Empowerment of Land Resource to Increase Competitiveness and Added Value of Agricultural Product

In global free trade action, Indonesia has many rivalry constrain to involve on standart product quality need which determined by developed countries from subtropical area. Agriculture product added value based on tropical natural resource is not accommodated proportionally, so that the Indonesian farming system has faced many obstacle resulting low competitive. Competitiveness digging of Indonesian specific land resource is a step in the right direction to do, besides it can increase competitiveness and has protected by regionally regulation. The Indonesian spatial competitiveness are sun energy, rainfall, mineral deposit, diversity of agricultural commodities, geographical position, and agricultural land availability for spell of production. Agricultural production arrangement that considering land capacity and specific competitiveness will increase production efficiency, added value, and selling product. Arrangement of spatial plan of various commodities and correct zonation based on need and location of market will increase competitiveness and farmer welfare. Functional food development, commodity choice, harvest area placement and harvest time arrangement are absolute competitiveness of Indonesian agricultural product and can not be competed by other region

Potential Development of Agriculture Commodity High Economy Value in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province

Indonesia has been able to reach self sufficiency for rice, but the problem is decreasing farmer economic value exchange. For that reason besides pursuing increase land productivity and agriculture commodities development, the improvement farmer income must be done. Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province has ± 0,319 million ha within land typology from mountainous vulcanize until sand shore. The problem is narrow land tenure, so that to increase farmer income the development of agriculture commodity with high economics value should be executed based on land carrying capacity. High diversity of land typology with good irrigation network and farm road infrastructure make DI Yogyakarta Province potential to be developed as agriculture seed centre and off season commodity planting. The minerals deposit of volcanous Merapi mountain and marine can increase quality ofagricultural product which good for health, therefore it is potential for development of functional food and improvement livestock reproduction for calf production. Through agricultural product that has high economics value, farmer income and public prosperity are expected to increased

Contribution of Earthworms to Increase Soil Fertility and Soil Organism Activities

Upland in the wet tropical region is dominated by acid soils, low organic matter content, and compacted subsoil layer (especially argillic horizone). The compacted soil inhibit penetration of plant roots and surface water infiltration and increase surface runoff and soil erosion, and low soil productivity. Soil fertility restoration through mechanical processing is difficult to be done, beside damaging the plant roots but also increasing soil erosion. Empowerment of earthworms in their life cycle can make a hole in the soil (burrower), prevent soil compaction, improve soil aeration, spreading organic matter and organic matter inhibits the rate of depreciation of land, and increase soil biological activity, and further can improve soil fertility without disrupting growth plants

Effectiveness of Commercial Biofertilizer on Fertilization Efficiency in Ultisols for the Growth and Yield of Caisim

The effectiveness of Commercial Biofertilizer 1 (CBF1) on the growth and yield of caisim (Brassica sp.) was examined in the greenhouse of Indonesian Soil Research Institute in Bogor. The completely randomized design (CRD) was performed to examine the effects of Commercial Biofertilizer 1 (CBF1) on Fertilization Efficiency in Ultisols. The treatments were consists of 10 combinations between NPK-recommendation (NPK-rec) and CBF1, with six replications. The experiment was conducted from August to October 2009. The result showed that CBF I increased the yields of caisim when combining by fertilizer NPK-rec, while giving CBF1 alone did not significantly increases yields compare to control (without fertilizer). Giving ¾ dosage NPK-rec. + CBF1 had RAE value 163%, indicating the effectiveness of  CBF1 was optimum, that it reduce the need of NPK fertilizer by 25% by providing the increasing of yield  63% compared to NPK rec. The higher the level of NPK-rec. the lower the efficiency of fertilization. CBF1 had given effectives on yields when it was combined by inorganic fertilizer. However, when it was not combined with inorganic fertilizers, it would harm plants and decreased the soil nutrients.  The influence of biofertilizer in plants were predictable unpredictable, while the influent of inorganic fertilizers were predictable

Soil Biology Contribution on Agricultural Land Suitability Evaluation of Wet Tropical Megabiodiversity Regions

Indonesia is in the region "wet tropical megabiodiversity" it would need to complete the system  for agricultural land suitability evaluation in accordance with real conditions, thus increasing the value-added resources optimally and sustainable and accountable production investment. Soil organisms as a component of production support can act as an agent of energy and nutrient cycling in the soil, improving soil physical properties, and controlling pests and disease. For that soil, biological parameters that need to be considered in evaluating the suitability of land that already exist include: N-fixing or P-solubilizing bacteria groups that live symbiosis and free-living, the fungi solubilizing P and soil organic matter decomposition groups, BGA fixing and free-living N symbiotic groups, fauna groups are able to conserve soil organic matter and improve soil physical properties. Important steps that need to be done in the evaluation of land cover inventory of soil biological populations and its role on the growth of crops, and evaluate the suitability of the soil biological parameters of the functional value of commodity options