KARAKTERISTIK BUDIDAYA TANAMAN PALA (Myristica fragran Houtt) POLA DUSUNG DI KECAMATAN LEIHITU DAN LEIHITU BARAT KABUPATEN MALUKU TENGAH

Abstract

ABSTRAK Tanaman pala oleh masyarakat Maluku umumnya dikelola secara turun temurun, dikenal dengan pola tanam yang disebut dusung. Dusung memiliki beberapa manfaat yaitu sebagai sumber pendapatan petani, memiliki stabilitas ekologis yang relatif tinggi dan pengelolaannya untuk memelihara dan meningkatkan keunggulan tanaman didalamnya. Permasalahan yang dihadapi petani dalam menurunnya produktivitas tanaman pala di desa Liliboi, desa Hila dan Desa Morela disebabkan oleh faktor budidaya dan produksi tanaman.Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mendapatkan informasi tingkat budidaya tanaman pala yang dibudidayakan dengan pola dusung dan mendiskripsikan karakteristik dusung untuk budidaya dan produksi tanaman pala. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode survei dengan purposive sampling, sampel diambil secara acak (random sampling) dari setiap petani. Hasil analisis menunjukan karakteristik dusung mencakup Topografi Desa Hila, Morela, Liliboi sangat sesuai untuk budidaya tanaman. Pengambilan keputusan dalam pemilihan tanaman pelindung untuk tanaman pala berdasarkan pengetahuan ekologis petani yang berkembang secara turun temurun yang didasarkan atas kesesuaian kondisi biofisik menunjang, mudah memelihara, keanekaragaman hasil, mudah pemasaran dan menambah ekonomi keluarga. ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to obtain information on the level of cultivation of nutmeg plants cultivated with the dusung pattern and describe the characteristics of the dusung for the cultivation and production of nutmeg crops. The method used is a survey method with purposive sampling samples were taken randomly (random sampling) from each farmer. The date taken is the primary date (hamlet topography, land ownership, area, number of trees, spacing, plant age, cropping pattern, and other plantation crops that serve as protection for nutmeg crops). Secondary data (general condition of the location), climate data (average climate for the last 5 years), data on area and nutmeg production, altitude (asl) The results of the analysis show that the characteristics of the hamlet include the topography of Hila, Morela, and Liliboi villages which are very suitable for plant cultivation. The conclusion of the research is that the characteristics of nutmeg farming in the dusung pattern in Hila village, Morela, and Liliboi are very diverse in terms of area, the number of trees, plant spacing, and plant age. The topography of Hila Village, Morela, Liliboi is very suitable for nutmeg cultivation and the state of farming carried out by farmers is a polycultural pattern known as dusun" in Maluku. Decision-making in the selection of protective plants for nutmeg plants is based on the ecological knowledge of farmers that has developed from generation to generation based on the suitability of supporting biophysical conditions, easy maintenance, diversity of results, easy marketing, and increasing the family economy.