 7 kg Kompos + 3 kg Bichar 1 liter urin sapi + 1 liter POC kulit Pisang, (5) 3 kg Kompos + 7 kg Bichar + 1 liter urin sapi + 1 liter POC kulit Pisang. Bahan- bahan penyusun tersebut dicampur secara merata kemudian dimasukkan ke dalam ember dan ditutup rapat. Masa ingkubasi dilakukan selama 24 jam selanjutnya dikeringkan di bawah penyinaran sinar matahari selama 3 hari atau hingga kadar air bahan mencapai 10%. Hasil kegiatan pengabdian ini adalah kemampuan sasaran mengalami peningkatan dalam penerapan ilmu dan teknologi, sasaran mengalami peningkatan kemampuan manajerial, kedisiplinan dan kemampuan bekerjasama dalam tim, demikian juga terjadi peningkatan dalam memasarkan prodak. Terjadi peningkatan pemahaman masyarakat di kelurahan Mokoau dalam memanfaatan limbah pertanian dan peternakan untuk memproduksi biochar dan pupuk organik padat maupun pupuk organik cair dari kulit pisang dan urin sapi sebagai biofertilizer dalam praktek pertanian khususnya pada masyarakat di Kota Kendari. Pupuk organik plus hasil integrasi pupuk kompos, biochar dan pupuk organik cair dari kulit pisang dan urin sapi dapat meningkatkan pupuk organik berbasis biochar serta pertumbuhan tanaman bayam dan kakung cabut pada tanah ultisol.

The aim of this research was to study the effect of cow manure bokashi fertilizer on the growth and yield of local Muna peanuts on marginal land. The research was conducted in the Experimental Garden Field II, Faculty of Agriculture, Halu Oleo University, Kendari, from April to June 2021. The study used a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of controls without applying bokashi fertilizer, 5 t ha-1 bokashi fertilizer, 10 t ha-1 bokashi fertilizer, bokashi fertilizer 15 t ha-1, bokashi fertilizer 20 t ha-1. Each treatment was repeated 3 times so that there were 15 experimental units. The variables observed were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, number of pods, pod weight, seed weight, number of nodules and production. The results showed that the application of cow dung bokashi fertilizer doses on the growth and yield of muna local peanut plants on marginal land had a significant effect on the growth and yield variables of peanut plants. The best treatment was obtained at a dose of 20 t ha-1 bokashi fertilizer compared to other treatments and controls.

This study aims to determine the interaction between drought stress and varieties on the growth and yield of two soybean varieties. This study used a randomized block design (RBD) in a factorial pattern consisting of (two) factors, namely: The first factor two soybean varieties with the notation (V) consisting of two types, namely: Anjasmoro variety (V1) and Detap-1 variety (V2). second factor is level of drought stress with the notation (K) consisting of three levels: control water supply 100% field capacity (K0), 25% field capacity (K1), 50% field capacity (K2) and 75% field capacity (K3). Each treatment was repeated three times so there were 72 experimental units. The observed variables were plant height, total leaf area, stem diameter, number pods, number filled pods, number root nodules, number effective root nodules, not effective, dry weight of plants, dry weight seeds and harvest index. The results of this study indicate the varietal treatment had no significant effect on all observed variables except for the variable plant height, number of leaves and total leaf area, the drought stress treatment had significant effect all observed variables except for the variable number leaves and harvest index. The best growth was obtained in the Detap-1 variety treatment and the drought stress treatment, namely control or water supply of 100% field capacity.

The majority of the population in Bungkutoko Village are fishermen and housewives. The problem encountered in most households in this village is that the yard land has not been utilized for the cultivation of plants that are useful for food availability. In addition, household waste is widely available but has not been maximally utilized as raw material for making planting media for cultivated plants. Therefore, community service activities are carried out to increase community knowledge and skills in utilizing yard land for vegetable crop cultivation in order to support food security through modification of agricultural techniques and soil fertility engineering. The method used is socialization and counselling, then practice or demonstration in the field of how to cultivate vegetables to provide real examples to partners. Partner members are continuously encouraged to always be actively involved and become subjects in this activity accompanied by students and a team of lecturers. The result of community service is that the community is able to apply the yard utilization model because of the increased knowledge and skills of the community about the cultivation of food crops (vegetables) in the yard, and the increased knowledge and skills of the community about soil fertility engineering in the yard/coastal land.

