SOIL QUALITY INDEX RELATIONSHIP WITH RICE PRODUCTION IN SUKOHARJO REGENCY, CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA

Abstract

Climate change has an effect on the degradation of soil, water, growth and crop production. Soil degradation caused by various factors decrease in physical, chemical, and biological soil processes. The decrease in physical properties of the soil due to erosion, compaction, and fractures. The decrease in soil chemical properties is due to nutrient leaching, acidification, and salinization. The decrease of biological properties of the soil is due to the reduction of soil organic matter and diversity of soil biota. Climate change affects the diversity of organisms in the soil. Soil organisms requiring certain temperature conditions for its activities and the state of extremely dry, extreme wet, and increased soil temperature will affect the diversity of soil organisms. The use of fertilizers and organic materials can increase and balance the availability of nutrients needed by plants. The fertilizer can influence the soil fertility represented by a soil quality index. Soil quality is a measure to describe the condition of the soil based on three indicators of the physical, chemical and biological properties. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between soil quality with rice productivity in Sukoharjo, Central Java that will affect the climate change. The research was conducted in March-November 2015. The method in this research was a descriptive explorative by field surveying. The sampling method is purposive random sampling. Soil quality indices in eleven sites, Sukoharjo has medium and good (5.47 to 6.91)  category. Soil quality indicators are the most influential on permeability, N-total, K-available, and soil organic matter. The regression Soil Quality Index with rice productivity is 17.7%. The relationship between Soil Quality Index against the highest rice yield soil Permeability has a coefficient determination 43%. Eleven sites has medium-good soil quality and rice productivity with medium categories.