Researches

BIOFERTILIZER PRODUCTS: EVALUATION OF BENEFICIAL MICROBES OF OBD-BIOFERTILIZER

Two types of vegetation covers were compared to the common soil management techniques in oliveculture areas to design, introduce, test and disseminate cover crops as ecological olive production systems. Inthe first vegetation cover, natural vegetation development was allowed until water competition arises, whilstweeds cover was enriched with a leguminous species, in the second. The common soil management techniquestested was ploughing and herbicides. Olive trees vegetative development and nutrients content were monitored.The potential for natural revegetation ability was evaluated. Organic matter, nutrients and water contents in thesoil were also measured. Infiltration and erosion were estimated using the field-saturated hydraulic conductivity(Kfs) “Guelf permeameter” method and the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). In order tounderstand the variation of some soil physical and chemical properties, graphical interpretation of these soil properties was done using geostatistics and geographic information system

Cocoa is a pre-eminent commodity in Central Sulawesi Province. Cocoa farming has not experienced a significant increase in productivity due to lack of technological improvement efforts, limited partnerships resulting in low access of farmers to capital institutions, trading dominated by middlemen and owners of capital and lack of extension support role in improving the competence, capacity and interdependence of cocoa farmers to increase productivity and income. Those aspects indicate the important of research on competence, the capacity of cocoa farmers leading to the interdependence of farmers on filtering system, competitiveness and partnership as well as increasing the productivity of farmers through increasing farmers’ interdependence. This study aims to: (1) identify the level of competence, capacity, and interdependence of cocoa farmers, (2) analyze the factors affecting the competence, capacity and interdependence of cocoa farmers to produce quality cocoa, (3) analyze the influence of interdependence on farmer productivity cocoa, (4) to determine extension strategies in improving the competence, capacity, and interdependence of cocoa farmers. The research used survey design, was implemented in Central Sulawesi Province as the main center of cocoa production in Indonesia. Location of research were Donggala Regency of North Region, Sigi Regency of West Region, Poso Regency of Central Region and North Morowali Regency of Southeast Region. The research sample was 380 by fulfilling the statistical test requirement using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).