Forest fires are one of the environmental problems that recur almost every year in Indonesia. This problem if not handled properly will certainly cause various negative impacts such as the emergence of haze that can interfere with public health and reduced forest cover, in forest areas. Taman Hutan Raya Nipa-Nipa (Tahura) as one of the Natural Preservation areas of Southeast Sulawesi Province is also inseparable from the problem of forest fires. The aims of the study were to analyze the level of forest fire vulnerability in the Tahura Nipa-Nipa area, especially in Watu-Watu Village, West Kendari Subdistrict, and the variables that most affect the level of forest fire vulnerability. Data analysis based on the weighting of each element is then carried out the determination of the vulnerability class using equations: forest fire vulnerability = {30 % x (land cover)} + {(20 % x height of place)} + {(20 % x Rainfall)} + {(10 % x distance from road)} + {(10 % x distance from river)} + {(10 % x distance from settlement)}. Mapping the class of forest fire vulnerability areas using geoprocessing with input data on land cover, place height, rainfall, and distance from roads, rivers, and settlements. Then an analysis is carried out and will be selected data according to the score of the level of forest fire vulnerability, namely very low/not a vulnerability with a score of 5, low with a score of 4, medium with a score of 3, high with a score of 2, very high /very vulnerability with a score of 1. The results showed that the level of forest fire vulnerability in Tahura Nipa-Nipa has 3 levels, namely the level of high forest fire vulnerability with an area of 68.51 ha, the level of moderate forest fire vulnerability with an area of 62.29 ha, and the level of low fire vulnerability with an area of 143.35 ha. The variables that most affect the level of forest fire vulnerability at the research site are land cover and community accessibility distance in the form of distance from the road and distance from the settlement.

Earthworms play an important role in mixing soil particles with biochar grains, as well as creating biostructures, and the application of seaweed extract to soil affects the microbes within, as well as plant growth. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the effect of mixing soil, teak leaf biochar, as well as seaweed extract on the arbuscularmycorrhizal fungal (AMF) spores within the biostructures formed, and analyze the effect of applying these biostructures to planting media soil on the growth and yield of local upland rice. Before the experiment, extract stock from Sargassum sp. was diluted with water into five separate concentration levels, 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. Subsequently, 20 individual earthworms were released on the soil surface previously mixed with biochar and seaweed extract in a reactor. The planting media used in this study was soil from the cogongrass area with grain sizes below 4 mm, and about 10% (w/w) of the biostructures formed were added to the media in a polybag, then the mixture was transplanted with upland rice seedlings of local variety Sorawolia.According to the results, the treatment containing had the highest total AMF spores. Furthermore, the addition of biostructures significantly affected plant height, leaf number as well as area, and the number of tillers at 42, 42 to 70, and 70 days after application, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest plant dry weight and panicle length were obtained from the treatments containing 80% and 60% extract stock, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the spikelet number and percentage of filled spikelets between the biostructures. Therefore, the application of both teak leaf biochar and extract of Sargassum sp. was concluded to be able to improve the performance of earthworms (Pheretima sp.) in creating soil biostructures containing AMF spores, for local upland rice development in conditions of poor soil fertility. However, future studies are required to investigate this application’s potential as a source of inoculum for AMF spores or other beneficial microbes, for application at the smallholder farm level.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Soil water mainly derived from rainfall is an important limiting factor to increase crop production. Water balance is used to see the availability of soil water for plants at a certain time. This study aims to determine water supplies, water use and potential water loss using plant water balance and designing cropping patterns on dryland in Ranomee to subdistrict.MATERIALS AND METHODS:The analysis of soil water's availability is presented through monthly graphs from January to December in climatological terms. The data used in this analysis are the average amount of monthly rainfall and the average monthly temperature in 2016-2018 from the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency in South Konawe Regency representing the study area, Ranomeeto subdistrict and the land area of this district. Ranomeeto Subdistrict of South Konawe has a 7 month growth period, from the 2nd November to the 2nd July.RESULTS:Analysis of the contribution of surface water to soil water content in the plant root zone shows that the Ranomeeto subdistrict of Konawe Selatan Regency has seven months-long growth period available from the second decade of November to the second decade of July.CONCLUSION:The planting time in the Ranomeeto subdistrict is in two periods of time, which is in November of decade three to February of decade three (during the rainy season) and May of decade one to July of decade one (during dry season).