Tingkat Serangan Hama dan Penyakit pada Tanaman Hortikultura di Kabupaten Bangka, Provinsi Kepulauan Bangka Belitung

Abstract

Pesticides are chemical ingredient used to eradicate and prevent disturbances of insects, rodents, nematodes, fungi, weeds, viruses, bacteria, and micro-organisms which are considered as harmful pests. Excessive use of pesticides can cause pest resistance, pest resurgence, emergence of secondary pests, and environmental pollution. This research aims to evaluate the use of pesticides by farmers in controlling pests and plant diseases of horticultural crops in Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province. This research was conducted using interview method followed by direct observations in the interviewed farmers’ fields. The results obtained from interviews and observations indicated that farmers still use synthetic pesticides unwisely in controlling pests and plant diseases of cultivated plants. Farmers still rely on their personal experience of using pesticides rather than science. Most of farmers did not understand the use of pesticides properly and correctly, so they do not understand the economic threshold for using pesticides. In conclusion, farmers still think that the more types of pesticides used, the faster the control of pests and diseases show good results. Thus, it is necessary to give extension to farmers about the use of pesticides, so that farmers can understand how to use pesticides wisely and precisely in the future. Pest and disease species that attack horticultural crops are 13 pest species and 11 disease species.